Data / Rankings / Civilian labor force / Cities in Illinois

Cities in Illinois by civilian labor force

Chicago, IL had the highest civilian labor force of 103 cities in 2016, at 1.45 million. East St. Louis, IL had the lowest, at 7,566. The median was 19,100. Source: the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

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Highest1,446,276Chicago, IL
Lowest7,566East St. Louis, IL
Median19,100103 cities

Top 40 cities, 2016

Chicago, IL: 1,446,276 personsChicago, IL1,446,276Aurora, IL: 99,981 personsAurora, IL99,981Joliet, IL: 78,893 personsJoliet, IL78,893Naperville, IL: 76,751 personsNaperville, IL76,751Rockford, IL: 71,132 personsRockford, IL71,132Elgin, IL: 61,415 personsElgin, IL61,415Springfield, IL: 57,291 personsSpringfield, IL57,291Peoria, IL: 55,201 personsPeoria, IL55,201Waukegan, IL: 48,149 personsWaukegan, IL48,149Champaign, IL: 44,073 personsChampaign, IL44,073Bloomington, IL: 43,352 personsBloomington, IL43,352Schaumburg, IL: 42,588 personsSchaumburg, IL42,588Cicero, IL: 42,543 personsCicero, IL42,543Arlington Heights, IL: 40,946 personsArlington Heights, IL40,946Bolingbrook, IL: 40,945 personsBolingbrook, IL40,945Evanston, IL: 40,109 personsEvanston, IL40,109Palatine, IL: 38,846 personsPalatine, IL38,846Skokie, IL: 33,267 personsSkokie, IL33,267Decatur, IL: 33,225 personsDecatur, IL33,225Des Plaines, IL: 31,636 personsDes Plaines, IL31,636Berwyn, IL: 31,090 personsBerwyn, IL31,090Mount Prospect, IL: 30,581 personsMount Prospect, IL30,581Tinley Park, IL: 29,676 personsTinley Park, IL29,676Orland Park, IL: 29,327 personsOrland Park, IL29,327Hoffman Estates, IL: 28,994 personsHoffman Estates, IL28,994Oak Lawn, IL: 28,983 personsOak Lawn, IL28,983Oak Park, IL: 28,945 personsOak Park, IL28,945Normal, IL: 28,727 personsNormal, IL28,727Wheaton, IL: 27,861 personsWheaton, IL27,861Downers Grove, IL: 26,864 personsDowners Grove, IL26,864Lombard, IL: 24,853 personsLombard, IL24,853Buffalo Grove, IL: 24,204 personsBuffalo Grove, IL24,204Bartlett, IL: 23,971 personsBartlett, IL23,971Glenview, IL: 23,562 personsGlenview, IL23,562Romeoville, IL: 23,178 personsRomeoville, IL23,178Elmhurst, IL: 22,717 personsElmhurst, IL22,717Plainfield, IL: 22,695 personsPlainfield, IL22,695Carol Stream, IL: 22,486 personsCarol Stream, IL22,486Streamwood, IL: 22,455 personsStreamwood, IL22,455Crystal Lake, IL: 22,125 personsCrystal Lake, IL22,125Chicago, IL: 1,446,276 personsChicago, IL1,446,276Aurora, IL: 99,981 personsAurora, IL99,981Joliet, IL: 78,893 personsJoliet, IL78,893Naperville, IL: 76,751 personsNaperville, IL76,751Rockford, IL: 71,132 personsRockford, IL71,132Elgin, IL: 61,415 personsElgin, IL61,415Springfield, IL: 57,291 personsSpringfield, IL57,291Peoria, IL: 55,201 personsPeoria, IL55,201Waukegan, IL: 48,149 personsWaukegan, IL48,149Champaign, IL: 44,073 personsChampaign, IL44,073Bloomington, IL: 43,352 personsBloomington, IL43,352Schaumburg, IL: 42,588 personsSchaumburg, IL42,588Cicero, IL: 42,543 personsCicero, IL42,543Arlington Heights, IL: 40,946 personsArlington Heights, IL40,946Bolingbrook, IL: 40,945 personsBolingbrook, IL40,945Evanston, IL: 40,109 personsEvanston, IL40,109Palatine, IL: 38,846 personsPalatine, IL38,846Skokie, IL: 33,267 personsSkokie, IL33,267Decatur, IL: 33,225 personsDecatur, IL33,225Des Plaines, IL: 31,636 personsDes Plaines, IL31,636Berwyn, IL: 31,090 personsBerwyn, IL31,090Mount Prospect, IL: 30,581 personsMount Prospect, IL30,581Tinley Park, IL: 29,676 personsTinley Park, IL29,676Orland Park, IL: 29,327 personsOrland Park, IL29,327Hoffman Estates, IL: 28,994 personsHoffman Estates, IL28,994Oak Lawn, IL: 28,983 personsOak Lawn, IL28,983Oak Park, IL: 28,945 personsOak Park, IL28,945Normal, IL: 28,727 personsNormal, IL28,727Wheaton, IL: 27,861 personsWheaton, IL27,861Downers Grove, IL: 26,864 personsDowners Grove, IL26,864Lombard, IL: 24,853 personsLombard, IL24,853Buffalo Grove, IL: 24,204 personsBuffalo Grove, IL24,204Bartlett, IL: 23,971 personsBartlett, IL23,971Glenview, IL: 23,562 personsGlenview, IL23,562Romeoville, IL: 23,178 personsRomeoville, IL23,178Elmhurst, IL: 22,717 personsElmhurst, IL22,717Plainfield, IL: 22,695 personsPlainfield, IL22,695Carol Stream, IL: 22,486 personsCarol Stream, IL22,486Streamwood, IL: 22,455 personsStreamwood, IL22,455Crystal Lake, IL: 22,125 personsCrystal Lake, IL22,125
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

RankCities2016
persons		Change on 2015
1Chicago, IL1,446,276+4.9%
2Aurora, IL99,981-2.6%
3Joliet, IL78,893+4.3%
4Naperville, IL76,751-2.6%
5Rockford, IL71,132+5.1%
6Elgin, IL61,415+6.7%
7Springfield, IL57,291-2.7%
8Peoria, IL55,201+1.6%
9Waukegan, IL48,149+7.6%
10Champaign, IL44,073-0.7%
11Bloomington, IL43,352+4.8%
12Schaumburg, IL42,588-4.4%
13Cicero, IL42,543+13.8%
14Arlington Heights, IL40,946-1.3%
15Bolingbrook, IL40,945+0.8%
16Evanston, IL40,109+0.4%
17Palatine, IL38,846-2.6%
18Skokie, IL33,267-0%
19Decatur, IL33,225-0.3%
20Des Plaines, IL31,636-4.1%
21Berwyn, IL31,090+10.8%
22Mount Prospect, IL30,581+2.5%
23Tinley Park, IL29,676-8.7%
24Orland Park, IL29,327-3.9%
25Hoffman Estates, IL28,994-4.6%
26Oak Lawn, IL28,983-0.3%
27Oak Park, IL28,945-3.3%
28Normal, IL28,727-1.4%
29Wheaton, IL27,861-4.7%
30Downers Grove, IL26,864-2.7%
31Lombard, IL24,853-2%
32Buffalo Grove, IL24,204-1.1%
33Bartlett, IL23,971+1.6%
34Glenview, IL23,562+1.1%
35Romeoville, IL23,178+15.1%
36Elmhurst, IL22,717-3.3%
37Plainfield, IL22,695+2%
38Carol Stream, IL22,486-7.3%
39Streamwood, IL22,455-6.1%
40Crystal Lake, IL22,125-3.2%
41Belleville, IL22,011-0.8%
42Moline, IL21,941-0.9%
43Wheeling, IL21,903-3.4%
44Carpentersville, IL21,588+11.9%
45DeKalb, IL21,333-4.8%
46Urbana, IL20,955-3.4%
47Quincy, IL20,647+6.6%
48Park Ridge, IL20,440+3.5%
49Addison, IL20,427+4%
50Hanover Park, IL19,714-6.2%
51Woodridge, IL19,258-5%
52Glendale Heights, IL19,100-2.4%
53St. Charles, IL18,827+2%
54Rock Island, IL18,546+0.1%
55Mundelein, IL17,971-0.7%
56Elk Grove Village, IL17,912-8%
57Oswego, IL17,728-4.5%
58Gurnee, IL17,529+2.1%
59Calumet City, IL17,528+5%
60Algonquin, IL17,482+1.7%
61Northbrook, IL17,197+4.6%
62Lake in the Hills, IL15,944-2.5%
63Pekin, IL15,626-0.8%
64O'Fallon, IL15,345+12.1%
64Oak Forest, IL15,345-0.4%
66Round Lake Beach, IL15,211+1.9%
67Highland Park, IL15,100+0.6%
68McHenry, IL14,964+5.3%
69Batavia, IL14,666+6%
70Lansing, IL14,643+0.3%
71Niles, IL14,608+4.1%
72Lockport, IL14,462+3.7%
73Burbank, IL14,427-0.2%
74Vernon Hills, IL14,380-3.6%
75Glen Ellyn, IL14,152-1.8%
76Woodstock, IL14,129+7.5%
77Belvidere, IL13,942+18.7%
78West Chicago, IL13,941-4.3%
79New Lenox, IL13,726-4.7%
80Granite City, IL13,698+2.8%
81Collinsville, IL13,678+6.6%
82Edwardsville, IL13,389+1.5%
83Galesburg, IL13,372+2.9%
84Zion, IL13,028+16.9%
85Melrose Park, IL12,826+5.5%
86Alton, IL12,807+9.7%
87Morton Grove, IL12,638+7.3%
88Elmwood Park, IL12,619-7.9%
89Westmont, IL12,612-7.3%
90Wilmette, IL12,491-3.8%
91Danville, IL12,212-6.8%
92Chicago Heights, IL12,052-9.5%
93Homer Glen, IL11,875-9.6%
94Huntley, IL11,387+1.8%
95Freeport, IL10,986+3.6%
96Park Forest, IL10,824+3.9%
97Carbondale, IL10,746-9.9%
98Kankakee, IL10,723-3.3%
99Maywood, IL10,277-1.4%
100North Chicago, IL10,211+15.5%
101Dolton, IL9,741-11%
102Harvey, IL9,087+7%
103East St. Louis, IL7,566-17.2%

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. 1 cities with data in other periods have no value for 2016 and are left out rather than filled from another source. 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.CurrentU15-19. 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, 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU15-19

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, 2016. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 30 Sept. 2026, https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU15-19. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/civilian-labor-force/illinois-cities?period=2016. 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, 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU15-19. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/civilian-labor-force/illinois-cities?period=2016.

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, 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU15-19, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/civilian-labor-force/illinois-cities?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{bureau_cities_in_illinois_by_2016,
  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, 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://download.bls.gov/pub/time.series/la/la.data.0.CurrentU15-19},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/civilian-labor-force/illinois-cities?period=2016. 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.CurrentU15-19. 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, 2016
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.CurrentU15-19
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/civilian-labor-force/illinois-cities?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/civilian-labor-force/illinois-cities?period=2016.
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.CurrentU15-19. 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 1.45 million in 2016, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Which city has the lowest civilian labor force?

East St. Louis, IL, with 7,566 in 2016.

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. 1 cities have no value for 2016 and are not ranked.

Civilian labor force: other rankings

Cities in Illinois: more rankings