Data / Rankings / Civilian labor force / Cities in Illinois

Cities in Illinois by civilian labor force, 2025

Chicago, IL had the highest civilian labor force of 104 cities in 2025, at 1.5 million. East St. Louis, IL had the lowest, at 6,639. The median was 19,512. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest1,496,072Chicago, IL
Lowest6,639East St. Louis, IL
Median19,512104 cities

Top 40 cities, 2025

Chicago, IL: 1,496,072 personsChicago, IL1,496,072Aurora, IL: 97,652 personsAurora, IL97,652Naperville, IL: 83,459 personsNaperville, IL83,459Joliet, IL: 82,003 personsJoliet, IL82,003Rockford, IL: 64,487 personsRockford, IL64,487Elgin, IL: 59,457 personsElgin, IL59,457Springfield, IL: 52,744 personsSpringfield, IL52,744Peoria, IL: 51,557 personsPeoria, IL51,557Champaign, IL: 46,979 personsChampaign, IL46,979Waukegan, IL: 45,390 personsWaukegan, IL45,390Bolingbrook, IL: 43,372 personsBolingbrook, IL43,372Bloomington, IL: 43,042 personsBloomington, IL43,042Schaumburg, IL: 42,975 personsSchaumburg, IL42,975Cicero, IL: 41,891 personsCicero, IL41,891Arlington Heights, IL: 41,462 personsArlington Heights, IL41,462Evanston, IL: 40,313 personsEvanston, IL40,313Palatine, IL: 38,916 personsPalatine, IL38,916Skokie, IL: 33,345 personsSkokie, IL33,345Des Plaines, IL: 32,487 personsDes Plaines, IL32,487Berwyn, IL: 30,721 personsBerwyn, IL30,721Mount Prospect, IL: 30,706 personsMount Prospect, IL30,706Orland Park, IL: 30,005 personsOrland Park, IL30,005Tinley Park, IL: 29,924 personsTinley Park, IL29,924Oak Park, IL: 29,759 personsOak Park, IL29,759Decatur, IL: 29,197 personsDecatur, IL29,197Hoffman Estates, IL: 29,113 personsHoffman Estates, IL29,113Normal, IL: 28,890 personsNormal, IL28,890Oak Lawn, IL: 28,821 personsOak Lawn, IL28,821Wheaton, IL: 28,709 personsWheaton, IL28,709Downers Grove, IL: 28,162 personsDowners Grove, IL28,162Plainfield, IL: 26,782 personsPlainfield, IL26,782Lombard, IL: 26,295 personsLombard, IL26,295Romeoville, IL: 24,624 personsRomeoville, IL24,624Bartlett, IL: 24,562 personsBartlett, IL24,562Elmhurst, IL: 24,226 personsElmhurst, IL24,226Glenview, IL: 24,152 personsGlenview, IL24,152Crystal Lake, IL: 23,772 personsCrystal Lake, IL23,772Buffalo Grove, IL: 23,586 personsBuffalo Grove, IL23,586Wheeling, IL: 22,997 personsWheeling, IL22,997Carol Stream, IL: 22,941 personsCarol Stream, IL22,941Chicago, IL: 1,496,072 personsChicago, IL1,496,072Aurora, IL: 97,652 personsAurora, IL97,652Naperville, IL: 83,459 personsNaperville, IL83,459Joliet, IL: 82,003 personsJoliet, IL82,003Rockford, IL: 64,487 personsRockford, IL64,487Elgin, IL: 59,457 personsElgin, IL59,457Springfield, IL: 52,744 personsSpringfield, IL52,744Peoria, IL: 51,557 personsPeoria, IL51,557Champaign, IL: 46,979 personsChampaign, IL46,979Waukegan, IL: 45,390 personsWaukegan, IL45,390Bolingbrook, IL: 43,372 personsBolingbrook, IL43,372Bloomington, IL: 43,042 personsBloomington, IL43,042Schaumburg, IL: 42,975 personsSchaumburg, IL42,975Cicero, IL: 41,891 personsCicero, IL41,891Arlington Heights, IL: 41,462 personsArlington Heights, IL41,462Evanston, IL: 40,313 personsEvanston, IL40,313Palatine, IL: 38,916 personsPalatine, IL38,916Skokie, IL: 33,345 personsSkokie, IL33,345Des Plaines, IL: 32,487 personsDes Plaines, IL32,487Berwyn, IL: 30,721 personsBerwyn, IL30,721Mount Prospect, IL: 30,706 personsMount Prospect, IL30,706Orland Park, IL: 30,005 personsOrland Park, IL30,005Tinley Park, IL: 29,924 personsTinley Park, IL29,924Oak Park, IL: 29,759 personsOak Park, IL29,759Decatur, IL: 29,197 personsDecatur, IL29,197Hoffman Estates, IL: 29,113 personsHoffman Estates, IL29,113Normal, IL: 28,890 personsNormal, IL28,890Oak Lawn, IL: 28,821 personsOak Lawn, IL28,821Wheaton, IL: 28,709 personsWheaton, IL28,709Downers Grove, IL: 28,162 personsDowners Grove, IL28,162Plainfield, IL: 26,782 personsPlainfield, IL26,782Lombard, IL: 26,295 personsLombard, IL26,295Romeoville, IL: 24,624 personsRomeoville, IL24,624Bartlett, IL: 24,562 personsBartlett, IL24,562Elmhurst, IL: 24,226 personsElmhurst, IL24,226Glenview, IL: 24,152 personsGlenview, IL24,152Crystal Lake, IL: 23,772 personsCrystal Lake, IL23,772Buffalo Grove, IL: 23,586 personsBuffalo Grove, IL23,586Wheeling, IL: 22,997 personsWheeling, IL22,997Carol Stream, IL: 22,941 personsCarol Stream, IL22,941
persons. Source: BLS, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: labor force (measure 06), annual average. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2025
persons		Change on 2024
1Chicago, IL1,496,072-0%
2Aurora, IL97,652-0.8%
3Naperville, IL83,459+0.1%
4Joliet, IL82,003-0.1%
5Rockford, IL64,487-2.2%
6Elgin, IL59,457-1.2%
7Springfield, IL52,744-4.1%
8Peoria, IL51,557-2.2%
9Champaign, IL46,979-1.3%
10Waukegan, IL45,390-1.5%
11Bolingbrook, IL43,372-0%
12Bloomington, IL43,042-3.4%
13Schaumburg, IL42,975+0.2%
14Cicero, IL41,891+0.2%
15Arlington Heights, IL41,462+0.2%
16Evanston, IL40,313+0.2%
17Palatine, IL38,916+0.2%
18Skokie, IL33,345+0.1%
19Des Plaines, IL32,4870%
20Berwyn, IL30,721+0.2%
21Mount Prospect, IL30,706+0.1%
22Orland Park, IL30,005+0.2%
23Tinley Park, IL29,924-0.1%
24Oak Park, IL29,7590%
25Decatur, IL29,197-1.2%
26Hoffman Estates, IL29,113+0.1%
27Normal, IL28,890-3.4%
28Oak Lawn, IL28,8210%
29Wheaton, IL28,709+0.2%
30Downers Grove, IL28,162+0.3%
31Plainfield, IL26,782+0.1%
32Lombard, IL26,295+0.2%
33Romeoville, IL24,624+0.1%
34Bartlett, IL24,562+0.1%
35Elmhurst, IL24,226+0.2%
36Glenview, IL24,152+0.2%
37Crystal Lake, IL23,772+0.1%
38Buffalo Grove, IL23,586-0.9%
39Wheeling, IL22,997+0.2%
40Carol Stream, IL22,9410%
41Streamwood, IL22,304+0.2%
42Addison, IL21,158+0.2%
43Urbana, IL20,803-1.3%
44Oswego, IL20,624-1.4%
45Moline, IL20,487-1.3%
46Park Ridge, IL20,482+0.1%
47DeKalb, IL20,352-1.5%
48Woodridge, IL20,184+0.2%
49Belleville, IL20,081-2%
50Carpentersville, IL19,791-1.5%
51Hanover Park, IL19,7540%
52Quincy, IL19,649-1.3%
53Glendale Heights, IL19,374+0.1%
54St. Charles, IL18,498-1.2%
55Algonquin, IL18,412-0.1%
56Mundelein, IL17,894-1.5%
57Elk Grove Village, IL17,764+0.3%
58Northbrook, IL17,537+0.1%
59Calumet City, IL17,128-0.3%
60Rock Island, IL17,039-1.1%
61McHenry, IL16,917+0.1%
62Gurnee, IL16,680-1.1%
63Lake in the Hills, IL16,467+0.2%
64Lockport, IL16,074+0.3%
65New Lenox, IL15,639+0.1%
66Oak Forest, IL15,330+0.2%
67O'Fallon, IL15,249-1.9%
68Woodstock, IL14,993+0.1%
69Highland Park, IL14,975-1.4%
70Glen Ellyn, IL14,6370%
71Pekin, IL14,574-2%
72Lansing, IL14,533-0%
73Niles, IL14,5250%
74Burbank, IL14,411-0.1%
75Round Lake Beach, IL14,387-1.9%
76West Chicago, IL14,242+0.5%
77Vernon Hills, IL14,217-1.4%
78Batavia, IL14,166-1.2%
79Yorkville, IL13,992-1.2%
80Edwardsville, IL13,253-1.7%
81Westmont, IL12,960-0%
82Collinsville, IL12,911-1.9%
83Belvidere, IL12,857-2.5%
84Wilmette, IL12,750-0%
85Melrose Park, IL12,713+0.2%
86Huntley, IL12,695-0%
87Morton Grove, IL12,680+0.2%
88Granite City, IL12,604-2.1%
89Homer Glen, IL12,524-0.1%
90Elmwood Park, IL12,496-0.1%
91Zion, IL12,313-1.4%
92Alton, IL11,877-2.1%
93Chicago Heights, IL11,730+0.1%
94Galesburg, IL11,566-2.2%
95Danville, IL10,711-3%
96Park Forest, IL10,673-0%
97Freeport, IL10,635-1.9%
98Maywood, IL10,375-0%
99Carbondale, IL10,096-0.1%
100Kankakee, IL9,874-1.8%
101North Chicago, IL9,789-1.5%
102Dolton, IL9,468-0.5%
103Harvey, IL8,813-0.3%
104East St. Louis, IL6,639-2.6%

Other periods

About this ranking

Employed plus unemployed residents, annual average.

More on how it is measured
  • People aged 16 and over by place of residence, from the Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS) program of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  • Active-duty military personnel and people living in institutions are excluded.

United States cities only for now. Counts people where they live, not jobs: for wage and salary jobs by state use oews_employment. BLS estimates cities by splitting county estimates with Census Bureau employment and population data and unemployment insurance claims, so city figures are less precise than state ones. BLS publishes cities of 25,000 or more, and smaller cities in New England.

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

How to cite

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: labor force (measure 06), annual average. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. 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). Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: labor force (measure 06), annual average (Cities in Illinois by civilian labor force, 2025) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29

MLA 9

Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: labor force (measure 06), annual average, Cities in Illinois by civilian labor force, 2025. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 30 Sept. 2026, https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/civilian-labor-force/illinois-cities. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. 2026. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: labor force (measure 06), annual average. Cities in Illinois by civilian labor force, 2025. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/civilian-labor-force/illinois-cities.

Harvard

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (2026) Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: labor force (measure 06), annual average, Cities in Illinois by civilian labor force, 2025 [Dataset]. Available at: https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/civilian-labor-force/illinois-cities (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_cities_in_illinois_by_2025,
  author = {{U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics}},
  title = {{Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: labor force (measure 06), annual average: Cities in Illinois by civilian labor force, 2025}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/civilian-labor-force/illinois-cities. Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: labor force (measure 06), annual average. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
TI  - Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: labor force (measure 06), annual average: Cities in Illinois by civilian labor force, 2025
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/30
PB  - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/civilian-labor-force/illinois-cities
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/civilian-labor-force/illinois-cities.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: labor force (measure 06), annual average. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU25-29. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Cities in Illinois by civilian labor force using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which city has the highest civilian labor force?

Chicago, IL, with 1.5 million in 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which city has the lowest civilian labor force?

East St. Louis, IL, with 6,639 in 2025.

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, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, cities and towns, not seasonally adjusted: labor force (measure 06), annual average. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Civilian labor force: other rankings

Cities in Illinois: more rankings