NAICS 53

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL

Metro Market Score 69.1 (Difficult), ranked #315 of 330 metros. 10,555 establishments, 65,416 jobs.

Metro Market Assessment

Metro Market Score 69.1
Favorable 0-35
Moderate 35-48
Challenging 48-60
Difficult 60+
Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national real estate and rental and leasing average.

💰High-Cost Market

Market conditions for real estate and rental and leasing in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin are tougher than average. The 69.1 market score reflects a combination of high labor costs, slowing employment, and an already crowded field. Rank: #315 of 330 metros.

Industry Concentration
71.2
LQ: 0.95
Rank #235 of 330 metros
Wage Competitiveness
97.9
$94,416 avg wage
Growth Trend
↓ 21.5
Employment growth index
Rank #260 of 330 metros
Wage Pressure
16.6
YoY wage change index

10,555 Real Estate and Rental and Leasing Firms in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin

10,555
Establishments
-2.8% YoY
65,416
Total Employment
-3.3% YoY
$94,416
Average Annual Wage
+3.2% YoY
0.95
Location Quotient
Below national avg

Chicago-Naperville-Elgin vs Illinois Statewide

How this metro's real estate and rental and leasing market compares to Illinois overall. The state ranks #33/51 for entry risk.

Measure Chicago-Naperville-Elgin IL Statewide
Overall Score 69.1 Difficult 44.3 Elevated
Score Type Metro Market Score Entry Risk Score
Rank #315 of 330 metros #33 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

Construction 61.1 Retail Trade 63.1 Finance and Insurance 72.3 Administrative and Support Services 81.1

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing in Other Illinois Metros

Decatur 24.3 #39/330 Rockford 38.5 #123/330 Bloomington 43.4 #172/330 Kankakee 47.5 #198/330 Champaign-Urbana 59.2 #268/330

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 real estate and rental and leasing sector, the wage competitiveness component (97.9) 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.