Winter Home Emergency Index · 2026 edition
Chicago, IL: 35th of 100 for winter heat and burst-pipe searches
Chicago has 15.6 typical December–February searches for furnace, frozen-pipe and emergency plumber help per 1,000 households, 1.3x the median city (12.3). That's less than its normal winter cold predicts (0.88x), 63rd of 99 cities on this measure.
Winter in Chicago
- Search demand typically peaks in January, when it runs 2.55x the city's yearly average.
- 15% of winter searches are for urgent problems: burst or frozen pipes, no heat, emergency furnace repair.
- Emergency plumber searches add up to about 10.7 per 1,000 households a year.
- A normal December–February brings 3,239 heating degree days at Chicago Midway Airport.
Homes in Chicago
- The median home was built in 1952.
- 77% of homes were built before 1980.
- 78% of households heat with gas and 18% with electricity.
- 46% of households own their home.
- 1,146,547 households in city limits (ACS 2023).
Chicago ranks 88th in the Summer AC Emergency Index. See Chicago's summer page.
About these numbers
Search demand from Google Ads, Oct 2022 to Sep 2026, for 30 heating and plumbing terms. Each month uses the median of that calendar month across four years. "Chicago" is the location as Google Ads defines it; households are city limits. This measures searches, not breakdowns or claims. Full methodology.
Cite: Home Stats Data, "Chicago, IL ranks 35th of 100 for winter heat and burst-pipe searches," October 24, 2026, https://homestatsdata.com/plumbing/frozen-pipe-statistics/chicago-il/