Market rankings · Illinois
Bakeries and dessert shops in Illinois
Markets across Illinois ranked by the Groundwork market score for bakeries and dessert shops, with competitor counts and household spending for each.
- Listings
- 4,962
- 1,901 chain locations (38%)
- Official establishments
- 3,109
- All snack bars and retail bakeries · +23.1% since 2019
- Household spending a year
- $21.2B
- On food away from home
- Listings per 10k households
- 9.9
- In line with the U.S.
- Spending per listing
- $4.3M
- 3% above the U.S.
- Rank among states
- #35 of 51
- Market score 44 · Lower middle
A site report maps the bakeries and dessert shops on map listings around any address in Illinois by name and distance, and the spending within reach.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
Map listings as of September 2026 show 4,962 bakeries and dessert shops in Illinois. 1,901 of them (38%) are chain locations, against 35% across the U.S. That is 9.9 per 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 9.8.
Household spending on food away from home in Illinois comes to about $21.2B a year: $4,215 per household, 4% above the U.S. average. That is about $4.3M of household spending for each shop on map listings, 3% above the U.S. figure of $4.1M. That spending covers all food away from home, which bakeries and dessert shops share with other businesses in the trade.
The official count of businesses with payroll classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in Illinois was 3,109 in 2023, up 23.1% from 2019. That is one for every 1,620 households, against one for every 1,369 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 24.6% over the same years. The official count takes in all snack bars and retail bakeries, not only bakeries and dessert shops: coffee shops and cafes are counted too. Since fiscal 2022, 190 SBA-backed loans worth $80.9M have gone to businesses classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in Illinois.
Among the 50 states and DC, Illinois ranks #35 for bakeries and dessert shops, with a Groundwork market score of 44 (lower middle). Of the 12 scored metro areas in or partly in Illinois, the Bloomington metro area scores highest (74). Of the 21 scored small-town markets in or partly in Illinois, the Rochelle area scores highest (80).
Every market in Illinois for bakeries and dessert shops
Download the ranking (CSV)Numbered by Groundwork market score among the markets based in Illinois, highest first; the U.S. rank compares each market with every other of its kind. A metro area that crosses a state line is listed in each state it reaches, and numbered only in the state its page is under. How the score works.
Metro areas
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Bloomington, IL | 74 | 39 | 5.6 | $7.3M | +0.1% | #19 of 387 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 66 | 911 | 7.9 | $5.2M | −0.2% | #66 of 387 |
| 2Kankakee, IL | 63 | 27 | 6.6 | $5.8M | −1.7% | #88 of 387 |
| 3Springfield, IL | 63 | 62 | 6.9 | $5.7M | −1.2% | #89 of 387 |
| 4Decatur, IL | 62 | 24 | 5.5 | $6.4M | −4.3% | #93 of 387 |
| 5Rockford, IL | 55 | 109 | 8.0 | $4.6M | −0.3% | #155 of 387 |
| 6Champaign-Urbana, IL | 54 | 75 | 7.6 | $4.9M | +1.5% | #159 of 387 |
| 7Peoria, IL | 53 | 122 | 7.9 | $4.9M | −1.3% | #171 of 387 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | 48 | 33 | 8.6 | $4.2M | +1.7% | #215 of 387 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | 47 | 131 | 8.1 | $4.7M | −0.9% | #221 of 387 |
| 8Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 44 | 4,064 | 11.2 | $4M | 0.0% | #251 of 387 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | 29 | 47 | 11.3 | $3.1M | −1.2% | #350 of 387 |
Small-town markets
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Rochelle, IL | 80 | 12 | 5.8 | $6.8M | −0.7% | #14 of 507 |
| 2Pontiac, IL | 74 | 8 | 5.5 | $6.9M | −2.1% | #33 of 507 |
| 3Dixon, IL | 71 | 7 | 5.2 | $7.1M | −3.4% | #50 of 507 |
| 4Effingham, IL | 71 | 12 | 6.6 | $5.9M | −0.9% | #52 of 507 |
| 5Mount Vernon, IL | 70 | 6 | 4.0 | $8.5M | −2.3% | #57 of 507 |
| 6Charleston-Mattoon, IL | 65 | 11 | 5.3 | $6.3M | −1.0% | #92 of 507 |
| 7Marion-Herrin, IL | 65 | 18 | 6.2 | $5.8M | +0.2% | #96 of 507 |
| 8Taylorville, IL | 61 | 8 | 5.9 | $5.9M | −1.5% | #130 of 507 |
| 9Danville, IL | 55 | 15 | 5.0 | $6.7M | −3.7% | #197 of 507 |
| 10Centralia, IL | 54 | 6 | 3.9 | $8.7M | −3.4% | #208 of 507 |
| 11Ottawa, IL | 54 | 50 | 8.1 | $4.6M | −1.6% | #212 of 507 |
| 12Galesburg, IL | 51 | 12 | 5.7 | $5.7M | −4.1% | #238 of 507 |
| 13Sterling, IL | 50 | 18 | 7.8 | $4.6M | −2.6% | #256 of 507 |
| 14Quincy, IL-MO | 44 | 25 | 8.0 | $4.4M | −2.0% | #312 of 507 |
| 15Freeport, IL | 43 | 15 | 7.7 | $4.5M | −3.0% | #325 of 507 |
| 16Jacksonville, IL | 43 | 13 | 8.6 | $4.2M | −3.1% | #327 of 507 |
| Burlington, IA-IL | 42 | 19 | 9.6 | $3.6M | −2.5% | #337 of 507 |
| 17Macomb, IL | 41 | 8 | 6.7 | $4.8M | −4.5% | #344 of 507 |
| 18Canton, IL | 33 | 12 | 8.7 | $4M | −2.0% | #425 of 507 |
| 19Carbondale, IL | 31 | 19 | 8.3 | $3.8M | −1.5% | #437 of 507 |
| 20Lincoln, IL | 27 | 13 | 11.5 | $3.1M | −2.5% | #463 of 507 |
Counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Ogle County, IL | 76 | 12 | 5.8 | $6.8M | −0.7% | #142 of 1,889 |
| 2Clinton County, IL | 70 | 7 | 4.8 | $8.6M | +0.6% | #254 of 1,889 |
| 3McLean County, IL | 70 | 39 | 5.6 | $7.3M | +0.1% | #256 of 1,889 |
| 4Livingston County, IL | 70 | 8 | 5.5 | $6.9M | −2.1% | #258 of 1,889 |
| 5Grundy County, IL | 70 | 18 | 8.7 | $5M | +2.9% | #272 of 1,889 |
| 6Kendall County, IL | 69 | 42 | 9.3 | $5.2M | +9.9% | #299 of 1,889 |
| 7St. Clair County, IL | 68 | 64 | 6.3 | $6.1M | −2.5% | #311 of 1,889 |
| 8Lee County, IL | 67 | 7 | 5.2 | $7.1M | −3.4% | #326 of 1,889 |
| 9Monroe County, IL | 67 | 12 | 8.7 | $5.3M | −0.3% | #338 of 1,889 |
| 10Jefferson County, IL | 66 | 6 | 4.0 | $8.5M | −2.3% | #354 of 1,889 |
| 11Effingham County, IL | 66 | 10 | 7.2 | $5.5M | −0.5% | #369 of 1,889 |
| 12Coles County, IL | 63 | 11 | 5.3 | $6.3M | −1.0% | #441 of 1,889 |
| 13Macon County, IL | 61 | 24 | 5.5 | $6.4M | −4.3% | #492 of 1,889 |
| 14Henry County, IL | 61 | 13 | 6.4 | $5.9M | −2.2% | #497 of 1,889 |
| 15Williamson County, IL | 61 | 18 | 6.2 | $5.8M | +0.2% | #498 of 1,889 |
| 16Madison County, IL | 61 | 84 | 7.6 | $5.2M | −1.0% | #506 of 1,889 |
| 17Kankakee County, IL | 59 | 27 | 6.6 | $5.8M | −1.7% | #570 of 1,889 |
| 18Sangamon County, IL | 59 | 59 | 7.0 | $5.7M | −1.0% | #572 of 1,889 |
| 19Crawford County, IL | 59 | 5 | 6.7 | $5.6M | +0.1% | #574 of 1,889 |
| 20Tazewell County, IL | 59 | 42 | 7.8 | $5.1M | −0.9% | #580 of 1,889 |
| 21Iroquois County, IL | 58 | 5 | 4.4 | $8.2M | −3.0% | #598 of 1,889 |
| 22Christian County, IL | 58 | 8 | 5.9 | $5.9M | −1.5% | #604 of 1,889 |
| 23Woodford County, IL | 58 | 11 | 7.5 | $5.8M | −0.8% | #606 of 1,889 |
| 24McHenry County, IL | 58 | 134 | 11.4 | $4.1M | +2.5% | #631 of 1,889 |
| 25Will County, IL | 57 | 259 | 10.6 | $4.5M | +2.2% | #659 of 1,889 |
Show all 102 counties
| Market | Score | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Population growth | U.S. rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26Boone County, IL | 57 | 21 | 10.8 | $3.9M | +0.4% | #672 of 1,889 |
| 27Winnebago County, IL | 56 | 88 | 7.6 | $4.8M | −0.4% | #697 of 1,889 |
| 28Vermilion County, IL | 54 | 15 | 5.0 | $6.7M | −3.7% | #761 of 1,889 |
| 29Rock Island County, IL | 54 | 40 | 6.5 | $5.6M | −1.7% | #769 of 1,889 |
| 30Lake County, IL | 53 | 295 | 11.4 | $4.3M | +0.8% | #821 of 1,889 |
| 31Marion County, IL | 52 | 6 | 3.9 | $8.7M | −3.4% | #837 of 1,889 |
| 32Bureau County, IL | 52 | 9 | 6.4 | $5.7M | −2.1% | #841 of 1,889 |
| 33Knox County, IL | 51 | 12 | 5.7 | $5.7M | −4.1% | #878 of 1,889 |
| 34Shelby County, IL | 51 | 6 | 6.7 | $5.4M | −1.6% | #879 of 1,889 |
| 35Champaign County, IL | 51 | 68 | 8.0 | $4.6M | +1.8% | #886 of 1,889 |
| 36Franklin County, IL | 49 | 8 | 5.0 | $6.6M | −2.1% | #945 of 1,889 |
| 37Bond County, IL | 49 | 5 | 8.1 | $4.5M | +0.6% | #957 of 1,889 |
| 38Douglas County, IL | 49 | 7 | 9.0 | $4.2M | +0.5% | #964 of 1,889 |
| 39Jersey County, IL | 48 | 7 | 8.8 | $4.5M | −1.5% | #988 of 1,889 |
| 40Montgomery County, IL | 48 | 9 | 8.0 | $4.4M | −0.6% | #990 of 1,889 |
| 41LaSalle County, IL | 48 | 41 | 9.0 | $4.2M | −1.5% | #1,000 of 1,889 |
| 42DeKalb County, IL | 48 | 43 | 10.9 | $3.5M | +1.5% | #1,011 of 1,889 |
| 43Randolph County, IL | 47 | 9 | 7.5 | $4.7M | −0.6% | #1,024 of 1,889 |
| 44Whiteside County, IL | 47 | 18 | 7.8 | $4.6M | −2.6% | #1,027 of 1,889 |
| 45Peoria County, IL | 46 | 60 | 7.7 | $4.8M | −1.6% | #1,063 of 1,889 |
| 46DuPage County, IL | 46 | 423 | 12.1 | $4.1M | +0.3% | #1,075 of 1,889 |
| 47Kane County, IL | 46 | 240 | 13.0 | $3.6M | +1.8% | #1,089 of 1,889 |
| 48Edgar County, IL | 43 | 6 | 7.9 | $4.3M | −2.9% | #1,173 of 1,889 |
| 49Cook County, IL | 41 | 2,344 | 11.2 | $3.8M | −1.3% | #1,252 of 1,889 |
| 50McDonough County, IL | 40 | 8 | 6.7 | $4.8M | −4.5% | #1,281 of 1,889 |
| 51Adams County, IL | 39 | 24 | 8.6 | $4.2M | −2.1% | #1,318 of 1,889 |
| 52Perry County, IL | 38 | 6 | 7.6 | $4.6M | −3.5% | #1,348 of 1,889 |
| 53Stephenson County, IL | 37 | 15 | 7.7 | $4.5M | −3.0% | #1,389 of 1,889 |
| 54Clark County, IL | 34 | 8 | 12.2 | $3M | −2.2% | #1,514 of 1,889 |
| 55Ford County, IL | 33 | 5 | 8.6 | $4.1M | −2.2% | #1,526 of 1,889 |
| 56Morgan County, IL | 33 | 12 | 9.2 | $3.9M | −2.9% | #1,528 of 1,889 |
| 57Fulton County, IL | 30 | 12 | 8.7 | $4M | −2.0% | #1,610 of 1,889 |
| 58Pike County, IL | 29 | 5 | 8.4 | $4M | −2.8% | #1,637 of 1,889 |
| 59Fayette County, IL | 29 | 7 | 9.0 | $3.9M | −3.2% | #1,638 of 1,889 |
| 60Jackson County, IL | 29 | 19 | 8.3 | $3.8M | −1.5% | #1,639 of 1,889 |
| 61Hancock County, IL | 28 | 7 | 9.2 | $3.8M | −4.4% | #1,668 of 1,889 |
| 62Jo Daviess County, IL | 27 | 16 | 15.4 | $2.5M | −2.2% | #1,698 of 1,889 |
| 63Marshall County, IL | 25 | 6 | 11.8 | $3.1M | −2.0% | #1,735 of 1,889 |
| 64Logan County, IL | 24 | 13 | 11.5 | $3.1M | −2.5% | #1,754 of 1,889 |
| 65Greene County, IL | 23 | 5 | 11.2 | $3.2M | −5.1% | #1,766 of 1,889 |
| 66Warren County, IL | 23 | 8 | 11.8 | $3.1M | −3.6% | #1,769 of 1,889 |
| 67Clay County, IL | 22 | 5 | 9.4 | $3.6M | −3.6% | #1,785 of 1,889 |
| Macoupin County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 2.3 | $16.7M | −2.6% | |
| Saline County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 2.0 | $16.7M | −4.1% | |
| Union County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 4.4 | $7.7M | −3.7% | |
| Piatt County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 2.9 | $14.8M | +0.6% | |
| Wayne County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 5.8 | $5.6M | −1.6% | |
| Richland County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 4.7 | $7.3M | −3.7% | |
| Carroll County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 6.1 | $5.6M | −1.7% | |
| Mercer County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 4.6 | $8.5M | −2.6% | |
| De Witt County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 6.1 | $6.1M | −2.1% | |
| Lawrence County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 3.7 | $9.5M | −9.7% | |
| Moultrie County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 3.4 | $10.8M | −0.8% | |
| Massac County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 7.3 | $4.6M | −4.5% | |
| Washington County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 3.5 | $11M | −1.2% | |
| White County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 7.1 | $4.6M | −4.0% | |
| Johnson County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 4.9 | $7.1M | +0.4% | |
| Cass County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 2.0 | $18M | −4.0% | |
| Mason County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 1.7 | $19.9M | −4.9% | |
| Menard County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 5.7 | $6.8M | −3.3% | |
| Wabash County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 2.1 | $16.2M | −3.6% | |
| Cumberland County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 4.8 | $7.6M | −2.1% | |
| Jasper County, IL | Not scored | 5 | 13.3 | $2.8M | −2.4% | |
| Hamilton County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 5.9 | $6.1M | −1.7% | |
| Schuyler County, IL | Not scored | 4 | 14.6 | $2.3M | −3.0% | |
| Brown County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | +2.7% | |
| Henderson County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 7.4 | $4.6M | −5.6% | |
| Edwards County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 7.5 | $4.4M | −5.0% | |
| Putnam County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −0.1% | |
| Stark County, IL | Not scored | 3 | 13.1 | $2.8M | −1.2% | |
| Pulaski County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −6.9% | |
| Scott County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 4.9 | $7.3M | −4.0% | |
| Alexander County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 5.3 | $6.1M | −11.6% | |
| Gallatin County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −6.4% | |
| Calhoun County, IL | Not scored | 0 | 0.0 | n/a | −2.2% | |
| Pope County, IL | Not scored | 2 | 14.4 | $2.4M | −2.2% | |
| Hardin County, IL | Not scored | 1 | 6.5 | $4.7M | −1.8% |
Markets with fewer than 5 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.
Questions
How many bakeries and dessert shops are in Illinois?
There are 4,962 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings in Illinois as of September 2026. 1,901 of them (38%) are chain locations. The listings count bakeries, ice cream, donut and dessert shops, candy stores. Official counts show 3,109 businesses with payroll classed as snack bars and retail bakeries in 2023, up 23.1% from 2019. That count covers all snack bars and retail bakeries (coffee shops and cafes included), not only bakeries and dessert shops. Another 577 one-person businesses have no payroll, by official counts.
How much do households in Illinois spend on food away from home?
About $21.2B a year, or $4,215 per household. That is 4% above the U.S. average (an index of 104, where 100 is the U.S. average). Spread across the 4,962 bakeries and dessert shops on map listings, it comes to $4.3M per shop. The spending figure covers all food away from home, not only bakeries and dessert shops. It is estimated from the incomes of the 5,036,449 households in Illinois and national spending patterns by income.
How does Illinois compare with the U.S. for bakeries and dessert shops?
Illinois has 9.9 bakeries and dessert shops per 10,000 households, in line with the U.S. rate of 9.8. Spending per shop is $4.3M, 3% above the U.S. figure of $4.1M. At the national ratio of bakeries and dessert shops to household spending, Illinois would have about 5,124, against 4,962 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 1,620 households, against one for every 1,369 across the U.S. The official count rose 23.1% from 2019 to 2023, against +24.6% for the U.S.
Which market in Illinois has the highest market score for bakeries and dessert shops?
Among 12 scored metro areas in or partly in Illinois, the Bloomington metro area scores highest, at 74 (upper middle). Among 21 scored small-town markets in or partly in Illinois, the Rochelle area scores highest, at 80 (high). Among 67 scored counties in Illinois, Ogle County scores highest, at 76 (high). Scores compare each market with others of its kind across the U.S.
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. Illinois scores 44 for bakeries and dessert shops (lower middle), #35 of the 50 states and DC.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Illinois. It maps the bakeries and dessert shops on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
Bakeries and dessert shops in other states
All 51 states
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- District of Columbia
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- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
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- New Hampshire
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- North Carolina
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- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Top markets for bakeries and dessert shops across the U.S. · All business types in Illinois
Related business types in Illinois
- Restaurants and cafes56,407 listings
- Sit-down restaurants31,234 listings
- Fast food and sandwich shops6,826 listings
- Pizza4,499 listings
- Coffee shops and cafes5,172 listings
Screening a site or an acquisition in Illinois?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.