Firm counts, employment, and wages for 40 small-business-typical industries reported in Illinois by the BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages. Click any industry for a national comparison.
Sorted by establishment count. Location quotient (LQ) compares Illinois's industry concentration to the national average — LQ > 1 means denser than national; LQ < 1 means thinner.
| Industry | Firms | Employment | Avg Pay | LQ | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurants | 10,134 | 191,889 | $31,447 | 1.17 | +2.4% |
| Quick-service restaurants | 9,310 | 169,904 | $25,851 | 1.06 | +1.2% |
| Offices of lawyers | 7,412 | 50,320 | $159,260 | 1.19 | -0.7% |
| Landscaping services | 5,345 | 31,888 | $52,272 | 1.32 | +2.3% |
| Dental practices | 5,230 | 38,864 | $65,063 | 1.17 | -1.4% |
| Plumbing, heating & AC contractors | 4,280 | 39,900 | $87,575 | 1.06 | -0.1% |
| General auto repair | 3,766 | 18,230 | $59,195 | 1.33 | +1.1% |
| Gas stations with convenience stores | 3,174 | 28,717 | $28,973 | 0.95 | +3.4% |
| Drinking places (bars) | 3,149 | 27,203 | $25,010 | 2.25 | +0.7% |
| Beauty salons | 3,116 | 15,791 | $35,635 | 1.22 | +3.1% |
| Portfolio management & investment advice | 3,037 | 20,989 | $311,287 | 1.05 | -0.2% |
| Janitorial services | 2,928 | 49,777 | $37,402 | 1.07 | +3.5% |
| Electrical contractors | 2,921 | 29,618 | $93,707 | 0.89 | -1.2% |
| Child day care | 2,909 | 38,398 | $34,923 | 1.12 | +4.3% |
| Supermarkets & grocery | 2,446 | 90,705 | $34,115 | 1.27 | +1.3% |
| Engineering services | 2,444 | 30,475 | $115,602 | 0.74 | +3.7% |
| Other general-merchandise retailers | 2,374 | 23,156 | $29,922 | 1.13 | +4.0% |
| CPA offices | 2,255 | 29,336 | $127,549 | 1.08 | -0.6% |
| Other accounting services | 2,191 | 7,569 | $76,719 | 0.93 | +0.6% |
| Chiropractors | 1,741 | 6,646 | $42,179 | 1.34 | -1.5% |
| Physical therapists | 1,496 | 21,261 | $53,357 | 0.88 | +4.1% |
| Fitness & recreational sports centers | 1,476 | 26,954 | $22,722 | 1.00 | +3.6% |
| Auto body & paint | 1,450 | 10,221 | $65,580 | 1.24 | +0.4% |
| All other miscellaneous retailers | 1,373 | 7,751 | $64,976 | 1.26 | -2.1% |
| Other health practitioners | 1,132 | 4,654 | $63,709 | 0.88 | +8.5% |
| Roofing contractors | 1,110 | 8,302 | $85,429 | 1.07 | +3.8% |
| Pet care (except veterinary) | 1,030 | 7,703 | $28,926 | 1.15 | +2.8% |
| Religious organizations | 1,010 | 9,082 | $39,048 | 1.18 | +0.3% |
| Convenience retailers | 994 | 4,932 | $33,782 | 0.86 | +0.5% |
| Veterinary services | 964 | 16,114 | $57,185 | 0.82 | -3.9% |
| Other similar organizations | 735 | 4,703 | $47,599 | 1.45 | +0.3% |
| Optometrists | 659 | 5,395 | $54,581 | 0.93 | -0.5% |
| Drycleaning & laundry | 572 | 3,550 | $34,912 | 1.17 | -3.2% |
| Florists | 509 | 2,456 | $31,423 | 1.27 | -0.4% |
| Motor-vehicle parts wholesale | 474 | 8,032 | $78,519 | 0.97 | -3.5% |
| All other auto repair & maintenance | 398 | 1,417 | $44,667 | 1.59 | +2.3% |
| Barber shops | 328 | 1,244 | $37,565 | 1.21 | +7.2% |
| Parking lots & garages | 309 | 4,396 | $61,156 | 1.20 | +2.0% |
| Book retailers & news dealers | 245 | 3,594 | $35,143 | 0.95 | +4.7% |
| Auto glass replacement | 200 | 927 | $52,460 | 0.85 | +1.5% |