Data / Rankings / Job creation rate / Counties in Illinois

Counties in Illinois by job creation rate

Greene County had the highest job creation rate of 102 counties in 2020, at 20.926%. Hardin County had the lowest, at 3.352%. The median was 9.586% and the figure for Illinois was 11.222%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest20.926Greene County
Lowest3.352Hardin County
Median9.586102 counties
Illinois11.222History

Map of counties, 2020

Adams County: 6.587 %Alexander County: 13.616 %Bond County: 5.196 %Boone County: 5.559 %Brown County: 13.003 %Bureau County: 7.39 %Calhoun County: 6.186 %Carroll County: 11.978 %Cass County: 12.66 %Champaign County: 10.658 %Christian County: 6.638 %Clark County: 7.227 %Clay County: 4.357 %Clinton County: 9.98 %Coles County: 12.13 %Cook County: 11.27 %Crawford County: 9.772 %Cumberland County: 7.63 %DeKalb County: 9.035 %De Witt County: 8.248 %Douglas County: 8.675 %DuPage County: 11.655 %Edgar County: 10.431 %Edwards County: 4.058 %Effingham County: 12.403 %Fayette County: 9.706 %Ford County: 7.619 %Franklin County: 9.135 %Fulton County: 8.895 %Gallatin County: 8.787 %Greene County: 20.926 %Grundy County: 11.123 %Hamilton County: 6.031 %Hancock County: 9.895 %Hardin County: 3.352 %Henderson County: 12.239 %Henry County: 8.712 %Iroquois County: 11.765 %Jackson County: 8.425 %Jasper County: 10.799 %Jefferson County: 4.447 %Jersey County: 9.392 %Jo Daviess County: 12.18 %Johnson County: 12.103 %Kane County: 9.834 %Kankakee County: 12.258 %Kendall County: 13.398 %Knox County: 11.452 %Lake County: 13.01 %LaSalle County: 8.786 %Lawrence County: 11.183 %Lee County: 8.308 %Livingston County: 11.289 %Logan County: 6.826 %McDonough County: 6.626 %McHenry County: 10.286 %McLean County: 9.576 %Macon County: 11.149 %Macoupin County: 9.117 %Madison County: 12.422 %Marion County: 5.986 %Marshall County: 8.131 %Mason County: 6.291 %Massac County: 9.595 %Menard County: 12.647 %Mercer County: 5.589 %Monroe County: 12.022 %Montgomery County: 10.896 %Morgan County: 8.024 %Moultrie County: 5.641 %Ogle County: 8.778 %Peoria County: 7.203 %Perry County: 9.685 %Piatt County: 6.526 %Pike County: 8.553 %Pope County: 17.173 %Pulaski County: 6.777 %Putnam County: 13.181 %Randolph County: 7.998 %Richland County: 12.649 %Rock Island County: 10.028 %St. Clair County: 9.897 %Saline County: 9.246 %Sangamon County: 9.181 %Schuyler County: 7.961 %Scott County: 5.457 %Shelby County: 10.153 %Stark County: 18.49 %Stephenson County: 11.007 %Tazewell County: 8.363 %Union County: 10.408 %Vermilion County: 9.377 %Wabash County: 12.957 %Warren County: 6.299 %Washington County: 6.001 %Wayne County: 10.442 %White County: 10.244 %Whiteside County: 7.431 %Will County: 14.88 %Williamson County: 7.8 %Winnebago County: 9.661 %Woodford County: 11.505 %
  • Under 6.6
  • 6.6 to 8.3
  • 8.3 to 9.6
  • 9.6 to 11
  • 11 to 12
  • 12 and over
%, 2020. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2020

Greene County: 20.926 %Greene County20.926Stark County: 18.49 %Stark County18.49Pope County: 17.173 %Pope County17.173Will County: 14.88 %Will County14.88Alexander County: 13.616 %Alexander County13.616Kendall County: 13.398 %Kendall County13.398Putnam County: 13.181 %Putnam County13.181Lake County: 13.01 %Lake County13.01Brown County: 13.003 %Brown County13.003Wabash County: 12.957 %Wabash County12.957Cass County: 12.66 %Cass County12.66Richland County: 12.649 %Richland County12.649Menard County: 12.647 %Menard County12.647Madison County: 12.422 %Madison County12.422Effingham County: 12.403 %Effingham County12.403Kankakee County: 12.258 %Kankakee County12.258Henderson County: 12.239 %Henderson County12.239Jo Daviess County: 12.18 %Jo Daviess County12.18Coles County: 12.13 %Coles County12.13Johnson County: 12.103 %Johnson County12.103Monroe County: 12.022 %Monroe County12.022Carroll County: 11.978 %Carroll County11.978Iroquois County: 11.765 %Iroquois County11.765DuPage County: 11.655 %DuPage County11.655Woodford County: 11.505 %Woodford County11.505Knox County: 11.452 %Knox County11.452Livingston County: 11.289 %Livingston County11.289Cook County: 11.27 %Cook County11.27Lawrence County: 11.183 %Lawrence County11.183Macon County: 11.149 %Macon County11.149Grundy County: 11.123 %Grundy County11.123Stephenson County: 11.007 %Stephenson County11.007Montgomery County: 10.896 %Montgomery County10.896Jasper County: 10.799 %Jasper County10.799Champaign County: 10.658 %Champaign County10.658Wayne County: 10.442 %Wayne County10.442Edgar County: 10.431 %Edgar County10.431Union County: 10.408 %Union County10.408McHenry County: 10.286 %McHenry County10.286White County: 10.244 %White County10.244Greene County: 20.926 %Greene County20.926Stark County: 18.49 %Stark County18.49Pope County: 17.173 %Pope County17.173Will County: 14.88 %Will County14.88Alexander County: 13.616 %Alexander County13.616Kendall County: 13.398 %Kendall County13.398Putnam County: 13.181 %Putnam County13.181Lake County: 13.01 %Lake County13.01Brown County: 13.003 %Brown County13.003Wabash County: 12.957 %Wabash County12.957Cass County: 12.66 %Cass County12.66Richland County: 12.649 %Richland County12.649Menard County: 12.647 %Menard County12.647Madison County: 12.422 %Madison County12.422Effingham County: 12.403 %Effingham County12.403Kankakee County: 12.258 %Kankakee County12.258Henderson County: 12.239 %Henderson County12.239Jo Daviess County: 12.18 %Jo Daviess County12.18Coles County: 12.13 %Coles County12.13Johnson County: 12.103 %Johnson County12.103Monroe County: 12.022 %Monroe County12.022Carroll County: 11.978 %Carroll County11.978Iroquois County: 11.765 %Iroquois County11.765DuPage County: 11.655 %DuPage County11.655Woodford County: 11.505 %Woodford County11.505Knox County: 11.452 %Knox County11.452Livingston County: 11.289 %Livingston County11.289Cook County: 11.27 %Cook County11.27Lawrence County: 11.183 %Lawrence County11.183Macon County: 11.149 %Macon County11.149Grundy County: 11.123 %Grundy County11.123Stephenson County: 11.007 %Stephenson County11.007Montgomery County: 10.896 %Montgomery County10.896Jasper County: 10.799 %Jasper County10.799Champaign County: 10.658 %Champaign County10.658Wayne County: 10.442 %Wayne County10.442Edgar County: 10.431 %Edgar County10.431Union County: 10.408 %Union County10.408McHenry County: 10.286 %McHenry County10.286White County: 10.244 %White County10.244
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Greene County20.926+12.29 pts
2Stark County18.49+13.44 pts
3Pope County17.173-1.99 pts
4Will County14.88+0.47 pts
5Alexander County13.616-1.58 pts
6Kendall County13.398-0.26 pts
7Putnam County13.181+4.17 pts
8Lake County13.01+1.82 pts
9Brown County13.003+10.53 pts
10Wabash County12.957-1.18 pts
11Cass County12.66+7.71 pts
12Richland County12.649+6.24 pts
13Menard County12.647+0.85 pts
14Madison County12.422+0.86 pts
15Effingham County12.403+6.16 pts
16Kankakee County12.258+2.73 pts
17Henderson County12.239+2.55 pts
18Jo Daviess County12.18+0.54 pts
19Coles County12.13+0.74 pts
20Johnson County12.103-4.85 pts
21Monroe County12.022+0.59 pts
22Carroll County11.978+3.79 pts
23Iroquois County11.765+2.58 pts
24DuPage County11.655+0.45 pts
25Woodford County11.505+0.42 pts
26Knox County11.452+2.82 pts
27Livingston County11.289+4.3 pts
28Cook County11.27-0.04 pts
29Lawrence County11.183+2.41 pts
30Macon County11.149+0.79 pts
31Grundy County11.123+4.05 pts
32Stephenson County11.007+0.63 pts
33Montgomery County10.896+2.3 pts
34Jasper County10.799-2.03 pts
35Champaign County10.658-0.82 pts
36Wayne County10.442+1.04 pts
37Edgar County10.431+5.22 pts
38Union County10.408+4.65 pts
39McHenry County10.286-1.76 pts
40White County10.244-2.6 pts
41Shelby County10.153+3.52 pts
42Rock Island County10.028+1.02 pts
43Clinton County9.98+0.75 pts
44St. Clair County9.897-0.62 pts
45Hancock County9.895-0.27 pts
46Kane County9.834-1.47 pts
47Crawford County9.772-4.18 pts
48Fayette County9.706+0.24 pts
49Perry County9.685+1.62 pts
50Winnebago County9.661+0.21 pts
51Massac County9.595+3.31 pts
52McLean County9.576+1.69 pts
53Jersey County9.392+3.09 pts
54Vermilion County9.377+1.12 pts
55Saline County9.246+0.73 pts
56Sangamon County9.181+1.04 pts
57Franklin County9.135-4.23 pts
58Macoupin County9.117+0.51 pts
59DeKalb County9.035-4.01 pts
60Fulton County8.895+0.26 pts
61Gallatin County8.787-2.16 pts
62LaSalle County8.786-3.17 pts
63Ogle County8.778+2.77 pts
64Henry County8.712+0.95 pts
65Douglas County8.675-0.36 pts
66Pike County8.553-1.27 pts
67Jackson County8.425-0.47 pts
68Tazewell County8.363-8.72 pts
69Lee County8.308-0.26 pts
70De Witt County8.248+1.23 pts
71Marshall County8.131-2.21 pts
72Morgan County8.024-4.16 pts
73Randolph County7.998+1.7 pts
74Schuyler County7.961-0.22 pts
75Williamson County7.8-1.1 pts
76Cumberland County7.63+1.59 pts
77Ford County7.619-1.31 pts
78Whiteside County7.431-0.21 pts
79Bureau County7.39+1.43 pts
80Clark County7.227-0.46 pts
81Peoria County7.203-0.63 pts
82Logan County6.826-0.35 pts
83Pulaski County6.777-3.77 pts
84Christian County6.638-4.57 pts
85McDonough County6.626-1.37 pts
86Adams County6.587-2.39 pts
87Piatt County6.526-1.87 pts
88Warren County6.299-2.51 pts
89Mason County6.291+0.31 pts
90Calhoun County6.186-1.17 pts
91Hamilton County6.031+0.08 pts
92Washington County6.001-2.41 pts
93Marion County5.986-3.88 pts
94Moultrie County5.641-4.85 pts
95Mercer County5.589-7.96 pts
96Boone County5.559-2.05 pts
97Scott County5.457-8.73 pts
98Bond County5.196-1.61 pts
99Jefferson County4.447-8.88 pts
100Clay County4.357-9.13 pts
101Edwards County4.058-7.3 pts
102Hardin County3.352-3.92 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Jobs added at opening and expanding establishments during the year, as a percentage of average employment in the two years. United States: Census Bureau Business Dynamics Statistics.

A gross flow: jobs lost elsewhere are not subtracted, so the net change is this rate minus job_destruction_rate. Not the same as payroll job growth from the monthly employment surveys. The year is the twelve months to March: 2023 compares March 2022 with March 2023.

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. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.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. Census Bureau. (2025). Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010 (Counties in Illinois by job creation rate, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv

MLA 9

Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Illinois by job creation rate, 2020. U.S. Census Bureau, 25 Sept. 2025, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/illinois-counties?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2025. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Counties in Illinois by job creation rate, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/illinois-counties?period=2020.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2025) Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010, Counties in Illinois by job creation rate, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/illinois-counties?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_illinois_by_2020,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Illinois by job creation rate, 2020}},
  year = {2025},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/illinois-counties?period=2020. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023\_st\_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010: Counties in Illinois by job creation rate, 2020
PY  - 2025
DA  - 2025/09/25
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/illinois-counties?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/job-creation-rate/illinois-counties?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/bds/tables/time-series/2023/bds2023_st_cty.csv. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in Illinois by job creation rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest job creation rate?

Greene County, with 20.926% in 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest job creation rate?

Hardin County, with 3.352% in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Business Dynamics Statistics: job creation rate, all covered industries, nation and states from 1978, counties from 2010. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Job creation rate: other rankings

Counties in Illinois: more rankings