Illinois vs Oregon: contractor markets, side by side
Illinois has 15,797 active licensed contractors across the trades we cover; Oregon has 31,562: about 2× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings and the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB); market figures are U.S. Census aggregates.
| Illinois | Oregon | |
|---|---|---|
| Active licensed contractors | 15,797 | 31,562 |
| Licenses per 10k residents | 12.4 | 74.6 |
| Residents | 12,757,583 | 4,229,341 |
| Households | 5,427,336 | 1,818,529 |
| Median household income | $84,033 | $80,169 |
| Building permits (2025) | 18,551 | 14,679 |
| Top city by licenses | Chicago | Portland |
Oregon is the denser market: 74.6 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 $80,169 in Oregon, which generally shows up in project budgets and ticket sizes.
Trade by trade
| Trade | Illinois | Oregon |
|---|---|---|
| Electricians | 2,601 | 1,183 |
| Plumbers | 993 | 1,912 |
| HVAC Contractors | — | 444 |
| General Contractors | 6,715 | 29,946 |
| Roofing Contractors | 4,509 | — |
| 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 Oregon: common questions
Does Illinois or Oregon have more licensed contractors?
Oregon has more: 31,562 active licensed contractors against 15,797 in Illinois, about 2× fewer licensed contractors. Counts come from the IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings and the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB).
Which has the denser contractor market, Illinois or Oregon?
Oregon is denser: 74.6 active licenses per 10k residents against 12.4 in Illinois.
Where does household income run higher, Illinois or Oregon?
Illinois: $84,033 median household income against $80,169 in Oregon, per U.S. Census aggregates.
Where does this Illinois vs Oregon comparison data come from?
License counts come straight from the IDFPR + Chicago Department of Buildings and the Oregon Construction Contractors Board (CCB); population, household, income, and permit figures are U.S. Census aggregates. Only active licenses are counted.