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University Library, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Illinois and Chicago Firms

This guide has been created for any students wishing to research the business environment and business potential in Illinois or the Chicago area.

Main Resources

Statistics for all states and counties from the US Census Bureau. 

Provides economic data by industry.

Statistics from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The 2010 Census Data for all Illinois counties, including Cook County.

Includes data for public health, housing, labor, recreation, and more.

A guide created by the UIUC library for Illinois-wide statistics.

From May 2014, it is also possible to search by metropolitan area.

You may create your own account or log in as a guest. SimplyAnalytics can create maps and tables. The interactive interface will walk you through the process of selecting variables and locations. Variables include census data, consumer expenditure and consumer price index data, and market research data from MRI, Claritas, and Simmons.

To access, click on the red GO button next to "Databases Databases." If you are working off campus, you will be asked to provide your NetID and password.

Statista offers over 1.5 million statistics and facts on more than 60,000 topics drawn from over 18,000 different sources, including market researchers, trade organizations, scientific journals, and government databases. The data is aggregated by a dedicated team of researchers and statisticians who are experts in the 20 market and industry sectors covered. For each data set, extensive source information is provided. Data sets can conveniently be downloaded as an image, pdf, Excel file, or PowerPoint.