State
Businesses in Illinois by trade
322,415 employer establishments in 2023, employing 5,661,761 people (+0.4% establishments since 2017).
ILLINOIS · ALL INDUSTRIES
322,415
establishments with paid employees
- Employees
- 5,661,761
- Average per site
- 17.6
- Change since 2017
- +0.4%
- Annual payroll
- $409.9 billion
The 12 trades in Illinois
| Trade | Sites | Employees | Since 2017 | State rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full-service restaurants | 9,928 | 188,628 | +1.7% | 5 |
| Coffee shops and snack bars | 2,677 | 33,569 | +21.0% | 8 |
| Beauty salons | 3,346 | 16,713 | −1.4% | 7 |
| Barber shops | 294 | 1,029 | +63.3% | 7 |
| Plumbing and HVAC contractors | 4,070 | 41,112 | −0.2% | 6 |
| Roofing contractors | 1,026 | 6,354 | +19.3% | 4 |
| Landscaping services | 5,034 | 23,331 | +8.9% | 6 |
| Janitorial services | 2,520 | 50,936 | −1.4% | 5 |
| Child day care | 3,138 | 42,273 | +2.9% | 6 |
| General auto repair | 3,891 | 18,358 | −1.5% | 6 |
| Fitness centers | 1,621 | 32,618 | +5.8% | 6 |
| Pet care services | 1,021 | 7,691 | +21.3% | 5 |
Largest industry groups in Illinois
The twelve three-digit NAICS groups with the most employer establishments.
| Industry group | Sites | Employees | Since 2017 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 37,946 | 467,150 | −2.2% |
| Food Services and Drinking Places | 28,496 | 479,781 | +4.8% |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | 27,153 | 300,155 | +9.5% |
| Specialty Trade Contractors | 18,685 | 153,878 | +0.1% |
| Administrative and Support Services | 15,998 | 457,495 | −1.9% |
| Truck Transportation | 15,020 | 86,658 | +36.7% |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | 12,358 | 116,296 | −3.9% |
| Real Estate | 12,121 | 58,642 | +7.4% |
| Personal and Laundry Services | 10,726 | 58,889 | +8.2% |
| Repair and Maintenance | 9,610 | 60,010 | −2.1% |
| Construction of Buildings | 9,565 | 46,149 | +4.0% |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | 9,136 | 186,700 | −11.0% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns (2023; change measured against 2017, 2019 and 2022). Establishments with paid employees only; employment and payroll carry Census noise infusion. Retrieved November 2, 2026. Method and sources.