NAICS 51

Information in Illinois: 2026 Market Risk Report

Entry risk 48.5 (Elevated), ranked #38 of 51 states. 9,550 establishments, 91,097 jobs.

Entry Risk Assessment

Entry Risk Score 48.5
Low 0-30
Moderate 30-42
Elevated 42-55
High 55+
Elevated

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national information average.

⛔High Barrier to Entry

Illinois's information sector shows high establishment density (top 15 nationally) paired with firm retention in the bottom half. This combination indicates elevated competitive pressure on new market entrants.

5-Year Firm Retention
31.4%
Percentile within industry
Rank #36 of 51 states
Growth Momentum
33.4
Scale of 0-100
Rank #23 of 51 states
Establishment Density
8.4
vs. national average
Rank #12 of 51 states
Market Volatility
16.2
Lower is more stable
Wage Pressure Index
53.1
Labor cost pressure

9,550 Establishments in Illinois

9,550
Establishments
-0.2% YoY
91,097
Total Employment
-3.2% YoY
$143,190
Average Annual Wage
+11.0% YoY

Illinois vs National Information Average

How Illinois's information market compares to the national average across all 51 states.

Metric IL National Difference
Entry Risk Score 48.5 43.6 +4.9
5-Year Retention 31.4% 51.0% -19.6
Growth Momentum 33.4 34.6 -1.2
Market Volatility 16.2 24.1 -7.9
Establishment Density 8.4 18.3 -9.9
Wage Pressure 53.1 41.8 +11.3

Green = favorable vs national average. Red = less favorable. Metrics are relative within information only.

Illinois Ranks #38 of 51 for Information

Illinois ranks #38 out of 51 states for information market entry conditions.

Information Entry Risk by State

Rank State Risk Score Classification
#1 North Dakota 28.8 low
#2 Arkansas 30.0 moderate
#3 Alaska 31.5 moderate
#4 Pennsylvania 31.8 moderate
#5 Alabama 32.1 moderate
#38 Illinois You 48.5 elevated
Entry Risk by State Alaska — 31.5 · #3 Alabama — 32.1 · #5 Arkansas — 30.0 · #2 Arizona — 49.2 · #41 California — 56.6 · #51 Colorado — 46.7 · #31 Connecticut — 54.5 · #47 District of Columbia — 51.0 · #43 Delaware — 48.0 · #36 Florida — 46.5 · #30 Georgia — 48.9 · #39 Hawaii — 55.2 · #48 Iowa — 38.3 · #15 Idaho — 43.8 · #24 Illinois — 48.5 · #38 Indiana — 40.2 · #19 Kansas — 37.6 · #12 Kentucky — 32.6 · #6 Louisiana — 51.7 · #44 Massachusetts — 40.2 · #17 Maryland — 48.9 · #40 Maine — 44.1 · #25 Michigan — 47.2 · #32 Minnesota — 42.6 · #22 Missouri — 36.8 · #10 Mississippi — 43.1 · #23 Montana — 33.2 · #7 North Carolina — 45.3 · #28 North Dakota — 28.8 · #1 Nebraska — 37.8 · #13 New Hampshire — 47.8 · #35 New Jersey — 52.0 · #46 New Mexico — 47.7 · #34 Nevada — 56.3 · #50 New York — 50.5 · #42 Ohio — 44.4 · #26 Oklahoma — 40.2 · #18 Oregon — 52.0 · #45 Pennsylvania — 31.8 · #4 Rhode Island — 39.9 · #16 South Carolina — 46.3 · #29 South Dakota — 33.6 · #8 Tennessee — 48.1 · #37 Texas — 41.5 · #20 Utah — 47.4 · #33 Virginia — 36.2 · #9 Vermont — 45.1 · #27 Washington — 55.7 · #49 Wisconsin — 38.1 · #14 West Virginia — 37.3 · #11 Wyoming — 42.2 · #21
Low Moderate Elevated High

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About Entry Risk Score: A weighted composite of firm retention, growth momentum, market volatility, establishment density, and wage pressure. Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Data period: 2024. Last updated: February 2026. Next refresh expected: Q2 2026 (BLS QCEW update).

Compare to Another State

How does Illinois stack up against other states for information?

Select a state above to see the comparison

Information in Neighboring States

How Illinois's information market compares to bordering states.

Kentucky 32.6 #6/51 Missouri 36.8 #10/51 Wisconsin 38.1 #14/51 Iowa 38.3 #15/51 Indiana 40.2 #19/51

Other Industries in Illinois

Construction → Healthcare and Social Assistance → Retail Trade → Accommodation and Food Services → Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services → Finance and Insurance → Real Estate and Rental and Leasing → Administrative and Support Services → Other Services →