28 counties · Boom Town Index

Illinois

Avg BTI Score
80 / 100
Population
11.3M
-0.3% avg growth
National Rank
#2 of 51

State Overview

Illinois' economy in 2025-2026 presents a mixed picture, with some sectors experiencing growth while others face challenges. The state's GDP increased by over 4% from Q2 2024 to Q2 2025, and business establishments grew during 2025. However, the overall economic growth is expected to underperform the Midwest and national averages in the coming year, with payroll employment projected to remain largely unchanged from late 2025 to late 2026. Trade policy changes have particularly impacted manufacturing-dependent areas.

The housing market in Illinois, particularly in the Chicago metropolitan area, shows signs of continued appreciation despite affordability challenges and low inventory. Home prices statewide were up 4.6% year-over-year in March 2026. Migration data indicates a continued outbound trend for Illinois, though the gap between inbound and outbound moves narrowed in 2025 compared to previous years. The state is undertaking significant infrastructure investments, with a $50.6 billion multi-year program for transportation projects across all 102 counties.

Median Household Income
$71,653
State median across 28 counties
Median Home Value
$172,900
Income-to-home ratio: 0.42
Building Permits
19,081
Total residential permits
Natural Amenity
3.7 / 10
#46 of 49 · USDA scale

Illinois Counties

28 counties
Rank County BTI Score Safety Proj. Growth GDP Pop Growth Income Ratio Home Price Climate P/R
01 Adams County 99 B+ +4.1% +0.8% -0.5% +8.8% 2.8x +6.8% -2.1 13x
02 Kankakee County 99 D +5.3% +4.1% -0.6% +6.2% 2.8x +5.2% -3.3 10x
03 Vermilion County 98 D +1.1% -0.3% -1.1% +7.6% 2.1x -0.2% -3.2 9x
04 Winnebago County 98 D +6.2% +1.0% -0.3% +6.8% 2.9x +9.0% -2.5 10x
05 Macon County 97 D +5.4% +0.5% -0.8% +6.6% 1.8x +8.3% -2.8 9x
06 Tazewell County 97 B+ +5.8% +2.3% -0.5% +8.3% 3.6x +9.3% -2.5 11x
07 LaSalle County 96 B+ +4.3% -0.6% -0.5% +8.1% 2.8x +9.9% -2.8 11x
08 Rock Island County 95 D +3.7% +0.1% -0.6% +9.3% 2.0x +6.4% -1.9 11x
09 Peoria County 95 D +5.5% +1.9% -0.7% +8.5% 2.1x +8.2% -2.4 11x
10 DeKalb County 91 B+ +5.0% +0.1% -0.2% +7.2% 5.1x +6.2% -3.6 13x
11 Grundy County 91 B +2.8% +5.9% +0.5% +10.1% 2.7x +3.7% -2.1 18x
12 Ogle County 89 B +3.8% -0.5% -0.2% +12.2% 3.0x +10.8% -2.8 17x
13 Sangamon County 86 C +4.1% +3.9% -0.3% +8.3% 2.6x +8.5% -2.5 12x
14 Madison County 86 B- +3.3% +8.3% -0.2% +7.3% 3.3x +4.8% -1.7 12x
15 Williamson County 81 B+ +2.2% +2.3% -0.2% +10.3% 3.0x +2.0% 1.1 12x
16 Champaign County 81 C +4.6% +1.4% -0.0% +7.3% 3.3x +6.7% -4.5 12x
17 Whiteside County 80 B +2.7% +2.6% -0.7% +5.0% 3.1x +5.2% -2.3 13x
18 Cook County 80 F +2.5% +1.3% -0.8% +8.6% 3.5x +3.6% -1.0 11x
19 McHenry County 79 A +3.8% +2.0% +0.1% +6.7% 7.0x +4.5% -2.4 12x
20 Kane County 78 B +2.4% +1.9% -0.3% +8.4% 5.2x +3.9% -2.8 12x
21 Lake County 69 B +4.8% +1.7% -0.2% +7.7% 3.4x +5.7% -0.3 13x
22 St. Clair County 65 F +1.7% +1.1% -0.7% +9.4% 3.2x +4.5% -1.8 10x
23 DuPage County 64 A +3.4% +0.5% -0.4% +6.7% 3.3x +5.0% -2.3 15x
24 Kendall County 60 B +2.2% +1.3% +1.6% +4.5% 9.4x +4.0% -2.9 10x
25 Will County 60 B- +1.8% +2.2% +0.1% +8.3% 5.2x +3.4% -2.4 11x
26 Boone County 58 B +4.9% +2.9% -0.2% +8.7% 6.0x +5.9% -3.3 16x
27 Jackson County 44 B- +2.7% -0.8% -0.9% +7.5% 2.5x +11.5% 0.7 15x
28 McLean County 35 B +0.5% +1.9% -0.1% +7.1% 2.4x +3.3% -3.6 12x

Capital Investment in Illinois

Tracked Projects · Public Records
$65.4B
Total tracked investment
27,913
Jobs announced
126
Projects across 26 counties

Where the money is going

Data Centers $25.8B 39%
Energy $20.5B 31%
Manufacturing $9.3B 14%
Infrastructure $8.7B 13%
Industrial/Logistics $910M 1%

Top counties by investment

  1. 01 Lake County $9.4B
    5 projects · 1,500 jobs
  2. 02 DeKalb County $6.8B
    6 projects · 7,200 jobs
  3. 03 Boone County $5.7B
    6 projects · 440 jobs
  4. 04 Kankakee County $4.9B
    6 projects · 2,900 jobs
  5. 05 Kendall County $4.2B
    6 projects · 250 jobs
  6. 06 Will County $3.6B
    6 projects · 3,500 jobs

Largest projects in Illinois

Project County Amount Status
T5 @ Chicago IV Data Center Campus
T5 Data Centers · Data Centers · 1,500 jobs
 Lake County $8.5B Under Construction
Stellantis Belvidere Assembly Plant Retooling, Battery Plant, and Parts Distribution Center
Stellantis · Manufacturing
 Boone County $5.0B Planned
DeKalb County Water and Sewer Infrastructure Investment
DeKalb County Government · Infrastructure · 6,400 jobs
 DeKalb County $4.3B Planned
Gotion Lithium Battery Gigafactory
Gotion · Manufacturing · 2,600 jobs
 Kankakee County $2.0B Under Construction
Joliet Data Center Campus
HW Technology Park Development LLC (Hillwood) · Data Centers · 700 jobs
 Will County $2.0B Planned
Pekin Data Center (Lutticken Farm)
Western Hospitality Partners (WHP) · Data Centers · 100 jobs
 Tazewell County $2.0B Proposed
Project Cardinal Data Center
Pioneer Development · Data Centers
 Kendall County $1.8B Planned
CSL Behring Manufacturing Expansion
CSL Behring · Manufacturing · 300 jobs
 Kankakee County $1.5B Under Construction
→ Methodology · How We Tracked $4T Across 858 Counties

Source: public records, corporate announcements, state EDC filings. Tracking projects with $25M+ in announced investment or 500+ jobs. Some figures are estimates where exact totals weren't disclosed.

Illinois shaded relief terrain map
SRTM 30m shaded relief
State Spotlight · 2026-04-29

Illinois economy faces headwinds, housing market shows resilience

Driving growth and investment

Illinois saw a record $13 billion in incentivized investments in 2025, with companies committing to nearly 4,000 new jobs and $2.5 billion in investments in the first quarter of 2026. Key growth industries include life sciences, quantum technology, clean energy, and advanced manufacturing. Damera Corporation, an electric bus company, is establishing its first U.S. assembly plant in the Greater Peoria region, expecting to create 90 jobs.

Housing market right now

Illinois home prices increased by 4.6% year-over-year in March 2026, with the median price for all properties continuing to grow in 2025. The Chicago metro area is forecast to see closed sales grow by 5.1% and median prices rise by nearly 5% year-over-year in 2026. Inventory remains tight, with the Chicago metro having 60% fewer homes on the market compared to pre-pandemic levels.

Migration patterns

Illinois continues to experience outbound migration, ranking among the top outbound states in 2025 according to North American Van Lines and Allied Van Lines. However, Atlas Van Lines reported a smaller gap between moves into and out of Illinois in 2025, the narrowest in 16 years. High living and housing costs are cited as primary reasons for relocation from states like Illinois.

Headwinds

Illinois' economy is projected to underperform the Midwest and national averages in 2025-2026, with payroll employment expected to be largely unchanged. Manufacturing-dependent regions are particularly affected by trade policy changes. Persistent out-migration and deep-rooted fiscal issues, such as pension obligations, continue to weigh on economic performance.

Key facts

  • Illinois' GDP increased by more than 4% from Q2 2024 to Q2 2025. (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2025)
  • Governor Pritzker announced a $50.6 billion multi-year infrastructure program in October 2025, the largest in state history. (Illinois Department of Transportation, October 2025)
  • In March 2026, home prices in Illinois were up 4.6% year-over-year. (Redfin, March 2026)
  • New laws taking effect in Illinois in January 2026 include regulations on artificial intelligence in employment decisions and the elimination of the state's 1% grocery tax. (CHAMBANA TODAY, December 2025)
  • Chicago's minimum wage increased to $16.60 per hour effective July 1, 2025. (Saul Ewing LLP, January 2026)
Updated 2026-04-29 · grounded research
16 sources
  1. illinois.gov
  2. illinoisedc.org
  3. ilga.gov
  4. youtube.com
  5. plymouthtitleinsurance.com
  6. redfin.com
  7. northamerican.com
  8. illinoispolicy.org
  9. prezly.com
  10. capitolnewsillinois.com
  11. transportation.org
  12. illinois.gov
  13. illinois.gov
  14. illinoisrealtors.org
  15. capitolcitynow.com
  16. taftlaw.com