NAICS 23

Construction in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL

Metro Market Score 61.1 (Difficult), ranked #291 of 342 metros. 22,964 establishments, 175,036 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 61.1
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national construction average.

💰High-Cost Market

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin's construction sector saw employment decline over the past year (growth trend: 17.8). That contraction, combined with a 61.1 market score, puts this metro in the bottom quartile for market conditions. Understand why the local market is shrinking before committing.

Industry Concentration
16.1
LQ: 0.75
Rank #55 of 342 metros
Wage Competitiveness
98.0
$96,981 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 17.8
Employment growth index
Rank #282 of 342 metros
Wage Pressure
39.8
YoY wage change index

22,964 Construction Firms in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin

22,964
Establishments
-3.0% YoY
175,036
Total Employment
-1.7% YoY
$96,981
Average Annual Wage
+6.9% YoY
0.75
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Illinois Statewide

How this metro's construction market compares to Illinois overall. The state ranks #34/51 for entry risk.

Measure Chicago-Naperville-Elgin IL Statewide
Overall Score 61.1 Difficult 49.1 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #291 of 342 metros #34 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin

Retail Trade 63.1 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 69.1 Finance and Insurance 72.3 Administrative and Support Services 81.1

Construction in Other Illinois Metros

Kankakee 27.1 #25/342 Springfield 38.9 #94/342 Rockford 39.4 #104/342 Champaign-Urbana 49.7 #187/342 Decatur 50.0 #193/342 Bloomington 50.9 #202/342 Peoria 50.9 #204/342

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Chicago-Naperville-Elgin's construction sector, the employment growth component (82.2) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.