The most ADU-friendly US cities in 2026 are San Diego, Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Portland, Seattle — each scoring 9/10 for by-right approval, generous size limits, and no parking or owner-occupancy requirements. Of the 105 cities we track, 48 require no added parking and 72 have dropped owner-occupancy for ADUs.
Free to cite with attribution to ADU Zoning Hub. Scores follow our published methodology, computed from city planning codes and state ADU law (updated 2026).
Full Ranking — All 105 Cities
| # | City | ADU Score | Build Cost | Added Parking | Owner-Occupancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Diego, CA | 9/10 | $120,000-$300,000 | Varies | Not required |
| 2 | Minneapolis, MN | 9/10 | $140,000-$280,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | 9/10 | $150,000-$350,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 4 | Portland, OR | 9/10 | $150,000-$300,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | 9/10 | $160,000-$320,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | 9/10 | $200,000-$450,000 | No Parking Required | Varies |
| 7 | Berkeley, CA | 9/10 | $250,000-$500,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 8 | Sacramento, CA | 8/10 | $100,000-$250,000 | Varies | Varies |
| 9 | Long Beach, CA | 8/10 | $120,000-$280,000 | No Parking Required | Varies |
| 10 | Austin, TX | 8/10 | $125,000-$250,000 | Varies | Not required |
| 11 | Tacoma, WA | 8/10 | $135,000-$270,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 12 | Saint Paul, MN | 8/10 | $135,000-$270,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 13 | Eugene, OR | 8/10 | $140,000-$280,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 14 | Denver, CO | 8/10 | $140,000-$280,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 15 | Elk Grove, CA | 8/10 | $150,000-$300,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 16 | Oakland, CA | 8/10 | $160,000-$380,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 17 | Boulder, CO | 8/10 | $160,000-$320,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 18 | San Bernardino, CA | 8/10 | $160,000-$280,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 19 | Fontana, CA | 8/10 | $160,000-$270,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 20 | Riverside, CA | 8/10 | $170,000-$280,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 21 | Rancho Cucamonga, CA | 8/10 | $170,000-$290,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 22 | San Jose, CA | 8/10 | $180,000-$400,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 23 | Ontario, CA | 8/10 | $180,000-$300,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 24 | Salt Lake City, UT | 8/10 | $180,000-$350,000 | 1 Space | Required |
| 25 | Princeton, NJ | 8/10 | $180,000-$350,000 | Varies | Not required |
| 26 | Bellevue, WA | 8/10 | $180,000-$380,000 | Varies | Not required |
| 27 | Cambridge, MA | 8/10 | $210,000-$420,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 28 | Fremont, CA | 8/10 | $220,000-$420,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 29 | Santa Monica, CA | 8/10 | $250,000-$500,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 30 | Chula Vista, CA | 8/10 | $300,000-$450,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 31 | Fresno, CA | 7/10 | $80,000-$200,000 | Varies | Not required |
| 32 | Grand Rapids, MI | 7/10 | $90,000-$200,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 33 | Kansas City, MO | 7/10 | $100,000-$300,000 | No Parking Required | Required |
| 34 | Buffalo, NY | 7/10 | $110,000-$220,000 | Varies | Not required |
| 35 | Raleigh, NC | 7/10 | $110,000-$220,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 36 | Charlotte, NC | 7/10 | $115,000-$230,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 37 | Durham, NC | 7/10 | $120,000-$240,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 38 | Mesa, AZ | 7/10 | $120,000-$240,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 39 | Ann Arbor, MI | 7/10 | $120,000-$240,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 40 | Tempe, AZ | 7/10 | $120,000-$250,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 41 | Albuquerque, NM | 7/10 | $120,000-$240,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 42 | Santa Ana, CA | 7/10 | $130,000-$300,000 | Varies | Varies |
| 43 | Anaheim, CA | 7/10 | $130,000-$290,000 | 1 Space | Varies |
| 44 | Salem, OR | 7/10 | $130,000-$260,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 45 | Colorado Springs, CO | 7/10 | $130,000-$260,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 46 | Henderson, NV | 7/10 | $130,000-$250,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 47 | Vancouver, WA | 7/10 | $135,000-$270,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 48 | Bend, OR | 7/10 | $140,000-$280,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 49 | Evanston, IL | 7/10 | $140,000-$280,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 50 | Chicago, IL | 7/10 | $150,000-$300,000 | No Parking Required | Required |
| 51 | Nashville, TN | 7/10 | $150,000-$250,000 | Varies | Required |
| 52 | Honolulu, HI | 7/10 | $150,000-$300,000 | 1 Space | Varies |
| 53 | Washington, DC | 7/10 | $150,000-$250,000 | No Parking Required | Required |
| 54 | Jersey City, NJ | 7/10 | $150,000-$300,000 | Varies | Varies |
| 55 | Folsom, CA | 7/10 | $150,000-$300,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 56 | Beaverton, OR | 7/10 | $150,000-$320,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 57 | Carlsbad, CA | 7/10 | $150,000-$350,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 58 | Pasadena, CA | 7/10 | $180,000-$400,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 59 | Hayward, CA | 7/10 | $200,000-$400,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 60 | San Mateo, CA | 7/10 | $250,000-$450,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 61 | Somerville, MA | 7/10 | $275,000-$450,000 | No Parking Required | Varies |
| 62 | Oceanside, CA | 7/10 | $300,000-$450,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 63 | Mobile, AL | 6/10 | $90,000-$175,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 64 | Spokane, WA | 6/10 | $110,000-$220,000 | Varies | Not required |
| 65 | Dallas, TX | 6/10 | $115,000-$230,000 | Varies | Required |
| 66 | Houston, TX | 6/10 | $120,000-$240,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 67 | Phoenix, AZ | 6/10 | $120,000-$240,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 68 | Atlanta, GA | 6/10 | $120,000-$240,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 69 | Chandler, AZ | 6/10 | $125,000-$250,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 70 | Orlando, FL | 6/10 | $130,000-$260,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 71 | Gilbert, AZ | 6/10 | $130,000-$260,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 72 | Worcester, MA | 6/10 | $140,000-$280,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 73 | Trenton, NJ | 6/10 | $140,000-$260,000 | No Parking Required | Required |
| 74 | Roseville, CA | 6/10 | $150,000-$300,000 | Varies | Not required |
| 75 | Charleston, SC | 6/10 | $150,000-$300,000 | 1 Space | Required |
| 76 | Alexandria, VA | 6/10 | $160,000-$320,000 | No Parking Required | Required |
| 77 | Corona, CA | 6/10 | $160,000-$300,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 78 | Upland, CA | 6/10 | $160,000-$300,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 79 | Arlington, VA | 6/10 | $170,000-$340,000 | 1 Space | Required |
| 80 | Montclair, NJ | 6/10 | $175,000-$325,000 | 1 Space | Required |
| 81 | Glendale, CA | 6/10 | $180,000-$400,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 82 | Burbank, CA | 6/10 | $220,000-$400,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 83 | Quincy, MA | 6/10 | $250,000-$425,000 | 1 Space | Varies |
| 84 | Newton, MA | 6/10 | $250,000-$450,000 | Varies | Not required |
| 85 | Escondido, CA | 6/10 | $300,000-$425,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 86 | El Cajon, CA | 6/10 | $300,000-$450,000 | Varies | Not required |
| 87 | San Antonio, TX | 5/10 | $110,000-$220,000 | Varies | Required |
| 88 | Tucson, AZ | 5/10 | $110,000-$220,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 89 | Fort Worth, TX | 5/10 | $120,000-$240,000 | Varies | Varies |
| 90 | Jacksonville, FL | 5/10 | $125,000-$245,000 | 1 Space | Required |
| 91 | Savannah, GA | 5/10 | $130,000-$260,000 | 1 Space | Varies |
| 92 | Las Vegas, NV | 5/10 | $130,000-$250,000 | 1 Space | Varies |
| 93 | Scottsdale, AZ | 5/10 | $140,000-$280,000 | No Parking Required | Not required |
| 94 | New York City, NY | 5/10 | $150,000-$300,000 | No Parking Required | Required |
| 95 | Miami, FL | 5/10 | $180,000-$350,000 | 1 Space | Varies |
| 96 | Irvine, CA | 5/10 | $180,000-$420,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 97 | Boston, MA | 5/10 | $200,000-$400,000 | No Parking Required | Required |
| 98 | Pittsburgh, PA | 5/10 | $200,000-$325,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 99 | Torrance, CA | 5/10 | $200,000-$380,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 100 | Huntington Beach, CA | 4/10 | $180,000-$420,000 | 1 Space | Not required |
| 101 | Birmingham, AL | 3/10 | $90,000-$180,000 | Varies | Varies |
| 102 | Tampa, FL | 3/10 | $140,000-$280,000 | 1 Space | Required |
| 103 | Detroit, MI | 2/10 | $90,000-$200,000 | No Parking Required | Varies |
| 104 | Huntsville, AL | 2/10 | $95,000-$185,000 | Varies | Required |
| 105 | Rochester, NY | 2/10 | $105,000-$210,000 | Varies | Varies |
Cheapest US Cities to Build an ADU (2026)
| # | City | Typical Build Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresno, CA | $80,000-$200,000 |
| 2 | Grand Rapids, MI | $90,000-$200,000 |
| 3 | Detroit, MI | $90,000-$200,000 |
| 4 | Birmingham, AL | $90,000-$180,000 |
| 5 | Mobile, AL | $90,000-$175,000 |
| 6 | Huntsville, AL | $95,000-$185,000 |
| 7 | Sacramento, CA | $100,000-$250,000 |
| 8 | Kansas City, MO | $100,000-$300,000 |
| 9 | Rochester, NY | $105,000-$210,000 |
| 10 | San Antonio, TX | $110,000-$220,000 |
Most Expensive US Cities to Build an ADU (2026)
| # | City | Typical Build Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chula Vista, CA | $300,000-$450,000 |
| 2 | Oceanside, CA | $300,000-$450,000 |
| 3 | Escondido, CA | $300,000-$425,000 |
| 4 | El Cajon, CA | $300,000-$450,000 |
| 5 | Somerville, MA | $275,000-$450,000 |
| 6 | Berkeley, CA | $250,000-$500,000 |
| 7 | Santa Monica, CA | $250,000-$500,000 |
| 8 | Quincy, MA | $250,000-$425,000 |
| 9 | San Mateo, CA | $250,000-$450,000 |
| 10 | Newton, MA | $250,000-$450,000 |
How We Scored Cities
Each city's ADU-friendliness score (0–10) is a composite of the regulatory factors that most affect a homeowner's ability to build: by-right vs. discretionary approval, maximum ADU size, setbacks, parking requirements, owner-occupancy mandates, and permit cost/timeline. Data is drawn from city planning codes and state ADU law and updated as laws change. See the full methodology.
For journalists & researchers: this ranking is free to cite with a link to ADU Zoning Hub. For a specific city's full rules, see our city ADU guides; for state laws, see what states allow ADUs.