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 2021, at 139,914. Pope County had the lowest, at 46. The median was 572 and the figure for Illinois was 386,892. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest139,914Cook County
Lowest46Pope County
Median572102 counties
Illinois386,892History

Map of counties, 2021

Adams County: 1,721 countAlexander County: 90 countBond County: 298 countBoone County: 870 countBrown County: 130 countBureau County: 781 countCalhoun County: 89 countCarroll County: 400 countCass County: 273 countChampaign County: 4,168 countChristian County: 712 countClark County: 322 countClay County: 333 countClinton County: 907 countColes County: 1,039 countCook County: 139,914 countCrawford County: 413 countCumberland County: 191 countDeKalb County: 2,004 countDe Witt County: 371 countDouglas County: 576 countDuPage County: 34,547 countEdgar County: 347 countEdwards County: 151 countEffingham County: 1,216 countFayette County: 469 countFord County: 344 countFranklin County: 707 countFulton County: 665 countGallatin County: 124 countGreene County: 243 countGrundy County: 1,189 countHamilton County: 206 countHancock County: 424 countHardin County: 63 countHenderson County: 145 countHenry County: 1,009 countIroquois County: 684 countJackson County: 1,151 countJasper County: 228 countJefferson County: 842 countJersey County: 399 countJo Daviess County: 729 countJohnson County: 186 countKane County: 12,739 countKankakee County: 2,221 countKendall County: 2,314 countKnox County: 996 countLake County: 20,172 countLaSalle County: 2,497 countLawrence County: 252 countLee County: 701 countLivingston County: 852 countLogan County: 560 countMcDonough County: 568 countMcHenry County: 7,833 countMcLean County: 3,296 countMacon County: 2,064 countMacoupin County: 905 countMadison County: 5,348 countMarion County: 815 countMarshall County: 272 countMason County: 296 countMassac County: 203 countMenard County: 213 countMercer County: 289 countMonroe County: 818 countMontgomery County: 685 countMorgan County: 725 countMoultrie County: 338 countOgle County: 1,014 countPeoria County: 4,099 countPerry County: 340 countPiatt County: 370 countPike County: 423 countPope County: 46 countPulaski County: 103 countPutnam County: 160 countRandolph County: 628 countRichland County: 412 countRock Island County: 2,939 countSt. Clair County: 5,005 countSaline County: 498 countSangamon County: 4,812 countSchuyler County: 173 countScott County: 93 countShelby County: 463 countStark County: 135 countStephenson County: 1,052 countTazewell County: 2,583 countUnion County: 331 countVermilion County: 1,357 countWabash County: 262 countWarren County: 377 countWashington County: 403 countWayne County: 383 countWhite County: 349 countWhiteside County: 1,179 countWill County: 15,601 countWilliamson County: 1,380 countWinnebago County: 5,922 countWoodford County: 762 count
  • Under 1,000
  • 1,000 to 2,000
  • 2,000 and over
count, 2021. 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, 2021

Cook County: 139,914 countCook County139,914DuPage County: 34,547 countDuPage County34,547Lake County: 20,172 countLake County20,172Will County: 15,601 countWill County15,601Kane County: 12,739 countKane County12,739McHenry County: 7,833 countMcHenry County7,833Winnebago County: 5,922 countWinnebago County5,922Madison County: 5,348 countMadison County5,348St. Clair County: 5,005 countSt. Clair County5,005Sangamon County: 4,812 countSangamon County4,812Champaign County: 4,168 countChampaign County4,168Peoria County: 4,099 countPeoria County4,099McLean County: 3,296 countMcLean County3,296Rock Island County: 2,939 countRock Island County2,939Tazewell County: 2,583 countTazewell County2,583LaSalle County: 2,497 countLaSalle County2,497Kendall County: 2,314 countKendall County2,314Kankakee County: 2,221 countKankakee County2,221Macon County: 2,064 countMacon County2,064DeKalb County: 2,004 countDeKalb County2,004Adams County: 1,721 countAdams County1,721Williamson County: 1,380 countWilliamson County1,380Vermilion County: 1,357 countVermilion County1,357Effingham County: 1,216 countEffingham County1,216Grundy County: 1,189 countGrundy County1,189Whiteside County: 1,179 countWhiteside County1,179Jackson County: 1,151 countJackson County1,151Stephenson County: 1,052 countStephenson County1,052Coles County: 1,039 countColes County1,039Ogle County: 1,014 countOgle County1,014Henry County: 1,009 countHenry County1,009Knox County: 996 countKnox County996Clinton County: 907 countClinton County907Macoupin County: 905 countMacoupin County905Boone County: 870 countBoone County870Livingston County: 852 countLivingston County852Jefferson County: 842 countJefferson County842Monroe County: 818 countMonroe County818Marion County: 815 countMarion County815Bureau County: 781 countBureau County781Cook County: 139,914 countCook County139,914DuPage County: 34,547 countDuPage County34,547Lake County: 20,172 countLake County20,172Will County: 15,601 countWill County15,601Kane County: 12,739 countKane County12,739McHenry County: 7,833 countMcHenry County7,833Winnebago County: 5,922 countWinnebago County5,922Madison County: 5,348 countMadison County5,348St. Clair County: 5,005 countSt. Clair County5,005Sangamon County: 4,812 countSangamon County4,812Champaign County: 4,168 countChampaign County4,168Peoria County: 4,099 countPeoria County4,099McLean County: 3,296 countMcLean County3,296Rock Island County: 2,939 countRock Island County2,939Tazewell County: 2,583 countTazewell County2,583LaSalle County: 2,497 countLaSalle County2,497Kendall County: 2,314 countKendall County2,314Kankakee County: 2,221 countKankakee County2,221Macon County: 2,064 countMacon County2,064DeKalb County: 2,004 countDeKalb County2,004Adams County: 1,721 countAdams County1,721Williamson County: 1,380 countWilliamson County1,380Vermilion County: 1,357 countVermilion County1,357Effingham County: 1,216 countEffingham County1,216Grundy County: 1,189 countGrundy County1,189Whiteside County: 1,179 countWhiteside County1,179Jackson County: 1,151 countJackson County1,151Stephenson County: 1,052 countStephenson County1,052Coles County: 1,039 countColes County1,039Ogle County: 1,014 countOgle County1,014Henry County: 1,009 countHenry County1,009Knox County: 996 countKnox County996Clinton County: 907 countClinton County907Macoupin County: 905 countMacoupin County905Boone County: 870 countBoone County870Livingston County: 852 countLivingston County852Jefferson County: 842 countJefferson County842Monroe County: 818 countMonroe County818Marion County: 815 countMarion County815Bureau County: 781 countBureau County781
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

RankCounties2021
count		Change on 2020
1Cook County139,914+0.9%
2DuPage County34,547+0.3%
3Lake County20,172+0.2%
4Will County15,601+2.7%
5Kane County12,739+1.1%
6McHenry County7,833+0.2%
7Winnebago County5,922+0.8%
8Madison County5,348+0.5%
9St. Clair County5,005+0.4%
10Sangamon County4,812+0.5%
11Champaign County4,168+1.3%
12Peoria County4,099-1.3%
13McLean County3,296-0.1%
14Rock Island County2,939+0.3%
15Tazewell County2,583+0.1%
16LaSalle County2,497-0.2%
17Kendall County2,314+3%
18Kankakee County2,221-0.8%
19Macon County2,064-2.2%
20DeKalb County2,004-0.3%
21Adams County1,721+0.8%
22Williamson County1,380-0.6%
23Vermilion County1,357-0.6%
24Effingham County1,216+0.7%
25Grundy County1,189+1.4%
26Whiteside County1,179+0.2%
27Jackson County1,151-0.1%
28Stephenson County1,052+1.4%
29Coles County1,039-0.6%
30Ogle County1,014-0.3%
31Henry County1,009+0.3%
32Knox County996-1.4%
33Clinton County907+2.1%
34Macoupin County905+0.8%
35Boone County870+0.3%
36Livingston County852-0.9%
37Jefferson County842-1.9%
38Monroe County818+2.1%
39Marion County815-1.6%
40Bureau County781+0.1%
41Woodford County762+3.3%
42Jo Daviess County729+1.3%
43Morgan County725-1.5%
44Christian County712+1.7%
45Franklin County707-2.9%
46Lee County701+1%
47Montgomery County6850%
48Iroquois County684-1.7%
49Fulton County665-1.3%
50Randolph County628+0.8%
51Douglas County576-0.5%
52McDonough County568-2.1%
53Logan County560+0.5%
54Saline County498-1.6%
55Fayette County469-1.5%
56Shelby County463-0.2%
57Hancock County424+2.7%
58Pike County423+0.7%
59Crawford County413-0.7%
60Richland County412-0.5%
61Washington County403-1.2%
62Carroll County400+1%
63Jersey County399+1.3%
64Wayne County383-1%
65Warren County377+1.3%
66De Witt County371+0.3%
67Piatt County370+0.3%
68White County349-1.1%
69Edgar County347-0.9%
70Ford County344+0.3%
71Perry County340+1.2%
72Moultrie County338-0.9%
73Clay County333-2.9%
74Union County331-1.2%
75Clark County322-0.6%
76Bond County2980%
77Mason County296-1.3%
78Mercer County289+0.7%
79Cass County273-1.4%
80Marshall County2720%
81Wabash County262-3%
82Lawrence County252-2.7%
83Greene County243+0.4%
84Jasper County228-0.9%
85Menard County2130%
86Hamilton County206+2%
87Massac County203-1.9%
88Cumberland County191-5%
89Johnson County186+1.6%
90Schuyler County173+3%
91Putnam County160+6%
92Edwards County1510%
93Henderson County145+2.8%
94Stark County135-2.9%
95Brown County130+5.7%
96Gallatin County124+0.8%
97Pulaski County103-3.7%
98Scott County93-1.1%
99Alexander County90-5.3%
100Calhoun County89-6.3%
101Hardin County63-4.5%
102Pope County46-2.1%

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/2021/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), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/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), 2021. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 21 Aug. 2026, https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/illinois-counties?period=2021. 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), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/illinois-counties?period=2021.

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), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/illinois-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_counties_in_illinois_by_2021,
  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), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/illinois-counties?period=2021. 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/2021/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), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/08/21
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.bls.gov/cew/data/api/2021/a/industry/10.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/illinois-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/business-establishments/illinois-counties?period=2021.
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/2021/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 139,914 in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which county has the lowest business establishments (QCEW)?

Pope County, with 46 in 2021.

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