Groundwork

Market rankings · Illinois

Real estate businesses in Illinois

Every metro area, small-town market and county in Illinois, ranked by the Groundwork market score for real estate businesses, with competitor counts and household spending for each.

Listings
16,459
1,313 chain locations (8%)
Official establishments
9,269
+4.1% since 2019
Household spending a year
$74.9B
On rent and homeowner costs
Listings per 10k households
32.7
15% below the U.S.
Housing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)
105
5% above the U.S.
Rank among states
#31 of 51
Market score 43 · Lower middle

A site report maps the real estate businesses on map listings around any address in Illinois by name and distance, and the spending within reach.

Free10 actions over 3 days, no card

Survey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure

What this means

Illinois has 16,459 real estate businesses on map listings as of September 2026. Of those, 1,313 are chain locations, or 8%, against 6% across the U.S. That is 32.7 per 10,000 households, 15% below the U.S. rate of 38.5.

At $14,866 per household (11% below the U.S. average), households in Illinois spend about $74.9B a year on rent and homeowner costs. Housing spending per office is 5% above the U.S. figure. The spending figure is all rent and homeowner costs, a measure of housing demand, not money real estate businesses take in.

The official count of businesses with payroll classed as real estate agents, property managers, mortgage lenders and inspectors in Illinois was 9,269 in 2023, up 4.1% from 2019. That is one for every 543 households, against one for every 414 across the U.S. Across the U.S., the count rose 15.8% over the same years. Since fiscal 2022, 116 SBA-backed loans worth $36.4M have gone to businesses classed as real estate agents, property managers, mortgage lenders and inspectors in Illinois.

Among the 50 states and DC, Illinois ranks #31 for real estate businesses, with a Groundwork market score of 43 (lower middle). Of the 12 scored metro areas in or partly in Illinois, the Decatur metro area scores highest (58). Of the 21 scored small-town markets in or partly in Illinois, the Ottawa area scores highest (66).

Every market in Illinois for real estate businesses

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

Metro areas reaching Illinois, ranked for real estate businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsHousing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)Population growthU.S. rank
1Decatur, IL586915.9191−4.3%#106 of 387
Paducah, KY-IL589121.8149−1.2%#107 of 387
2Peoria, IL5732120.9154−1.3%#112 of 387
3Rockford, IL5626319.4161−0.3%#123 of 387
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL5635421.9146−0.9%#124 of 387
4Springfield, IL5120823.1141−1.2%#169 of 387
5Kankakee, IL519723.7135−1.7%#170 of 387
6Bloomington, IL4921730.9108+0.1%#190 of 387
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL459925.8118+1.7%#234 of 387
7Champaign-Urbana, IL4227427.9112+1.5%#255 of 387
St. Louis, MO-IL403,71732.0105−0.2%#278 of 387
8Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN3414,03238.5920.0%#345 of 387

Small-town markets

Small-town markets reaching Illinois, ranked for real estate businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsHousing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)Population growthU.S. rank
1Ottawa, IL668113.1241−1.6%#76 of 536
2Canton, IL64139.4314−2.0%#90 of 536
3Lincoln, IL611614.2217−2.5%#120 of 536
4Dixon, IL572317.2183−3.4%#165 of 536
5Sterling, IL533916.9181−2.6%#225 of 536
6Jacksonville, IL522214.5210−3.1%#238 of 536
7Effingham, IL513619.9163−0.9%#252 of 536
8Danville, IL504615.3190−3.7%#264 of 536
9Taylorville, IL502316.9177−1.5%#266 of 536
10Galesburg, IL492411.4251−4.1%#273 of 536
11Centralia, IL472516.1183−3.4%#296 of 536
12Freeport, IL433317.0176−3.0%#345 of 536
13Pontiac, IL433423.3137−2.1%#351 of 536
14Rochelle, IL424320.7159−0.7%#360 of 536
15Charleston-Mattoon, IL374823.1126−1.0%#429 of 536
16Mount Vernon, IL363120.9143−2.3%#437 of 536
17Quincy, IL-MO347724.8123−2.0%#464 of 536
Burlington, IA-IL333819.1156−2.5%#470 of 536
18Carbondale, IL305323.1122−1.5%#502 of 536
19Macomb, IL292521.1136−4.5%#509 of 536
20Marion-Herrin, IL278529.3105+0.2%#517 of 536

Counties

Counties in Illinois, ranked for real estate businesses by Groundwork market score
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsHousing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)Population growthU.S. rank
1Woodford County, IL70106.8514−0.8%#199 of 2,229
2Boone County, IL67199.8348+0.4%#286 of 2,229
3Douglas County, IL671114.2226+0.5%#304 of 2,229
4Henry County, IL66167.9405−2.2%#326 of 2,229
5Bureau County, IL66117.8394−2.1%#327 of 2,229
6Randolph County, IL641310.9279−0.6%#395 of 2,229
7Piatt County, IL641217.3201+0.6%#414 of 2,229
8Clinton County, IL632215.1223+0.6%#448 of 2,229
9Fulton County, IL62139.4314−2.0%#481 of 2,229
10Shelby County, IL61910.1304−1.6%#527 of 2,229
11Macoupin County, IL612011.4278−2.6%#529 of 2,229
12Kendall County, IL6110823.8159+9.9%#551 of 2,229
13Washington County, IL6058.6369−1.2%#556 of 2,229
14Jersey County, IL601012.6262−1.5%#560 of 2,229
15Montgomery County, IL591210.6283−0.6%#598 of 2,229
16LaSalle County, IL596714.8215−1.5%#612 of 2,229
17Bond County, IL591016.3190+0.6%#621 of 2,229
18Edgar County, IL56911.9249−2.9%#748 of 2,229
19Logan County, IL561614.2217−2.5%#759 of 2,229
20Tazewell County, IL558515.7207−0.9%#810 of 2,229
21Wabash County, IL54510.5280−3.6%#845 of 2,229
22Pike County, IL54711.7248−2.8%#851 of 2,229
23Hancock County, IL53911.8255−4.4%#895 of 2,229
24Lawrence County, IL53712.8235−9.7%#900 of 2,229
25Iroquois County, IL531916.6183−3.0%#915 of 2,229
Show all 102 counties
Counties in Illinois, ranked for real estate businesses by Groundwork market score, continued
MarketScoreListingsPer 10k householdsHousing spending per listing (U.S. = 100)Population growthU.S. rank
26Lee County, IL532317.2183−3.4%#916 of 2,229
27Mercer County, IL521015.2211−2.6%#969 of 2,229
28Knox County, IL502411.4251−4.1%#1,056 of 2,229
29Johnson County, IL50512.2244+0.4%#1,057 of 2,229
30Rock Island County, IL509415.2201−1.7%#1,062 of 2,229
31Whiteside County, IL503916.9181−2.6%#1,067 of 2,229
32Grundy County, IL506431.1113+2.9%#1,107 of 2,229
33Clark County, IL49812.2253−2.2%#1,112 of 2,229
34Will County, IL4969428.4133+2.2%#1,137 of 2,229
35Morgan County, IL482116.1191−2.9%#1,164 of 2,229
36Vermilion County, IL484615.3190−3.7%#1,165 of 2,229
37Christian County, IL482316.9177−1.5%#1,166 of 2,229
38Effingham County, IL482920.8158−0.5%#1,172 of 2,229
39McHenry County, IL4834129.0129+2.5%#1,183 of 2,229
40Union County, IL4668.7333−3.7%#1,253 of 2,229
41Macon County, IL466915.9191−4.3%#1,262 of 2,229
42Marion County, IL462516.1183−3.4%#1,266 of 2,229
43Monroe County, IL453323.8154−0.3%#1,337 of 2,229
44De Witt County, IL451522.7137−2.1%#1,342 of 2,229
45DeKalb County, IL4510727.1118+1.5%#1,349 of 2,229
46Crawford County, IL441520.0156+0.1%#1,381 of 2,229
47Livingston County, IL443423.3137−2.1%#1,396 of 2,229
48Massac County, IL43611.0267−4.5%#1,433 of 2,229
49Franklin County, IL431811.2257−2.1%#1,434 of 2,229
50Wayne County, IL43811.7246−1.6%#1,435 of 2,229
51Stephenson County, IL433317.0176−3.0%#1,441 of 2,229
52Ford County, IL431017.2174−2.2%#1,443 of 2,229
53Fayette County, IL421012.8232−3.2%#1,495 of 2,229
54Greene County, IL42613.5226−5.1%#1,496 of 2,229
55Perry County, IL411114.0215−3.5%#1,550 of 2,229
56Cumberland County, IL41716.8184−2.1%#1,554 of 2,229
57Ogle County, IL414320.7159−0.7%#1,557 of 2,229
58McLean County, IL4121730.9108+0.1%#1,572 of 2,229
59Clay County, IL40713.2224−3.6%#1,595 of 2,229
60Winnebago County, IL4024421.0146−0.4%#1,599 of 2,229
61St. Clair County, IL4023523.3139−2.5%#1,603 of 2,229
62Jefferson County, IL393120.9143−2.3%#1,656 of 2,229
63Kankakee County, IL399723.7135−1.7%#1,661 of 2,229
64Coles County, IL394823.1126−1.0%#1,671 of 2,229
65Sangamon County, IL3820424.1136−1.0%#1,723 of 2,229
66Madison County, IL3830227.4119−1.0%#1,735 of 2,229
67Warren County, IL371217.7174−3.6%#1,767 of 2,229
68Kane County, IL3775140.791+1.8%#1,805 of 2,229
69Saline County, IL361414.0207−4.1%#1,823 of 2,229
70Richland County, IL361015.5191−3.7%#1,824 of 2,229
71Moultrie County, IL361322.3141−0.8%#1,828 of 2,229
72Adams County, IL357426.5115−2.1%#1,865 of 2,229
73Lake County, IL351,06941.494+0.8%#1,874 of 2,229
74Jackson County, IL345323.1122−1.5%#1,911 of 2,229
75McDonough County, IL332521.1136−4.5%#1,963 of 2,229
76Champaign County, IL3325229.5105+1.8%#1,972 of 2,229
77Jo Daviess County, IL323331.8102−2.2%#2,004 of 2,229
78White County, IL31915.9179−4.0%#2,029 of 2,229
79Peoria County, IL3122228.6110−1.6%#2,037 of 2,229
80Williamson County, IL308529.3105+0.2%#2,065 of 2,229
81Carroll County, IL292436.581−1.7%#2,099 of 2,229
82Cook County, IL277,90637.692−1.3%#2,146 of 2,229
83DuPage County, IL272,07659.266+0.3%#2,153 of 2,229
Cass County, ILNot scored47.8387−4.0%
Mason County, ILNot scored35.2571−4.9%
Menard County, ILNot scored47.7421−3.3%
Marshall County, ILNot scored23.9787−2.0%
Jasper County, ILNot scored513.3237−2.4%
Hamilton County, ILNot scored38.9346−1.7%
Schuyler County, ILNot scored414.6203−3.0%
Brown County, ILNot scored419.6152+2.7%
Henderson County, ILNot scored27.4394−5.6%
Edwards County, ILNot scored27.5391−5.0%
Putnam County, ILNot scored312.2266−0.1%
Stark County, ILNot scored28.8355−1.2%
Pulaski County, ILNot scored00.0n/a−6.9%
Scott County, ILNot scored14.9619−4.0%
Alexander County, ILNot scored00.0n/a−11.6%
Gallatin County, ILNot scored00.0n/a−6.4%
Calhoun County, ILNot scored216.1214−2.2%
Pope County, ILNot scored214.4206−2.2%
Hardin County, ILNot scored16.5426−1.8%

Markets with fewer than 5 real estate businesses on map listings, and counties under 10,000 people, aren’t scored; they’re listed last in each table.

Questions

How many real estate businesses are in Illinois?

Map listings as of September 2026 show 16,459 real estate businesses in Illinois. 1,313 of them (8%) are chain locations. The listings count real estate agents and brokers, property managers, mortgage brokers and lenders, and home inspectors. Official counts show 9,269 businesses with payroll classed as real estate agents, property managers, mortgage lenders and inspectors in 2023, up 4.1% from 2019. Official counts also show 52,378 one-person businesses without payroll.

How much do households in Illinois spend on rent and homeowner costs?

About $74.9B a year, or $14,866 per household. That is 11% below the U.S. average (an index of 89, where 100 is the U.S. average). For the 16,459 real estate businesses on map listings, housing spending per office is 5% above the U.S. figure. That figure is all rent and homeowner costs, used as a measure of housing demand; it is not money real estate businesses take in. 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 real estate businesses?

Illinois has 32.7 real estate businesses per 10,000 households, 15% below the U.S. rate of 38.5. The index of housing spending per office is 105, where 100 is the U.S. At the U.S. ratio of real estate businesses to household spending, Illinois would have about 17,285, against 16,459 on map listings. There is one business with payroll in the industry for every 543 households, against one for every 414 across the U.S. The official count rose 4.1% from 2019 to 2023, against +15.8% for the U.S.

Which market in Illinois has the highest market score for real estate businesses?

Among 12 scored metro areas in or partly in Illinois, the Decatur metro area scores highest, at 58 (upper middle). Among 21 scored small-town markets in or partly in Illinois, the Ottawa area scores highest, at 66 (upper middle). Among 83 scored counties in Illinois, Woodford County scores highest, at 70 (upper middle). 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 43 for real estate businesses (lower middle), #31 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 real estate businesses 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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Top markets for real estate businesses across the U.S. · All business types in Illinois

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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.