Data / Rankings / Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Illinois

Counties in Illinois by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Kendall County had the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 102 counties in 2021, at 72.6%. Johnson County had the lowest, at 39.2%. The median was 60.3% and the figure for Illinois was 65.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest72.6Kendall County
Lowest39.2Johnson County
Median60.3102 counties
Illinois65.3History

Map of counties, 2021

Adams County: 65.5 %Alexander County: 43.3 %Bond County: 51.5 %Boone County: 67.3 %Brown County: 44.6 %Bureau County: 62.5 %Calhoun County: 49.4 %Carroll County: 52.8 %Cass County: 61.5 %Champaign County: 61.7 %Christian County: 55.5 %Clark County: 61.6 %Clay County: 58.8 %Clinton County: 63.1 %Coles County: 63.4 %Cook County: 66.2 %Crawford County: 52.9 %Cumberland County: 67.1 %DeKalb County: 68.8 %De Witt County: 63.8 %Douglas County: 64.8 %DuPage County: 69.1 %Edgar County: 58.2 %Edwards County: 59 %Effingham County: 66.8 %Fayette County: 51.1 %Ford County: 61.7 %Franklin County: 56.1 %Fulton County: 55.1 %Gallatin County: 54.5 %Greene County: 58.4 %Grundy County: 67.3 %Hamilton County: 55.3 %Hancock County: 59.4 %Hardin County: 41.4 %Henderson County: 60.5 %Henry County: 61.7 %Iroquois County: 59.1 %Jackson County: 56.3 %Jasper County: 63.7 %Jefferson County: 57.9 %Jersey County: 61.8 %Jo Daviess County: 60.4 %Johnson County: 39.2 %Kane County: 69.5 %Kankakee County: 61.7 %Kendall County: 72.6 %Knox County: 53.7 %Lake County: 68.4 %LaSalle County: 63 %Lawrence County: 49.8 %Lee County: 55.7 %Livingston County: 57.9 %Logan County: 55.5 %McDonough County: 60.3 %McHenry County: 70.4 %McLean County: 63.8 %Macon County: 59 %Macoupin County: 57.5 %Madison County: 63.7 %Marion County: 60.2 %Marshall County: 55.1 %Mason County: 58.9 %Massac County: 52.9 %Menard County: 64.7 %Mercer County: 60.3 %Monroe County: 68.8 %Montgomery County: 50.9 %Morgan County: 56.4 %Moultrie County: 62.3 %Ogle County: 63.3 %Peoria County: 61.3 %Perry County: 47.3 %Piatt County: 65.6 %Pike County: 59.6 %Pope County: 40.8 %Pulaski County: 43.3 %Putnam County: 59.8 %Randolph County: 53.1 %Richland County: 62.8 %Rock Island County: 61.7 %St. Clair County: 64.7 %Saline County: 55.9 %Sangamon County: 62.4 %Schuyler County: 54.1 %Scott County: 61.3 %Shelby County: 61.2 %Stark County: 57.2 %Stephenson County: 60.5 %Tazewell County: 61.5 %Union County: 52.5 %Vermilion County: 55.2 %Wabash County: 59.4 %Warren County: 61.8 %Washington County: 63.8 %Wayne County: 56.4 %White County: 56.8 %Whiteside County: 61.8 %Will County: 68.8 %Williamson County: 57.9 %Winnebago County: 63.1 %Woodford County: 63.6 %
  • Under 54
  • 54 to 57
  • 57 to 60
  • 60 to 62
  • 62 to 65
  • 65 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Kendall County: 72.6 %Kendall County72.6McHenry County: 70.4 %McHenry County70.4Kane County: 69.5 %Kane County69.5DuPage County: 69.1 %DuPage County69.1Will County: 68.8 %Will County68.8Monroe County: 68.8 %Monroe County68.8DeKalb County: 68.8 %DeKalb County68.8Lake County: 68.4 %Lake County68.4Boone County: 67.3 %Boone County67.3Grundy County: 67.3 %Grundy County67.3Cumberland County: 67.1 %Cumberland County67.1Effingham County: 66.8 %Effingham County66.8Cook County: 66.2 %Cook County66.2Piatt County: 65.6 %Piatt County65.6Adams County: 65.5 %Adams County65.5Douglas County: 64.8 %Douglas County64.8Menard County: 64.7 %Menard County64.7St. Clair County: 64.7 %St. Clair County64.7Washington County: 63.8 %Washington County63.8De Witt County: 63.8 %De Witt County63.8McLean County: 63.8 %McLean County63.8Jasper County: 63.7 %Jasper County63.7Madison County: 63.7 %Madison County63.7Woodford County: 63.6 %Woodford County63.6Coles County: 63.4 %Coles County63.4Ogle County: 63.3 %Ogle County63.3Winnebago County: 63.1 %Winnebago County63.1Clinton County: 63.1 %Clinton County63.1LaSalle County: 63 %LaSalle County63Richland County: 62.8 %Richland County62.8Bureau County: 62.5 %Bureau County62.5Sangamon County: 62.4 %Sangamon County62.4Moultrie County: 62.3 %Moultrie County62.3Warren County: 61.8 %Warren County61.8Jersey County: 61.8 %Jersey County61.8Whiteside County: 61.8 %Whiteside County61.8Ford County: 61.7 %Ford County61.7Rock Island County: 61.7 %Rock Island County61.7Kankakee County: 61.7 %Kankakee County61.7Henry County: 61.7 %Henry County61.7Kendall County: 72.6 %Kendall County72.6McHenry County: 70.4 %McHenry County70.4Kane County: 69.5 %Kane County69.5DuPage County: 69.1 %DuPage County69.1Will County: 68.8 %Will County68.8Monroe County: 68.8 %Monroe County68.8DeKalb County: 68.8 %DeKalb County68.8Lake County: 68.4 %Lake County68.4Boone County: 67.3 %Boone County67.3Grundy County: 67.3 %Grundy County67.3Cumberland County: 67.1 %Cumberland County67.1Effingham County: 66.8 %Effingham County66.8Cook County: 66.2 %Cook County66.2Piatt County: 65.6 %Piatt County65.6Adams County: 65.5 %Adams County65.5Douglas County: 64.8 %Douglas County64.8Menard County: 64.7 %Menard County64.7St. Clair County: 64.7 %St. Clair County64.7Washington County: 63.8 %Washington County63.8De Witt County: 63.8 %De Witt County63.8McLean County: 63.8 %McLean County63.8Jasper County: 63.7 %Jasper County63.7Madison County: 63.7 %Madison County63.7Woodford County: 63.6 %Woodford County63.6Coles County: 63.4 %Coles County63.4Ogle County: 63.3 %Ogle County63.3Winnebago County: 63.1 %Winnebago County63.1Clinton County: 63.1 %Clinton County63.1LaSalle County: 63 %LaSalle County63Richland County: 62.8 %Richland County62.8Bureau County: 62.5 %Bureau County62.5Sangamon County: 62.4 %Sangamon County62.4Moultrie County: 62.3 %Moultrie County62.3Warren County: 61.8 %Warren County61.8Jersey County: 61.8 %Jersey County61.8Whiteside County: 61.8 %Whiteside County61.8Ford County: 61.7 %Ford County61.7Rock Island County: 61.7 %Rock Island County61.7Kankakee County: 61.7 %Kankakee County61.7Henry County: 61.7 %Henry County61.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Kendall County72.6
2McHenry County70.4
3Kane County69.5
4DuPage County69.1
5Will County68.8
6Monroe County68.8
7DeKalb County68.8
8Lake County68.4
9Boone County67.3
10Grundy County67.3
11Cumberland County67.1
12Effingham County66.8
13Cook County66.2
14Piatt County65.6
15Adams County65.5
16Douglas County64.8
17Menard County64.7
18St. Clair County64.7
19Washington County63.8
20De Witt County63.8
21McLean County63.8
22Jasper County63.7
22Madison County63.7
24Woodford County63.6
25Coles County63.4
26Ogle County63.3
27Winnebago County63.1
28Clinton County63.1
29LaSalle County63
30Richland County62.8
31Bureau County62.5
32Sangamon County62.4
33Moultrie County62.3
34Warren County61.8
35Jersey County61.8
36Whiteside County61.8
37Ford County61.7
37Rock Island County61.7
39Kankakee County61.7
40Henry County61.7
41Champaign County61.7
42Clark County61.6
43Cass County61.5
44Tazewell County61.5
45Peoria County61.3
45Scott County61.3
47Shelby County61.2
48Henderson County60.5
49Stephenson County60.5
50Jo Daviess County60.4
51McDonough County60.3
52Mercer County60.3
53Marion County60.2
54Putnam County59.8
55Pike County59.6
56Hancock County59.4
57Wabash County59.4
58Iroquois County59.1
59Macon County59
60Edwards County59
61Mason County58.9
62Clay County58.8
63Greene County58.4
64Edgar County58.2
65Williamson County57.9
66Livingston County57.9
67Jefferson County57.9
68Macoupin County57.5
69Stark County57.2
70White County56.8
71Morgan County56.4
71Wayne County56.4
73Jackson County56.3
74Franklin County56.1
75Saline County55.9
76Lee County55.7
77Christian County55.5
78Logan County55.5
79Hamilton County55.3
80Vermilion County55.2
81Fulton County55.1
82Marshall County55.1
83Gallatin County54.5
84Schuyler County54.1
85Knox County53.7
86Randolph County53.1
87Crawford County52.9
88Massac County52.9
89Carroll County52.8
90Union County52.5
91Bond County51.5
92Fayette County51.1
93Montgomery County50.9
94Lawrence County49.8
95Calhoun County49.4
96Perry County47.3
97Brown County44.6
98Pulaski County43.3
99Alexander County43.3
100Hardin County41.4
101Pope County40.8
102Johnson County39.2

Other periods

About this ranking

People aged 16 and over in the labor force (employed, unemployed or in the Armed Forces) as a percentage of all people aged 16 and over, including people in group quarters. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The Census Bureau definition used in its data profiles. It differs from the BLS labor_force_participation_rate, which counts the civilian noninstitutional population only.

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. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. 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. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Illinois by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Illinois by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Illinois by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Illinois by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_illinois_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Illinois by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Illinois by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/labor-force-participation-rate-acs/illinois-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b23025.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Rank Counties in Illinois by labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate) using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Kendall County, with 72.6% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Johnson County, with 39.2% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B23025: population 16 years and over in the labor force as a percentage of the population 16 years and over, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Labor force participation rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Illinois: more rankings