Will County, Illinois: commercial real estate data.
Will County, Illinois has a population of 701,462 across 837 square miles, up 1.6 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $50.33 bn in 2024, 17,085 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 803 7(a) approvals worth $409.4 m.
129 sourced county values · tier FULL · 12 sections
Will County
How many people live in Will County
- Population701,462
- Households244,273
- Average household size2.87
- Median household income$109,984
- Median age39.1
- Median gross rent$1,462 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$319,600
- Home value to household income2.9 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income16.0 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher37.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree14.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over472,441
- Population under 18165,564
- Share under 1823.6 percent
- Population 65 and over102,267
- Share 65 and over14.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64433,631
- Civilian labor force380,453
- Unemployment rate4.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over71.0 percent
- Rank by population among Illinois counties4th of 102
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents97th
Will County is the 4th largest of 102 Illinois counties by population. A median home costs 2.9 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 23.6 percent against 14.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Will County
Is Will County growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.61 percent
- Census 2020 base population697,353
- Births, 20246,895
- Deaths, 20245,110
- Natural change, 20241,785
- Net domestic migration, 2024-431
- Net international migration, 20243,854
- Total net migration, 20243,423
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-3,952
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1296th
The county has grown 1.61 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Will County
Where people moving to Will County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving17,858
- People arriving, from those returns33,688
- Adjusted gross income arriving$1.43 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$80,186
- Largest single originWill County Non-migrants (266,957 households)
- Largest single destination (266,957 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Will County Non-migrants | 266,957 | 570,757 | $27.47 bn |
| Cook County | 8,070 | 15,648 | $645.3 m |
| DuPage County | 3,109 | 6,068 | $281.3 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 2,534 | 4,624 | $201.4 m |
| Other flows - South | 983 | 1,756 | $67.9 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 825 | 1,476 | $67.5 m |
| Kendall County | 576 | 1,118 | $40.9 m |
| Grundy County | 498 | 876 | $35.6 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Will County Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Will County
What the Will County economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$50.33 bn
- County GDP, 2023$48.44 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20243.9 percent
- GDP change over five years41.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among Illinois counties4th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents116th
- GDP per resident$71,754
Output grew 3.9 percent in the latest year and 41.0 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Will County
Who employs people in Will County
- Covered employment, annual average263,673
- Establishments reporting15,924
- Average annual pay$60,570
- Average weekly wage$1,165
- Sector 48-49, employment37,966
- Sector 48-49, average annual pay$55,684
- Sector 44-45, employment30,082
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$36,324
- Sector 62, employment28,226
- Sector 62, average annual pay$62,821
- Sector 31-33, employment23,887
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$79,999
- Sector 72, employment22,105
- Sector 42, employment17,836
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 48-49 | 37,966 | 1,612 | $55,684 |
| Sector 44-45 | 30,082 | 1,502 | $36,324 |
| Sector 62 | 28,226 | 1,595 | $62,821 |
| Sector 31-33 | 23,887 | 726 | $79,999 |
| Sector 72 | 22,105 | 1,251 | $24,166 |
| Sector 42 | 17,836 | 836 | $94,517 |
| Sector 56 | 16,906 | 967 | $48,844 |
| Sector 23 | 15,074 | 1,878 | $92,453 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 37,966 jobs, 14.4 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Will County
What businesses operate in Will County
- Establishments, all industries17,085
- Employment at those establishments267,545
- Annual payroll$14.94 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents24.4
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Will County
What is being built in Will County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20242,002
- Declared construction value permitted$562.5 m
- Single family units authorised1,464
- Multifamily units authorised538
- Multifamily share of units26.9 percent
- Average declared value per unit$280,968
- Units authorised per 1,000 households8.2
Multifamily is 26.9 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Will County
How much SBA lending happens in Will County
- 7(a) approvals recorded803
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$409.4 m
- Average 7(a) approval$509,796
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,405,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)7,728
- Jobs per approval9.6
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active102
- Distinct industries receiving approvals208
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer13.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms106
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter667
- Franchise loans137
- Franchise share of approvals17.1 percent
- Leading industry by approval countGeneral Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload (95)
- Most active lenderThe Huntington National Bank (260)
- 504 approvals recorded410
- 504 gross approval dollars$404.8 m
- Average 504 approval$987,293
- Median 504 approval$555,000
- Distinct CDCs active8
- 504 jobs per approval11.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved11.2
- Most active CDCSmall Business Growth Corporation (240)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals66.2 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$814.2 m
The average approval of $509,796 sits well above the median of $150,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 13.2 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Will County
Do SBA loans in Will County get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded139
- Paid in full126
- Charged off13
- Charge off rate on resolved loans9.4 percent
- Status: Paid in full126
- Status: Exempt from disclosure495
- Status: Cancelled119
- Status: Charged off13
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed50
| NAICS | Industry | Resolved loans | Charged off | Charge off rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 484121 | General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload | 13 | 1 | 7.7% |
Of the 139 loans that have reached a final outcome, 9.4 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong. Among industries with at least ten resolved loans, General Freight Trucking, Long-Distance, Truckload carries the highest charge off rate at 7.7 percent.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Will County
Which parts of Will County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending34
- PLAINFIELD, approvals121
- Naperville, approvals106
- BOLINGBROOK, approvals83
- JOLIET, approvals77
- FRANKFORT, approvals59
- MOKENA, approvals59
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| PLAINFIELD | 121 | $49,668,300 |
| Naperville | 106 | $31,793,800 |
| BOLINGBROOK | 83 | $37,168,600 |
| JOLIET | 77 | $66,280,100 |
| FRANKFORT | 59 | $24,566,400 |
| MOKENA | 59 | $27,407,600 |
| Romeoville | 57 | $36,172,500 |
| LOCKPORT | 48 | $27,055,600 |
PLAINFIELD accounts for 121 approvals against 106 in Naperville. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Will County
How big is Will County
- Land area837 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Illinois counties13th of 102
- Width, east to west38.1 mi
- Height, north to south36.4 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land838
- Establishments per square mile20.41
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Will County
What hazards affect Will County
- EPA radon zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
- Communities in the NFIP Community Status Book38
- Of those, participating in the NFIP38
- NFIP participation rate100.0 percent
- Best Community Rating System class in the county A lower CRS class is a larger flood insurance premium discount.Class 6
- Communities carrying a CRS class3
The EPA places the county in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The best Community Rating System class in the county is 6, which carries a flood insurance premium discount for properties in the participating community.
US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001. FEMA OpenFEMA, NFIP Community Status Book, Community Status Book, as retrieved.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Will County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Will County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population701,462
- Households244,273
- Average household size2.87
- Median household income$109,984
- Median age39.1
Common questions
Will County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Will County, Illinois?
701,462, in 244,273 households, ranking 4th of 102 Illinois counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Will County growing?
The population has grown 1.61 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 6,895 births against 5,110 deaths, with net migration of 3,423. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Will County?
$109,984. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $319,600, which is 2.9 times income, and median gross rent is $1,462 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Will County?
17,085 establishments, employing 267,545 people with an annual payroll of $14.94 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Will County?
Average annual pay is $60,570, or $1,165 a week, across 263,673 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Will County?
803 7(a) approvals totalling $409.4 m since FY2020, across 102 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 410 504 approvals worth $404.8 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Will County get paid back?
Of the 139 loans that have reached a final outcome, 126 were paid in full and 13 charged off, a charge off rate of 9.4 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Will County?
2,002 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $562.5 m. Multifamily was 26.9 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Will County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Will County come from?
The largest single origin is Will County Non-migrants, with 266,957 households. Arriving households report an average income of $80,186 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Will County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Will County?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.