County profile · Illinois
Winnebago County, IL market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in Winnebago County, each scored against other counties.
- Population, 2025
- 283,674
- −0.4% since 2020
- Households
- 116,014
- Median household income
- $65,837
- +20.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $164,500
- Jobs located here
- 121,867
- Highest market score
- 65
- Convenience stores, #579 of 2,261 scored counties
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in Winnebago County by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of Winnebago County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
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
An estimated 283,674 people live in Winnebago County, in 116,014 households. Between 2020 and 2025, the population of Winnebago County declined 0.4%, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median household income in Winnebago County is $65,837 a year, 18% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 20.8% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in Winnebago County spend the most on medical and dental services (an index of 103, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on child care and other personal services (63).
The highest Groundwork market scores in Winnebago County are for convenience stores (65), primary care and pediatric clinics (64) and optometrists and eye clinics (62). Winnebago County ranks #579 of 2,261 scored counties for convenience stores.
Winnebago County is part of the Rockford metro area. For its number of households, Winnebago County has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for roofing and gutter companies (92% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for mortgage brokers and lenders (65% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in Winnebago County
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares Winnebago County with other counties for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among counties | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Convenience stores | 65 | #579 of 2,261 | 80 | 6.9 | $8.4M | 107 | 17 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 64 | #395 of 1,656 | 54 | 4.7 | $2.9M | 161 | 126 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 62 | #373 of 1,302 | 48 | 4.1 | $3.2M | 103 | 13 |
| Car washes and detailing | 62 | #410 of 1,451 | 40 | 3.4 | $2.8M | 111 | 12 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 62 | #531 of 2,063 | 84 | 7.2 | $5M | 135 | 40 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 61 | #227 of 887 | 17 | 1.5 | Index only | 233 | 8 |
| Physical therapy | 60 | #438 of 1,422 | 52 | 4.5 | $3M | 124 | 37 |
| Veterinarians | 59 | #511 of 1,485 | 32 | 2.8 | $2.8M | 104 | 24 |
| Funeral homes | 57 | #537 of 1,472 | 28 | 2.4 | $616K | 91 | 13 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 56 | #697 of 1,889 | 88 | 7.6 | $4.8M | 115 | 45 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 56 | #924 of 2,402 | 183 | 15.8 | $3.7M | 108 | 74 |
| Electricians | 55 | #464 of 1,160 | 24 | 2.1 | $12.3M | 102 | 45 |
| Pest control | 54 | #295 of 699 | 11 | 0.9 | $12.2M | 120 | 9 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 54 | #539 of 1,334 | 42 | 3.6 | $2.2M | 108 | 25 |
| Property management | 53 | #386 of 910 | 22 | 1.9 | Index only | 126 | 22 |
| Home inspectors | 52 | #180 of 415 | 6 | 0.5 | Index only | 98 | 3 |
| Child care and preschools | 52 | #773 of 1,611 | 50 | 4.3 | $844K | 84 | 30 |
| Pet stores | 51 | #462 of 974 | 23 | 2.0 | $3.9M | 87 | 6 |
| Nail salons | 51 | #675 of 1,328 | 67 | 5.8 | $1.6M | 96 | 12 |
| Pet businesses | 50 | #1,093 of 2,200 | 123 | 10.6 | $737K | 84 | 53 |
| Grocery stores | 48 | #1,074 of 2,070 | 67 | 5.8 | $10M | 108 | 57 |
| Tire shops | 47 | #846 of 1,530 | 48 | 4.1 | $2.3M | 93 | 20 |
| Hair salons | 46 | #1,387 of 2,339 | 279 | 24.0 | $385K | 90 | 42 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | 45 | #472 of 777 | 17 | 1.5 | $5.4M | 133 | 44 |
| Pizza | 45 | #1,221 of 2,090 | 88 | 7.6 | $4.8M | 94 | 245 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 45 | #1,407 of 2,405 | 565 | 48.7 | $743K | 112 | 218 |
| Dry cleaners | 43 | #321 of 507 | 13 | 1.1 | $16.5M | 105 | 12 |
| Chiropractors | 43 | #927 of 1,490 | 70 | 6.0 | $2.2M | 92 | 47 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 43 | #1,186 of 1,886 | 134 | 11.6 | $1.2M | 117 | 104 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 42 | #1,137 of 1,707 | 75 | 6.5 | $3.9M | 83 | 88 |
| Spas and skin care | 42 | #1,184 of 1,769 | 112 | 9.7 | $960K | 110 | 27 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 42 | #1,526 of 2,405 | 1,109 | 95.6 | $378K | 102 | 505 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 42 | #1,589 of 2,394 | 907 | 78.2 | $170K | 112 | 331 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 41 | #1,508 of 2,176 | 199 | 17.2 | Index only | 142 | 84 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 40 | #963 of 1,461 | 54 | 4.7 | $1.7M | 66 | 23 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 40 | #1,396 of 2,087 | 175 | 15.1 | $1.2M | 97 | 84 |
| Real estate | 40 | #1,599 of 2,229 | 244 | 21.0 | Index only | 146 | 145 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 39 | #1,508 of 2,088 | 152 | 13.1 | $603K | 91 | 69 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 39 | #1,782 of 2,385 | 545 | 47.0 | $197K | 93 | 81 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 38 | #940 of 1,327 | 45 | 3.9 | $2.5M | 80 | 32 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 38 | #1,584 of 2,210 | 238 | 20.5 | $903K | 103 | 108 |
| Laundromats | 37 | #537 of 785 | 18 | 1.6 | $11.9M | 95 | 12 |
| House cleaning | 37 | #647 of 847 | 26 | 2.2 | $5.2M | 81 | 50 |
| Gas stations | 36 | #1,753 of 2,358 | 180 | 15.5 | $1.6M | 66 | 120 |
| Gyms | 35 | #1,377 of 1,792 | 93 | 8.0 | $986K | 76 | 44 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 34 | #1,702 of 2,222 | 184 | 15.9 | $2.3M | 75 | 245 |
| Auto repair and car care | 33 | #1,913 of 2,401 | 477 | 41.1 | $234K | 87 | 205 |
| Home repair trades | 31 | #1,823 of 2,057 | 179 | 15.4 | $1.6M | 68 | 176 |
| Barbershops | 30 | #1,105 of 1,356 | 82 | 7.1 | $1.3M | 70 | Under 3 |
| Auto repair shops | 30 | #2,019 of 2,378 | 303 | 26.1 | $368K | 83 | 154 |
| Oil change and quick lube | 28 | #415 of 479 | 15 | 1.3 | $7.4M | 54 | 11 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | 26 | #1,360 of 1,493 | 85 | 7.3 | $1.6M | 54 | 103 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 25 | #1,674 of 1,771 | 122 | 10.5 | $1.1M | 66 | 162 |
| Insurance agencies | 17 | #2,148 of 2,272 | 249 | 21.5 | $694K | 55 | 125 |
| Roofing and gutters | 13 | #1,159 of 1,177 | 80 | 6.9 | $3.7M | 44 | 43 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 0.3 | $51.5M | 210 | 4 |
Household spending in Winnebago County
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $111.4M | $960 | 100 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $284.9M | $2,456 | 95 |
| Food away from home | $419.6M | $3,617 | 89 |
| Groceries | $671.4M | $5,787 | 92 |
| Personal care products and services | $107.6M | $927 | 92 |
| Child care and other personal services | $42.2M | $364 | 63 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $91.7M | $790 | 80 |
| Medical and dental services | $154.6M | $1,333 | 103 |
| Pets | $90.6M | $781 | 86 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $214.9M | $1,852 | 90 |
| Vehicle insurance | $172.9M | $1,490 | 76 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $295.3M | $2,545 | 84 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $134.6M | $1,160 | 82 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $1.5B | $13,323 | 80 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in Winnebago County
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 283,674−0.4% since 2020
- Households
- 116,014
- Median age
- 40.4
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 66%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.7
- Land area
- 513 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 552
- Median household income
- $65,837+20.8% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $86,474
- Median home value
- $164,500
- Jobs located here
- 121,867
- Daytime population
- 276,449Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in Winnebago County?
These figures cover the whole county. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of Winnebago County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Nearest counties in Illinois 8
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- Ogle County, IL51,495 people
- Stephenson County, IL43,768 people
- DeKalb County, IL100,703 people
- McHenry County, IL312,591 people
- Lee County, IL33,869 people
- Kane County, IL517,255 people
- Carroll County, IL15,576 people
Questions
How fast is Winnebago County, IL growing?
Population estimates put Winnebago County at 283,674 people in 2025, down 0.4% since 2020, against +3.1% for the U.S. It has 116,014 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 20.8%, before inflation.
How much do households in Winnebago County, IL spend?
Households in Winnebago County spend about $1.5B a year on rent and homeowner costs, $671.4M on groceries and $419.6M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in Winnebago County runs highest on medical and dental services (an index of 103, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on child care and other personal services (63).
Which business types have the highest market scores in Winnebago County, IL?
Of the business types scored in Winnebago County, convenience stores (65), primary care and pediatric clinics (64) and optometrists and eye clinics (62) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For convenience stores, that ranks #579 of 2,261 scored counties.
How does Winnebago County, IL compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in Winnebago County is $65,837, 18% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population fell 0.4% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $164,500, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for roofing and gutter companies (92% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for mortgage brokers and lenders (65% below the U.S. rate).
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. 55 of the 56 business types have a score in Winnebago County, each ranked against other counties.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in Winnebago County. It maps the competitors 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.
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Screening a site or an acquisition in Winnebago County?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of Winnebago County. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
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.