Demographics & Facts

  • Will County, covering 850 square miles, is one of 102 counties in Illinois. It is part of the Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area. (Bureau of Economic Analysis)
  • Will County experienced a 34% population increase between 2000 and 2010 and 2.0% between 2010 and 2018.  The current population is estimated to be 696,215.  (Federal Reserve)
  • The U.S. Census Bureau lists Will County as one of the 100 largest counties by population in the nation, and the 4th most populous county in Illinois.
  • The Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) projects that Will County’s population will exceed 1 million by the year 2050.
  • The median family income is $85,488, 6th-highest in Illinois (US Census 2018)
  • The median home value is $238,502, up 7% over 2018. (Zillow, Dec. 2019)
  • 97% of the labor force is employed; 17.7% work in goods-producing jobs, outpacing both State and national averages. (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
  • In 2018, Will County had a per capita personal income of $52,953, an increase of 4% from the previous year. (Federal Reserve Economic Data)
  • Will County added 1,594 housing units in 2018, and 1,431 through November 2019 (HUD)
  • The number of Will County business establishments is approximately 15,079. (U.S. Census)
  • The total amount of industrial square footage is 190 million square feet within 2,000 buildings. (Costar)
  • The region has a civilian labor force of 355,481 with a participation rate of 64.3%.  34% of Will County residents possess a Bachelor’s Degree or higher. (Census Bureau)
  • Will County is home to a number of higher education institutions: DeVry University, Governors State University, Joliet Junior College, Lewis University, Rasmussen University and University of Saint Francis. 

Other Resources

          Chicago area and economic indicators. )