Data / Rankings / Business establishments (QCEW) / Counties in Illinois

Counties in Illinois by business establishments (QCEW)

Cook County had the highest business establishments (QCEW) of 102 counties in 2018, at 137,526. Pope County had the lowest, at 53. The median was 598 and the figure for Illinois was 367,100. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest137,526Cook County
Lowest53Pope County
Median598102 counties
Illinois367,100History

Map of counties, 2018

Adams County: 1,738 countAlexander County: 99 countBond County: 306 countBoone County: 851 countBrown County: 121 countBureau County: 788 countCalhoun County: 98 countCarroll County: 413 countCass County: 279 countChampaign County: 4,087 countChristian County: 691 countClark County: 322 countClay County: 361 countClinton County: 879 countColes County: 1,063 countCook County: 137,526 countCrawford County: 416 countCumberland County: 203 countDeKalb County: 2,020 countDe Witt County: 380 countDouglas County: 593 countDuPage County: 34,371 countEdgar County: 371 countEdwards County: 154 countEffingham County: 1,194 countFayette County: 473 countFord County: 349 countFranklin County: 743 countFulton County: 667 countGallatin County: 128 countGreene County: 236 countGrundy County: 1,162 countHamilton County: 205 countHancock County: 412 countHardin County: 62 countHenderson County: 136 countHenry County: 1,010 countIroquois County: 737 countJackson County: 1,189 countJasper County: 237 countJefferson County: 891 countJersey County: 405 countJo Daviess County: 728 countJohnson County: 181 countKane County: 12,490 countKankakee County: 2,255 countKendall County: 2,134 countKnox County: 1,030 countLake County: 20,132 countLaSalle County: 2,539 countLawrence County: 260 countLee County: 701 countLivingston County: 866 countLogan County: 566 countMcDonough County: 603 countMcHenry County: 7,791 countMcLean County: 3,363 countMacon County: 2,182 countMacoupin County: 887 countMadison County: 5,384 countMarion County: 830 countMarshall County: 263 countMason County: 312 countMassac County: 208 countMenard County: 218 countMercer County: 289 countMonroe County: 768 countMontgomery County: 698 countMorgan County: 751 countMoultrie County: 345 countOgle County: 1,025 countPeoria County: 4,181 countPerry County: 350 countPiatt County: 362 countPike County: 415 countPope County: 53 countPulaski County: 111 countPutnam County: 160 countRandolph County: 612 countRichland County: 420 countRock Island County: 2,924 countSt. Clair County: 5,054 countSaline County: 522 countSangamon County: 4,814 countSchuyler County: 153 countScott County: 91 countShelby County: 453 countStark County: 133 countStephenson County: 1,040 countTazewell County: 2,626 countUnion County: 339 countVermilion County: 1,365 countWabash County: 276 countWarren County: 376 countWashington County: 402 countWayne County: 383 countWhite County: 367 countWhiteside County: 1,225 countWill County: 14,684 countWilliamson County: 1,378 countWinnebago County: 5,943 countWoodford County: 746 count
  • Under 1,000
  • 1,000 to 2,000
  • 2,000 and over
count, 2018. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2018

Cook County: 137,526 countCook County137,526DuPage County: 34,371 countDuPage County34,371Lake County: 20,132 countLake County20,132Will County: 14,684 countWill County14,684Kane County: 12,490 countKane County12,490McHenry County: 7,791 countMcHenry County7,791Winnebago County: 5,943 countWinnebago County5,943Madison County: 5,384 countMadison County5,384St. Clair County: 5,054 countSt. Clair County5,054Sangamon County: 4,814 countSangamon County4,814Peoria County: 4,181 countPeoria County4,181Champaign County: 4,087 countChampaign County4,087McLean County: 3,363 countMcLean County3,363Rock Island County: 2,924 countRock Island County2,924Tazewell County: 2,626 countTazewell County2,626LaSalle County: 2,539 countLaSalle County2,539Kankakee County: 2,255 countKankakee County2,255Macon County: 2,182 countMacon County2,182Kendall County: 2,134 countKendall County2,134DeKalb County: 2,020 countDeKalb County2,020Adams County: 1,738 countAdams County1,738Williamson County: 1,378 countWilliamson County1,378Vermilion County: 1,365 countVermilion County1,365Whiteside County: 1,225 countWhiteside County1,225Effingham County: 1,194 countEffingham County1,194Jackson County: 1,189 countJackson County1,189Grundy County: 1,162 countGrundy County1,162Coles County: 1,063 countColes County1,063Stephenson County: 1,040 countStephenson County1,040Knox County: 1,030 countKnox County1,030Ogle County: 1,025 countOgle County1,025Henry County: 1,010 countHenry County1,010Jefferson County: 891 countJefferson County891Macoupin County: 887 countMacoupin County887Clinton County: 879 countClinton County879Livingston County: 866 countLivingston County866Boone County: 851 countBoone County851Marion County: 830 countMarion County830Bureau County: 788 countBureau County788Monroe County: 768 countMonroe County768Cook County: 137,526 countCook County137,526DuPage County: 34,371 countDuPage County34,371Lake County: 20,132 countLake County20,132Will County: 14,684 countWill County14,684Kane County: 12,490 countKane County12,490McHenry County: 7,791 countMcHenry County7,791Winnebago County: 5,943 countWinnebago County5,943Madison County: 5,384 countMadison County5,384St. Clair County: 5,054 countSt. Clair County5,054Sangamon County: 4,814 countSangamon County4,814Peoria County: 4,181 countPeoria County4,181Champaign County: 4,087 countChampaign County4,087McLean County: 3,363 countMcLean County3,363Rock Island County: 2,924 countRock Island County2,924Tazewell County: 2,626 countTazewell County2,626LaSalle County: 2,539 countLaSalle County2,539Kankakee County: 2,255 countKankakee County2,255Macon County: 2,182 countMacon County2,182Kendall County: 2,134 countKendall County2,134DeKalb County: 2,020 countDeKalb County2,020Adams County: 1,738 countAdams County1,738Williamson County: 1,378 countWilliamson County1,378Vermilion County: 1,365 countVermilion County1,365Whiteside County: 1,225 countWhiteside County1,225Effingham County: 1,194 countEffingham County1,194Jackson County: 1,189 countJackson County1,189Grundy County: 1,162 countGrundy County1,162Coles County: 1,063 countColes County1,063Stephenson County: 1,040 countStephenson County1,040Knox County: 1,030 countKnox County1,030Ogle County: 1,025 countOgle County1,025Henry County: 1,010 countHenry County1,010Jefferson County: 891 countJefferson County891Macoupin County: 887 countMacoupin County887Clinton County: 879 countClinton County879Livingston County: 866 countLivingston County866Boone County: 851 countBoone County851Marion County: 830 countMarion County830Bureau County: 788 countBureau County788Monroe County: 768 countMonroe County768
count. Source: BLS, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2018
count		Change on 2017
1Cook County137,526+0.3%
2DuPage County34,371+0.3%
3Lake County20,132+0.6%
4Will County14,684+1.4%
5Kane County12,490+0.5%
6McHenry County7,791+0.5%
7Winnebago County5,943-0.5%
8Madison County5,384-0.3%
9St. Clair County5,054+0.4%
10Sangamon County4,814+1.5%
11Peoria County4,181-0.8%
12Champaign County4,087+1.8%
13McLean County3,363-0.4%
14Rock Island County2,924-1.6%
15Tazewell County2,626-0.1%
16LaSalle County2,539-0.1%
17Kankakee County2,255-0.4%
18Macon County2,182-0.3%
19Kendall County2,134+1.9%
20DeKalb County2,020-0.5%
21Adams County1,7380%
22Williamson County1,378-1%
23Vermilion County1,365-0.9%
24Whiteside County1,225+0.8%
25Effingham County1,194+0.8%
26Jackson County1,189-1.3%
27Grundy County1,162-0.2%
28Coles County1,063-1.2%
29Stephenson County1,040-0.7%
30Knox County1,030+0.3%
31Ogle County1,025-0.4%
32Henry County1,010-2.3%
33Jefferson County891+0.8%
34Macoupin County887-0.7%
35Clinton County879+0.9%
36Livingston County866-0.9%
37Boone County851+2.7%
38Marion County830-1.2%
39Bureau County788+0.9%
40Monroe County768+1.3%
41Morgan County751-1.6%
42Woodford County746-1.3%
43Franklin County743+1.1%
44Iroquois County737-1.7%
45Jo Daviess County728-0.5%
46Lee County701+1.4%
47Montgomery County698-0.1%
48Christian County691-0.7%
49Fulton County667-0.6%
50Randolph County612-1.9%
51McDonough County603-0.7%
52Douglas County593+1%
53Logan County566-2.6%
54Saline County522-0.4%
55Fayette County473-0.4%
56Shelby County453+2%
57Richland County420+0.2%
58Crawford County416+1.2%
59Pike County415-1.4%
60Carroll County413+0.7%
61Hancock County412+1.5%
62Jersey County405+1.3%
63Washington County402+1%
64Wayne County383-2%
65De Witt County380-3.1%
66Warren County376-0.3%
67Edgar County371-0.3%
68White County367+0.8%
69Piatt County362-0.5%
70Clay County361-2.7%
71Perry County350-1.1%
72Ford County349-1.1%
73Moultrie County345+2.7%
74Union County339+0.3%
75Clark County322+1.9%
76Mason County312-1.3%
77Bond County306-0.3%
78Mercer County289-2%
79Cass County279+1.1%
80Wabash County276-2.5%
81Marshall County263+0.4%
82Lawrence County260-0.8%
83Jasper County237+0.9%
84Greene County236+0.4%
85Menard County218-1.4%
86Massac County2080%
87Hamilton County205-2.4%
88Cumberland County203+0.5%
89Johnson County181+1.7%
90Putnam County160+1.9%
91Edwards County154-1.3%
92Schuyler County153+2%
93Henderson County136+0.7%
94Stark County1330%
95Gallatin County128-4.5%
96Brown County121+2.5%
97Pulaski County111+4.7%
98Alexander County990%
99Calhoun County98-3%
100Scott County91+1.1%
101Hardin County620%
102Pope County53-3.6%

Other periods

About this ranking

Average number of establishments with jobs covered by unemployment insurance during the year, all industries, private and government, from the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. An establishment is a single place of business, such as a factory, store or office; a company with several locations has several.

Counts places of business, not firms: for firms use employer_firms. Changes in how large employers report their locations can move the count without any change in activity.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026). Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties (Counties in Illinois by business establishments (QCEW), 2018) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv

MLA 9

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Illinois by business establishments (QCEW), 2018. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/illinois-counties?period=2018. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Counties in Illinois by business establishments (QCEW), 2018. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/illinois-counties?period=2018.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties, Counties in Illinois by business establishments (QCEW), 2018 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/illinois-counties?period=2018 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_illinois_by_2018,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Illinois by business establishments (QCEW), 2018}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/illinois-counties?period=2018. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties: Counties in Illinois by business establishments (QCEW), 2018
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/illinois-counties?period=2018
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/illinois-counties?period=2018.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2018/a/industry/10.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in Illinois by business establishments (QCEW) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest business establishments (QCEW)?

Cook County, with 137,526 in 2018, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Pope County, with 53 in 2018.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW): annual average establishments, total covered, all industries (NAICS 10), nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Business establishments (QCEW): other rankings

Counties in Illinois: more rankings