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Starting a Small Business in Illinois

Welcome to the Small Business Startup Illinois Franchise Directory! Here, you’ll find everything you need to begin your journey to business ownership in The Prairie State. If you’re thinking about starting a small business in Illinois, read on for an overview of the state economy. Afterward, explore business opportunities and franchises for sale with our llinois Franchise Search Tool.

Illinois Industry Trends

If an industry is performing well, business opportunities within it are often worth exploring. Begin your market research with this list of the Illinois economy's largest industries in 2022. Afterward, take your research one step further by investigating niche markets and B2B opportunities within one of these top revenue-generating industries.

Drug, Cosmetic & Toiletry Wholesaling (Revenue: $75.8 billion)
Property, Casualty & Direct Insurance (Revenue: $67.2 billion)
Commercial Banking (Revenue: $51.1 billion)
Hospitals (Revenue: $46.2 billion)
Health & Medical Insurance (Revenue: $44.6 billion)
Gasoline & Petroleum Wholesaling (Revenue: $42.2 billion)
New Car Dealers (Revenue: $42.1 billion)
Colleges & Universities (Revenue: $33.7 billion)
Video Games (Revenue: $32.5 billion)
Brand Name Pharmaceutical Manufacturing (Revenue: $31.9 billion)

Illinois Sector Statistics

When starting a small business in Illinois, gross domestic product (GDP) is another tool that entrepreneurs can use to make investment decisions. Generally, a steadily rising GDP means that people are spending more money and more jobs are being created.

The three sectors that contributed most to Illinois’ GDP in 2022 were Manufacturing; Real Estate, Rentals & Leasing; and Finance & Insurance. Combined, these three sectors represented 38.7% of the state’s GDP. In 2022, the 10 sectors that contributed most to Illinois’ GDP included:

Manufacturing (Value: $110.8 billion* | Annual growth: 3.3%)
Real Estate, Rentals & Leasing (Value: $92.5 billion* | Annual growth: -0.7%)
Finance and Insurance (Value: $77 billion* | Annual growth: 3.8%)
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (Value: $74.8 billion* | Annual growth: 4.0%)
Wholesale Trade (Value: $58.7 billion* | Annual growth: 0.2%)
Healthcare & Social Assistance (Value: $56 billion* | Annual growth: 0.8%)
Retail Trade (Value: $42 billion* | Annual growth: 0.5%)
Media Production & Distribution (Value: $41.6 billion* | Annual growth: 7.4%)
Administration, Business Support & Waste Management Services (Value: $31.2 billion* | Annual growth: 7.0%)
Transportation and Warehousing (Value: $25.5 billion* | Annual growth: -2.3%)

*Approximately

Illinois Population Statistics

A growing population often means greater demand and a steady flow of new customers. If you are undecided about the location of your new business, start by investigating population statistics. Afterward, take your research a step further by exploring population demographics. By doing so, you can decide whether a location is a good match for your target market.

In 2022, counties with the highest populations in Illinois included:

Cook (Population: 5 million | Annual growth rate*: -0.6%)
DuPage (Population: 908,8k | Annual growth rate*: -0.5%)
Lake (Population: 687,600 | Annual growth rate*: -0.4%)
Will (Population: 687,500 | Annual growth rate*: -0.1%)
Kane (Population: 530,000 | Annual growth rate*: -0.1%)
McHenry (Population: 304,100 | Annual growth rate*: -0.3%)
Winnebago (Population: 279,000 | Annual growth rate*: -0.4%)
Madison (Population: 260,900 | Annual growth rate*: -0.3%)
St. Clair (Population: 254,900 | Annual growth rate*: -0.6%)
Champaign (Population: 208,500 | Annual growth rate*: -0.2%)
Sangamon (Population: 191,900 | Annual growth rate*: -0.5%)
Peoria (Population: 174,400 | Annual growth rate*: -0.9%)
Mclean (Population: 170,500 | Annual growth rate*: -0.2%)
Rock Island (Population: 139,100 | Annual growth rate*: -0.6%)
Kendall (Population: 133,800 | Annual growth rate*: 1.2%)
Tazewell (Population: 129,100 | Annual growth rate*: -0.7%)
Kankakee (Population: 107,200 | Annual growth rate*: -0.6%)
Lasalle (Population: 106,100 | Annual growth rate*: -0.7%)
Dekalb (Population: 104,200 | Annual growth rate*: -0.2%)
Macon (Population: 101,400 | Annual growth rate*: -0.8%)

*From 2017 to 2022.

Illinois Business Opportunities

We hope this snapshot of the Illinois economy helps as you investigate business opportunities in The Prairie State! Starting a small business in Illinois is an exciting journey, and we know you’re probably eager to get started. But remember, take your time to explore all your options. While you’ll always have the “opportunity” to start your own business, sometimes, it makes more sense to invest in an opportunity that already exists. These are called “Franchise Opportunities,” and they offer several benefits, including the recognition of a well-established brand and a proven track record of success.

To learn more, start by exploring franchise opportunities in Illinois, below!

Explore Opportunities and Insights

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Pizza Inn

Pizza Inn invites franchisees to become a community gathering place with its beloved pizza buffet, backed by site selection, construction guidance, training, and house-made pizzas that keep guests coming back.

$200,000 Min Cash Required

PostalAnnex

Today's busy lifestyles demand the services PostalAnnex offers. Capitalize on this demand and open your own business After retiring from the printing business PostalAnnex founder Jack Lentz began working out of his home as a business consultant. He soon realized the need for mailing faxing copying shipping and other services to belong under one roof. As a result he created the first PostalAnnex store business franchise located next door to a post office in the University City neighborhood of San Diego CA. Our franchises serve a growing customer base of small and home-based businesses that lacks the resources our stores offer. Today's hectic lifestyle requires a one-stop service center for businesses that don't have an administrative assistant to take care of those daily errands. Saving our consumers time is what keeps them coming back. By being a local neighborhood business.

$60,000 Min Cash Required

Batteries Plus

Over 30 years of consistent growth. Ongoing support. Multiple revenue streams. Whether youre looking into owning your very first store, or youre interested in adding to your existing franchise portfolio, Batteries Plus is here to help. Learn more about the costs, benefits, and available locations today

$100,000 Min Cash Required

Wealth Automators

Click the video below to learn how Wealth Automators eCommerce stores provide bi-weekly income for the store owner by selling only USA products on Amazon, Walmart, TikTok Shop, and Facebook Marketplace. We use the same business model as the largest stores on Amazon earning 110 Million monthly revenue. Individuals own their stores 100, while Wealth Automators handles all day-to-day operations in return for a profit split. Business owners achieve 1229 ROI monthly within 60 days.

$60,000 Min Cash Required

CartCapital - Subscription Based E-Commerce Store

Did you know you could partner with a company to build out your entire e-commerce store, from product research to inventory acquisition to marketing? Yep You can easily make 6-7 figures in passive income when we build your e-commerce empire and money-making machine from the ground up All it takes is an upfront investment, and our team will do the rest. By this time next year, you could be sitting on a 7 figure empire. Learn more now

$30,000 Min Cash Required

Executive Home Care

The Senior Home Care Industry Is More Important Than Ever. Every day, 10,000 Americans turn 65, and with life expectancies on the rise, this demographic will represent over 20 of our population by 2050. Whats more, surveys have shown that most people want to age in place that is, stay at home and enjoy its comforts for as long as possible all of which makes now a great time to become part of our thriving industry Learn more now.

Starting a Small Business in Illinois