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HomeIllinoisCook County

Cook County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.

Cook County, Illinois has a population of 5,182,090 across 945 square miles, down 1.8 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $546.44 bn in 2024, 134,513 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 6,389 7(a) approvals worth $3.13 bn.

129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections · underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency

Cook County

How many people live in Cook County

  • Population5,182,090
  • Households2,100,230
  • Average household size2.47
  • Median household income$83,498
  • Median age38.0
  • Median gross rent$1,435 per month
  • Median owner-occupied home value$324,500
  • Home value to household income3.9 times
  • Annual rent as a share of median income20.6 percent
  • Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher42.7 percent
  • Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree18.0 percent
  • Adults 25 and over3,641,534
  • Population under 181,092,202
  • Share under 1821.1 percent
  • Population 65 and over827,156
  • Share 65 and over16.0 percent
  • Working age population, 18 to 643,262,732
  • Civilian labor force2,792,888
  • Unemployment rate7.0 percent
  • Labor force participation, adults 18 and over68.3 percent
  • Rank by population among Illinois counties1st of 102
  • Rank by population among US county-equivalents2nd

Cook County is the 1st largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 3.9 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.1 percent against 16.0 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.

US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.

Cook County

Is Cook County's population growing?

  • Population change since the 2020 census base-1.83 percent
  • Census 2020 base population5,278,969
  • Births, 202451,412
  • Deaths, 202441,953
  • Natural change, 20249,459
  • Net domestic migration, 2024-37,193
  • Net international migration, 202467,763
  • Total net migration, 202430,570
  • Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-279,685
  • Rank by growth among US county-equivalents2453rd

The county has lost 1.83 percent of its population since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.

US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.

Cook County

Where are people moving to Cook County from?

  • Tax returns filed by households arriving80,027
  • People arriving, from those returns114,625
  • Adjusted gross income arriving$7.34 bn
  • Net adjusted gross income movement$0
  • Average income of an arriving household$91,691
  • Largest single originCook County Non-migrants (2,014,547 households)
  • Largest single destination (2,014,547 households)
Largest origins of households moving into Cook County
OriginHouseholdsPeopleAdjusted gross income
Cook County Non-migrants2,014,5473,811,801$231.43 bn
DuPage County8,67613,309$742.4 m
Other flows - Different State5,8858,412$379.7 m
Lake County4,8967,413$579.5 m
Will County4,6207,368$308.5 m
Kane County2,7664,425$187.5 m
Other flows - South2,4233,651$134.7 m
Lake County2,3074,060$97.8 m

The largest single source of arrivals is Cook County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.

US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.

Cook County

What is the Cook County economy?

  • County GDP, 2024$546.44 bn
  • County GDP, 2023$522.37 bn
  • GDP change, 2023 to 20244.6 percent
  • GDP change over five years33.2 percent
  • Rank by GDP among Illinois counties1st
  • Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents4th
  • GDP per resident$105,448

Output grew 4.6 percent in the latest year and 33.2 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.

US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.

Cook County

Largest employers in Cook County

  • Covered employment, annual average2,565,567
  • Establishments reporting137,804
  • Average annual pay$86,931
  • Average weekly wage$1,672
  • Sector 62, employment384,200
  • Sector 62, average annual pay$64,525
  • Sector 54, employment239,300
  • Sector 54, average annual pay$143,750
  • Sector 72, employment231,612
  • Sector 72, average annual pay$36,807
  • Sector 44-45, employment214,653
  • Sector 44-45, average annual pay$42,744
  • Sector 56, employment181,641
  • Sector 31-33, employment176,781
Private sector employment and pay, Cook County
SectorEmploymentEstablishmentsAverage annual pay
Sector 62384,20015,350$64,525
Sector 54239,30021,696$143,750
Sector 72231,61211,830$36,807
Sector 44-45214,65312,756$42,744
Sector 56181,6416,548$62,372
Sector 31-33176,7815,448$84,867
Sector 52158,8447,199$195,997
Sector 48-49143,9588,949$75,922

The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 384,200 jobs, 15.0 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job exceeds median household income, which usually means single earner households and a wage base that can carry rent.

US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.

Cook County

How many businesses are in Cook County?

  • Establishments, all industries134,513
  • Employment at those establishments2,492,328
  • Annual payroll$207.14 bn
  • Establishments per 1,000 residents26.0

These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.

US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.

Cook County

Building permits in Cook County

  • Housing units authorised by permit, 20246,507
  • Declared construction value permitted$1.86 bn
  • Single family units authorised1,142
  • Multifamily units authorised5,365
  • Multifamily share of units82.4 percent
  • Average declared value per unit$286,529
  • Units authorised per 1,000 households3.1

Multifamily is 82.4 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.

US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.

Cook County

SBA loans in Cook County (7(a) and 504)

  • 7(a) approvals recorded6,389
  • 7(a) gross approval dollars$3.13 bn
  • Average 7(a) approval$490,619
  • Median 7(a) approval$170,000
  • 10th percentile approval$25,000
  • 90th percentile approval$1,320,000
  • Largest single approval$5,000,000
  • Jobs reported supported, 7(a)74,731
  • Jobs per approval11.7
  • Distinct 7(a) lenders active195
  • Distinct industries receiving approvals518
  • Median 7(a) term120 months
  • Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer15.0 percent
  • Loans on real estate terms956
  • Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter5,115
  • Franchise loans585
  • Franchise share of approvals9.2 percent
  • Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (438)
  • Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (1,897)
  • 504 approvals recorded2,192
  • 504 gross approval dollars$1.71 bn
  • Average 504 approval$782,212
  • Median 504 approval$496,000
  • Distinct CDCs active13
  • 504 jobs per approval11.6
  • 504 jobs per million dollars approved14.8
  • Most active CDCSmall Business Growth Corporation (1,088)
  • 7(a) share of SBA approvals74.5 percent
  • Combined SBA approval dollars$4.85 bn

The average approval of $490,619 sits well above the median of $170,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 15.0 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.

US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.

Cook County

SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Cook County

Do SBA loans in Cook County get paid back?

  • Loans with a final outcome recorded1,198
  • Paid in full1,068
  • Charged off130
  • Charge off rate on resolved loans10.9 percent
  • Status: Paid in full1,068
  • Status: Charged off130
  • Status: Exempt from disclosure3,920
  • Status: Cancelled874
  • Status: Committed, not yet disbursed397
SBA 7(a) charge off rate by industry, Cook County, industries with ten or more resolved loans
NAICSIndustryResolved loansCharged offCharge off rate
484121General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload962526.0%
722511Full-Service Restaurants731216.4%
722513Limited-Service Restaurants4237.1%
236118Residential Remodelers41819.5%
484110General Freight Trucking, Local32618.8%
621210Offices of Dentists2100.0%
238220Plumbing, Heating, and Air-Conditioning Contractors1915.3%
624410Child Day Care Services1915.3%

Of the 1,198 loans that have reached a final outcome, 10.9 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong. Among industries with at least ten resolved loans, General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload carries the highest charge off rate at 26.0 percent.

Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.

US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.

Cook County

SBA lending by place in Cook County

  • Places in the county with recorded lending177
  • CHICAGO, approvals2,723
  • SCHAUMBURG, approvals221
  • ELK GROVE VILLAGE, approvals154
  • DES PLAINES, approvals149
  • Arlington Heights, approvals146
  • SKOKIE, approvals134
SBA 7(a) approvals by place within Cook County
PlaceApprovalsGross approval dollars
CHICAGO2,723$1,306,601,100
SCHAUMBURG221$144,166,300
ELK GROVE VILLAGE154$126,390,900
DES PLAINES149$50,576,600
Arlington Heights146$77,116,300
SKOKIE134$92,776,200
GLENVIEW128$58,225,900
PALATINE116$59,809,700

CHICAGO accounts for 2,723 approvals against 221 in SCHAUMBURG. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.

US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.

Cook County

How large is Cook County?

  • Land area945 sq mi
  • Rank by land area among Illinois counties6th of 102
  • Width, east to west38 mi
  • Height, north to south47.3 mi
  • Geographies sharing a boundary5
  • Residents per square mile of land5,484
  • Establishments per square mile142.34

US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.

Cook County

Flood risk in Cook County

  • Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book135
  • Of those, participating in the NFIP135
  • NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
  • Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 5
  • Communities carrying a CRS class26
  • Radon levels in Cook County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2

The EPA places Cook County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. The best Community Rating System class in Cook County is 5, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for policies written in that community. 100.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.

FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.

Coverage

What this page does not hold.

Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.

  • Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
  • Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
  • Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.

Feasibility studies

When a Cook County site needs a document a lender will accept.

The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Cook County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.

  • Population5,182,090
  • Households2,100,230
  • Average household size2.47
  • Median household income$83,498
  • Median age38.0

How a feasibility study works →

Common questions

Cook County questions, answered from the record.

How many people live in Cook County, Illinois?

5,182,090, in 2,100,230 households, ranking 1st of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.

Is Cook County's population growing?

The population has fallen 1.83 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 51,412 births against 41,953 deaths, with net migration of 30,570. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.

What is the median household income in Cook County?

$83,498. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $324,500, which is 3.9 times income, and median gross rent is $1,435 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.

How many businesses are in Cook County?

134,513 establishments, employing 2,492,328 people with an annual payroll of $207.14 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.

What is the average wage in Cook County?

Average annual pay is $86,931, or $1,672 a week, across 2,565,567 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.

How much SBA lending happens in Cook County?

6,389 7(a) approvals totalling $3.13 bn since FY2020, across 195 lenders, with a median approval of $170,000, plus 2,192 504 approvals worth $1.71 bn. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.

Do SBA loans in Cook County get paid back?

Of the 1,198 loans that have reached a final outcome, 1,068 were paid in full and 130 charged off, a charge off rate of 10.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.

How many building permits were issued in Cook County?

6,507 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $1.86 bn. Multifamily was 82.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.

What is the radon zone for Cook County?

Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.

Where do people moving to Cook County come from?

The largest single origin is Cook County Non-migrants, with 2,014,547 households. Arriving households report an average income of $91,691 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.

Are traffic counts available for Cook County on this page?

No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.

Is zoning published for Cook County?

Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.

Cook County

Cities and places in Cook.

126 Census places lie wholly or partly in Cook County. 126 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked. The rest are named here and not linked, because the American Community Survey and the SBA record between them do not carry enough about them to write an honest page. A place existing is itself worth knowing, so nothing in the county is left out.

Census places in Cook County, by population
PlaceTypePopulationSBA approvalsLies in
Chicagocity2,711,2262,727Wholly in this county
Elgincity114,93414416.6 percent here, 83.4 percent Kane County
Cicerotown82,79743Wholly in this county
Schaumburgvillage76,868225Wholly in this county
Evanstoncity76,34098Wholly in this county
Arlington Heightsvillage76,005146Wholly in this county
Palatinevillage66,293116Wholly in this county
Skokievillage66,219134Wholly in this county
Des Plainescity59,156155Wholly in this county
Orland Parkvillage57,9169897.4 percent here, 2.6 percent Will County
Oak Lawnvillage56,86153Wholly in this county
Berwyncity55,59540Wholly in this county
Mount Prospectvillage55,472102Wholly in this county
Tinley Parkvillage54,8425079.5 percent here, 20.5 percent Will County
Oak Parkvillage53,29265Wholly in this county
Hoffman Estatesvillage51,17579Wholly in this county
Glenviewvillage47,752128Wholly in this county
Buffalo Grovevillage42,8916722.1 percent here, 77.9 percent Lake County
Streamwoodvillage39,00153Wholly in this county
Park Ridgecity38,66759Wholly in this county
Wheelingvillage38,43383Wholly in this county
Hanover Parkvillage36,7323341.0 percent here, 59.0 percent DuPage County
Calumet Citycity35,10027Wholly in this county
Northbrookvillage34,58596Wholly in this county
Elk Grove Villagevillage31,98716193.7 percent here, 6.3 percent DuPage County
Nilesvillage30,06471Wholly in this county
Burbankcity28,73921Wholly in this county
Lansingvillage28,28433Wholly in this county
Wilmettevillage27,50327Wholly in this county
Oak Forestcity26,80527Wholly in this county
Chicago Heightscity26,73614Wholly in this county
Morton Grovevillage24,61934Wholly in this county
Melrose Parkvillage24,54957Wholly in this county
Rolling Meadowscity24,02773Wholly in this county
Elmwood Parkvillage23,86828Wholly in this county
Maywoodvillage23,20115Wholly in this county
Rosellevillage22,7523513.4 percent here, 86.6 percent DuPage County
Blue Islandcity21,74125Wholly in this county
Park Forestvillage21,1561177.9 percent here, 22.1 percent Will County
South Hollandvillage20,91141Wholly in this county
Doltonvillage20,8258Wholly in this county
Harveycity20,23013Wholly in this county
Deerfieldvillage19,518358.2 percent here, 91.8 percent Lake County
Evergreen Parkvillage19,42023Wholly in this county
Brookfieldvillage19,33123Wholly in this county
Homewoodvillage19,29413Wholly in this county
Mattesonvillage18,64514Wholly in this county
Bensenvillevillage18,603552.5 percent here, 97.5 percent DuPage County
Alsipvillage18,58331Wholly in this county
Bellwoodvillage18,25616Wholly in this county
Franklin Parkvillage18,19764Wholly in this county
Palos Hillscity18,08127Wholly in this county
Hinsdalevillage17,1754020.5 percent here, 79.5 percent DuPage County
Bridgeviewvillage16,84933Wholly in this county
Westchestervillage16,43622Wholly in this county
Country Club Hillscity16,3248Wholly in this county
La Grangevillage15,99834Wholly in this county
Prospect Heightscity15,61824Wholly in this county
Norridgevillage15,43929Wholly in this county
Hickory Hillscity14,52624Wholly in this county
Chicago Ridgevillage14,09923Wholly in this county
Midlothianvillage13,94813Wholly in this county
Forest Parkvillage13,94318Wholly in this county
Hazel Crestvillage13,7928Wholly in this county
La Grange Parkvillage13,4477Wholly in this county
Western Springsvillage13,44611Wholly in this county
Lincolnwoodvillage13,11241Wholly in this county
Richton Parkvillage12,5217Wholly in this county
Northlakecity12,51312Wholly in this county
Winnetkavillage12,48412Wholly in this county
Justicevillage12,32412Wholly in this county
Palos Heightscity12,15222Wholly in this county
River Forestvillage11,9927Wholly in this county
Schiller Parkvillage11,39322Wholly in this county
Markhamcity11,3553Wholly in this county
Burr Ridgevillage11,1413539.0 percent here, 61.0 percent DuPage County
Barringtonvillage11,0775155.5 percent here, 44.5 percent Lake County
Summitvillage10,8463Wholly in this county
Worthvillage10,70014Wholly in this county
Crestwoodvillage10,57922Wholly in this county
River Grovevillage10,45118Wholly in this county
Riverdalevillage10,3409Wholly in this county
Lyonsvillage10,33926Wholly in this county
Sauk Villagevillage9,6782Wholly in this county
Stegervillage9,418868.4 percent here, 31.6 percent Will County
Flossmoorvillage9,39117Wholly in this county
Lynwoodvillage9,0838Wholly in this county
Riversidevillage9,03911Wholly in this county
Harwood Heightsvillage8,82112Wholly in this county
Glencoevillage8,7015Wholly in this county
Glenwoodvillage8,60312Wholly in this county
Hillsidevillage8,08417Wholly in this county
Broadviewvillage7,89612Wholly in this county
Invernessvillage7,2758Wholly in this county
North Riversidevillage7,2493Wholly in this county
Stickneyvillage6,95212Wholly in this county
Calumet Parkvillage6,85515Wholly in this county
Orland Hillsvillage6,7192Wholly in this county
Countrysidecity6,26718Wholly in this county
Willow Springsvillage5,8687Wholly in this county
Northfieldvillage5,48710Wholly in this county
Posenvillage5,2926Wholly in this county
Berkeleyvillage5,19914Wholly in this county
South Barringtonvillage5,02115Wholly in this county
Palos Parkvillage4,81610Wholly in this county
Olympia Fieldsvillage4,7345Wholly in this county
Robbinsvillage4,556None recordedWholly in this county
Stone Parkvillage4,4825Wholly in this county
Hometowncity4,2153Wholly in this county
Indian Head Parkvillage3,9745Wholly in this county
Burnhamvillage3,9372Wholly in this county
South Chicago Heightsvillage3,9074Wholly in this county
Rosemontvillage3,2909Wholly in this county
East Dundeevillage3,146174.7 percent here, 95.3 percent Kane County
Dixmoorvillage2,9482Wholly in this county
Kenilworthvillage2,503None recordedWholly in this county
Merrionette Parkvillage2,354None recordedWholly in this county
Thorntonvillage1,9401Wholly in this county
Phoenixvillage1,751None recordedWholly in this county
Hodgkinsvillage1,5973Wholly in this county
Ford Heightsvillage1,3311Wholly in this county
Forest Viewvillage1,174None recordedWholly in this county
East Hazel Crestvillage1,068None recordedWholly in this county
Bedford Parkvillage5868Wholly in this county
Golfvillage518None recordedWholly in this county
McCookvillage2686Wholly in this county

A further 816 SBA approvals in Cook County are recorded against borrower cities that match no Census place, the largest being Elk Grove Village, Aurora, Bartlett. Those are postal cities and unincorporated areas rather than incorporated places, so no page claims them, and their lending is counted in this county's totals above rather than under any city.