Illinois vs Minnesota: contractor markets, side by side
Illinois has 15,797 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Minnesota has 16,763: about 1.1× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings and the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Illinois | Minnesota | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 15,797 | 16,763 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 12.4 | 29.4 |
| Residents | 12,757,583 | 5,695,830 |
| Households | 5,427,336 | 2,494,239 |
| Median household income | $84,033 | $88,902 |
| Building permits (2025) | 18,551 | 20,947 |
| Top city by licenses | Chicago | Minneapolis |
Minnesota is the denser market: 29.4 active licenses per 10k residents against 12.4 in Illinois. Density cuts both ways: more contractors to sell to per square mile, and more competition per job for the contractors themselves.
Household income runs higher in Minnesota: $88,902 median against $84,033 in Illinois, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Illinois | Minnesota |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 2,601 | 3,064 |
| Plumbers | 993 | 1,900 |
| HVAC Contractors | — | 4,744 |
| General Contractors | 6,715 | 14,925 |
| Roofing Contractors | 4,509 | 175 |
| Masons | 979 | — |
Counts are active licenses only, from each state's license board. A “—” means that board doesn't issue a statewide license for the trade, not that the trade doesn't exist there.
Working one of these markets?
Illinois vs Minnesota: common questions
Does Illinois or Minnesota have more licensed contractors?
Minnesota has more: 16,763 active licensed contractors against 15,797 in Illinois, about 1.1× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings and the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI).
Which has the denser contractor market, Illinois or Minnesota?
Minnesota is denser: 29.4 active licenses per 10k residents against 12.4 in Illinois.
Where does household income run higher, Illinois or Minnesota?
Minnesota: $88,902 median household income against $84,033 in Illinois, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Illinois vs Minnesota comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings and the Minnesota Department of Labor and Industry (DLI); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.