Illinois vs New York: contractor markets, side by side
Illinois has 15,797 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; New York has 29,413: about 1.9× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings and the NYC Department of Buildings + DCWP; market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Illinois | New York | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 15,797 | 29,413 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 12.4 | 14.7 |
| Residents | 12,757,583 | 19,994,326 |
| Households | 5,427,336 | 8,494,175 |
| Median household income | $84,033 | $89,542 |
| Building permits (2025) | 18,551 | 38,667 |
| Top city by licenses | Chicago | Brooklyn |
New York is the denser market: 14.7 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 New York: $89,542 median against $84,033 in Illinois, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Illinois | New York |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 2,601 | 3,528 |
| Plumbers | 993 | 1,152 |
| HVAC Contractors | — | 103 |
| General Contractors | 6,715 | 24,160 |
| Roofing Contractors | 4,509 | — |
| Fire-Protection Contractors | — | 470 |
| 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 New York: common questions
Does Illinois or New York have more licensed contractors?
New York has more: 29,413 active licensed contractors against 15,797 in Illinois, about 1.9× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings and the NYC Department of Buildings + DCWP.
Which has the denser contractor market, Illinois or New York?
New York is denser: 14.7 active licenses per 10k residents against 12.4 in Illinois.
Where does household income run higher, Illinois or New York?
New York: $89,542 median household income against $84,033 in Illinois, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Illinois vs New York comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings and the NYC Department of Buildings + DCWP; population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.