Illinois vs Nevada: contractor markets, side by side
Illinois has 15,797 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Nevada has 15,384: about the same number of licensed contractors. Counts come from the IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings and the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Illinois | Nevada | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 15,797 | 15,384 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 12.4 | 41.0 |
| Residents | 12,757,583 | 3,752,362 |
| Households | 5,427,336 | 1,578,064 |
| Median household income | $84,033 | $71,790 |
| Building permits (2025) | 18,551 | 18,628 |
| Top city by licenses | Chicago | Las Vegas |
Nevada is the denser market: 41.0 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 Illinois: $84,033 median against $71,790 in Nevada, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Illinois | Nevada |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 2,601 | 2,237 |
| Plumbers | 993 | 1,035 |
| HVAC Contractors | — | 1,236 |
| General Contractors | 6,715 | 4,097 |
| Roofing Contractors | 4,509 | 425 |
| Solar Contractors | — | 24 |
| Landscape Contractors | — | 753 |
| Pool Contractors | — | 216 |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | — | 143 |
| Carpenters | — | 1,504 |
| Concrete Contractors | — | 737 |
| Masons | 979 | 379 |
| Drywall Contractors | — | 330 |
| Tile Contractors | — | 413 |
| Excavating Contractors | — | 381 |
| Painters | — | 996 |
| Flooring Contractors | — | 687 |
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 Nevada: common questions
Does Illinois or Nevada have more licensed contractors?
Illinois has more: 15,797 active licensed contractors against 15,384 in Nevada, about the same number of licensed contractors. Counts come from the IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings and the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB).
Which has the denser contractor market, Illinois or Nevada?
Nevada is denser: 41.0 active licenses per 10k residents against 12.4 in Illinois.
Where does household income run higher, Illinois or Nevada?
Illinois: $84,033 median household income against $71,790 in Nevada, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Illinois vs Nevada comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings and the Nevada State Contractors Board (NSCB); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.