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Cook County, IL — Bars Saturation

Name: Bars density by ZIP code in Cook County, IL
Creator: BizGapMap

How many bars exist per person present — residents plus daytime workers — by ZIP code, compared with the U.S. average. Establishment data: Census ZBP 2023. Population: ACS 2024 5-year. 186 ZIP codes analyzed.

Includes: Bars & taverns · Pubs & brewpubs (drinking-focused) · Cocktail & wine bars · Taprooms. Counted together because official statistics use one 722410 code.

Measured density: Range spans bands — 1.29× the U.S. rate (between 1.29× and 1.54× once withheld ZIP cells are counted)

Why a range: Census does not publish a ZIP-by-industry count when that ZIP has 0–2 businesses. 99 ZIP cells in this county are withheld, 79 of them with residents. Each could hold 0, 1, or 2 businesses: counting them all as 0 gives the low end, counting them all as 2 gives the high end — the data cannot say where the truth sits. The density range uses only the populated cells, since ZIPs without residents are excluded from per-person rates. How ranges work

Above the U.S. rate Cook County bars — 129–154% of the U.S. rate

826 bars are counted in Cook County — 1.3 per 10,000 people present (residents + daytime workers), 129% of the U.S. rate of 1.0.

On the comparable ZIP set (ZIPs with a published count in every year), the total has stayed roughly flat between 2015 and 2023 (760 → 753).

Measured supply density is highest in 60130 (Forest Park), 60622 (Chicago), 60469 (Posen) — well above the national rate. On measured density alone, the lowest-density residential ZIPs with a published count are 60629 (Chicago), 60623 (Chicago), 60007 (Elk Grove Village).

Census County Business Patterns (2023) puts the county-wide count at 901 establishments, including locations in ZIP codes that do not map to a ZCTA — so it can run slightly above the sum of the ZIP rows on this page. It is annual, so it lags more than QCEW.

Measured density: Cook County sits at 129% of the U.S. rate for bars. 79 ZIPs with population have no published count (each 0–2 businesses), so the true per-capita rate is between 129% and 154% of the U.S. rate. Why. The highest measured density is in 60130 and 60622; the lowest measured density is in 60629 and 60623.

This is a supply-side read: it counts existing bars and the people present, not foot traffic, income, rent, or whether locals want more. Treat low density as a question to check, not an answer.

Bars

826–1,024

published count; upper bound counts each withheld ZIP cell as 2 (99 cells) (2023)

Per 10,000 present

1.3

residents + daytime workers

U.S. average

1.0

per 10,000 present

County index

1.29×

vs. U.S.

Latest year (CBP)

901

2023 — $336M annual payroll

Residents

5,132,257

166 ZIPs with data

Workers

2,445,383

jobs located in county

Is the area growing?

Population

5,182,617

Census PEP, July 1 2024

Change since 2020

−1.6%

−84,455 people

Net migration 2024

+30,570

international +67,763, domestic −37,193

Jobs located here

2,616,104

LODES 2022, −1.9% since 2019

Cook County had an estimated 5,182,617 residents on July 1, 2024 — 1.6% fewer than in 2020 (−84,455). In the latest year it gained 40,095 people: births minus deaths +9,459, international migration +67,763, domestic migration −37,193. Components are published separately and may not sum exactly.

2,616,104 jobs were located in the county in 2022 (−1.9% since 2019), and 2,331,664 employed residents lived there (−3.2% since 2019). LODES counts wage and salary jobs covered by unemployment insurance plus federal jobs; it excludes the self-employed and military, and counts jobs rather than unique people. 2019→2022 spans the pandemic, so read it as one change, not a trend.

Population and migration say whether the customer base is growing. They do not say whether people want another business of this type. Definitions and limits → · Full county detail →

ZIP gaining residents

2015–19 → 2020–24

Change

60654 Chicago

+28.6%

60605 Chicago

+24.6%

60611 Chicago

+13.5%

ZIP losing residents

2015–19 → 2020–24

Change

60445 Midlothian

−44.7%

60426 Harvey

−16.7%

60827 Riverdale

−13.2%

ACS 5-year estimates for 2015–2019 and 2020–2024. Only ZIPs with at least 2,000 residents in both windows and a change larger than the survey margin of error (90%) are listed — small ZIPs move a lot on paper without a real signal.

Nonemployer businesses (no paid employees)

Nonemployer businesses

773

no paid employees (2024)

Receipts

$28.9M

published gross receipts

Receipts per business

$37K

gross, not profit

Census Nonemployer Statistics counts businesses with no paid employees — a separate universe from the employer establishments counted above; a business is in one or the other, never both. They are not storefronts by definition: many are home-based, mobile, or part-time.

We show them beside the density index, not inside it. In categories such as nail and beauty salons, child care, and pet care, one-person businesses can outnumber employer establishments, so the employer-only count understates how many businesses exist. That is not evidence of higher demand.

Receipts are gross revenue reported for these businesses — not profit, and not the size of the local market. Census publishes this only at county level, so it is not shown on the ZIP map. See methodology.

Saturation map

Each ZIP area is shaded by its density of this business type per person present (residents + workers) vs. the U.S. average. Click any ZIP to zoom to its boundary, see its numbers, and switch to aerial imagery. Individual mapped shops appear as dots at street level — Show locations zooms you in to them (scroll or double-click to zoom).

Basemap:

Under 50% 50–100% 100–150% 150–250% 250%+ 0–2 (not published) / no data ZIP total (dot size) Mapped shop (OpenStreetMap, street level)

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors, tiles by OpenFreeMap.

White dots are ZIP totals from the official Census count — the bigger the dot, the more bars in that ZIP. They are aggregated, not individual shops. Turquoise dots are individual locations mapped in OpenStreetMap, shown only at street level; they are crowd-sourced and indicative, may be incomplete, and do not equal the official counts. Only the official ZIP totals feed the saturation index.

Market trend — down 1% since 2015

Number of bars in Cook County across 2015–2023, on a consistent set of ZIP codes present in every year — so changes are real, not ZIP-boundary artifacts. 2015/2018 are pre-pandemic baselines; 2020/2021 are COVID-distorted.

760

2015

745

2018

734

2020

730

2021

748

2022

753

2023

Highest measured density

ZIP

vs. U.S. average

Index

60130 Forest Park

730%

60622 Chicago

591%

60469 Posen

532%

60501 Summit Argo

513%

60657 Chicago

481%

60614 Chicago

458%

60613 Chicago

447%

60534 Lyons

437%

60513 Brookfield

427%

60415 Chicago Ridge

425%

60610 Chicago

416%

60647 Chicago

411%

60406 Blue Island

384%

60402 Berwyn

384%

60482 Worth

344%

Lowest measured density

ZIP

vs. U.S. average

Index

60629 Chicago

44%

60623 Chicago

45%

60007 Elk Grove Village

54%

60620 Chicago

58%

60025 Glenview

60%

60090 Wheeling

61%

60617 Chicago

62%

60639 Chicago

65%

60067 Palatine

66%

60612 Chicago

68%

60107 Streamwood

70%

60133 Hanover Park

75%

60462 Orland Park

79%

60608 Chicago

83%

60068 Park Ridge

85%

Low measured density is not evidence of opportunity. A ZIP with few bars may simply lack foot traffic, retail space, or demand. We rank only residential and mixed ZIPs here; employment hubs and visitor destinations are listed separately below. ZIPs where Census did not publish a count (0–2 businesses) are not ranked: they may be the least served of all, but the data cannot tell 0 from 1 or 2. Verify those locally.

Employment hubs & destinations

These ZIPs have far more workers (or visitors) than residents, so their counts are driven by daytime and visitor demand — not a place to read "shortage" from resident numbers alone.

ZIP	Neighborhood	Type	Residents	Workers	Bars	Index
60654	Chicago	Employment hub	25,755	68,006	26	431%
60607	Chicago	Employment hub	32,392	68,600	23	342%
60173	Schaumburg	Employment hub	13,650	52,694	6	149%
60661	Chicago	Employment hub	11,398	64,670	5	113%
60611	Chicago	Employment hub	37,705	89,024	8	96%
60606	Chicago	Destination	3,840	203,655	4	38%
60141	Hines	Destination	195	3,318	0–2	—
60208	Evanston	Destination	255	20,972	0–2	—
60601	Chicago	Employment hub	15,235	83,170	0–2	—
60602	Chicago	Destination	1,480	33,916	0–2	—

Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.

All ZIP codes

Click a column header to sort. Index = bars per 10,000 people present (residents + 0.5×workers) ÷ the U.S. average. 100% = exactly average.

ZIP	Neighborhood	Residents	Workers	Bars	Per 10k	Index	Status
60165	Stone Park	4,482	1,140	5	9.9	981%	Very high density
60130	Forest Park	13,943	7,440	13	7.4	730%	Very high density
60456	Hometown	4,215	339	3	6.8	678%	Very high density
60622	Chicago	54,609	25,035	40	6.0	591%	Very high density
60469	Posen	5,205	774	3	5.4	532%	Very high density
60501	Summit Argo	11,432	4,212	7	5.2	513%	Very high density
60657	Chicago	71,904	20,985	40	4.9	481%	Very high density
60614	Chicago	70,693	27,556	39	4.6	458%	Very high density
60613	Chicago	52,244	15,412	27	4.5	447%	Very high density
60534	Lyons	10,327	2,008	5	4.4	437%	Very high density
60654	Chicago	25,755	68,006	26	4.4	431%	Very high density
60513	Brookfield	19,343	3,146	9	4.3	427%	Very high density
60415	Chicago Ridge	14,099	4,484	7	4.3	425%	Very high density
60610	Chicago	44,883	24,563	24	4.2	416%	Very high density
60647	Chicago	84,749	18,625	39	4.1	411%	Very high density
60406	Blue Island	23,327	4,972	10	3.9	384%	Very high density
60402	Berwyn	63,721	12,054	27	3.9	384%	Very high density
60482	Worth	10,897	1,288	4	3.5	344%	Very high density
60607	Chicago	32,392	68,600	23	3.4	342%	Very high density
60445	Midlothian	14,268	6,940	6	3.4	335%	Very high density
60458	Justice	14,200	1,189	5	3.4	335%	Very high density
60618	Chicago	91,901	20,260	33	3.2	321%	Very high density
60439	Lemont	24,192	12,721	9	2.9	292%	Very high density
60475	Steger	10,035	887	3	2.9	284%	Very high density
60640	Chicago	65,445	17,714	21	2.8	280%	Very high density
60452	Oak Forest	26,739	5,281	8	2.7	270%	Very high density
60546	Riverside	16,322	4,686	5	2.7	266%	Very high density
60630	Chicago	55,486	9,520	16	2.7	263%	Very high density
60171	River Grove	10,451	2,096	3	2.6	259%	Very high density
60418	Crestwood	10,572	2,133	3	2.6	256%	Very high density
60457	Hickory Hills	14,503	3,211	4	2.5	246%	High density
60642	Chicago	21,789	21,425	8	2.5	244%	High density
60660	Chicago	42,724	11,098	11	2.3	226%	High density
60459	Burbank	28,739	4,621	7	2.3	224%	High density
60626	Chicago	49,662	7,775	12	2.2	222%	High density
60605	Chicago	36,210	22,820	10	2.1	208%	High density
60160	Melrose Park	24,549	17,614	7	2.1	208%	High density
60176	Schiller Park	11,393	6,458	3	2.1	203%	High density
60641	Chicago	68,894	12,906	15	2.0	197%	High density
60634	Chicago	73,885	9,038	15	1.9	190%	High density
60707	Elmwood Park	41,116	6,357	8	1.8	179%	High density
60453	Oak Lawn	56,861	20,791	12	1.8	177%	High density
60643	Chicago	45,942	9,019	9	1.8	177%	High density
60706	Harwood Heights	24,260	7,647	5	1.8	177%	High density
60018	Des Plaines	27,952	47,694	9	1.7	172%	High density
60633	Chicago	12,474	10,315	3	1.7	169%	High density
60053	Morton Grove	24,619	10,528	5	1.7	166%	High density
60411	Chicago Heights	52,175	15,397	10	1.7	166%	High density
60646	Chicago	28,780	8,214	5	1.5	151%	High density
60465	Palos Hills	18,081	3,499	3	1.5	150%	Above average
60616	Chicago	54,308	24,459	10	1.5	149%	Above average
60173	Schaumburg	13,650	52,694	6	1.5	149%	Above average
60804	Cicero	82,797	14,661	13	1.4	143%	Above average
60477	Tinley Park	35,976	13,621	6	1.4	139%	Above average
60455	Bridgeview	16,872	10,328	3	1.4	135%	Above average
60803	Alsip	22,106	15,497	4	1.3	133%	Above average
60625	Chicago	76,760	12,820	11	1.3	131%	Above average
60638	Chicago	57,074	37,741	10	1.3	131%	Above average
60619	Chicago	59,503	6,093	8	1.3	127%	Above average
60164	Melrose Park	20,872	8,892	3	1.2	117%	Above average
60714	Niles	30,305	24,130	5	1.2	117%	Above average
60631	Chicago	30,924	23,781	5	1.2	116%	Above average
60661	Chicago	11,398	64,670	5	1.1	113%	Above average
60609	Chicago	62,028	18,440	8	1.1	111%	Above average
60409	Calumet City	35,100	7,660	4	1.0	102%	Above average
60632	Chicago	89,107	20,101	10	1.0	100%	Below average
60611	Chicago	37,705	89,024	8	1.0	96%	Below average
60076	Skokie	32,953	19,696	4	0.9	93%	Below average
60656	Chicago	29,538	5,140	3	0.9	93%	Below average
60016	Des Plaines	60,898	17,329	6	0.9	86%	Below average
60659	Chicago	41,728	9,683	4	0.9	85%	Below average
60068	Park Ridge	38,650	15,904	4	0.9	85%	Below average
60608	Chicago	80,737	29,377	8	0.8	83%	Below average
60462	Orland Park	41,456	17,270	4	0.8	79%	Below average
60133	Hanover Park	36,732	6,371	3	0.8	75%	Below average
60107	Streamwood	38,886	6,624	3	0.7	70%	Below average
60612	Chicago	35,744	44,360	4	0.7	68%	Below average
60067	Palatine	38,204	13,951	3	0.7	66%	Below average
60639	Chicago	84,240	15,433	6	0.7	65%	Below average
60617	Chicago	74,790	9,915	5	0.6	62%	Below average
60090	Wheeling	38,298	20,419	3	0.6	61%	Below average
60025	Glenview	41,689	15,355	3	0.6	60%	Below average
60620	Chicago	64,871	7,319	4	0.6	58%	Below average
60007	Elk Grove Village	32,592	44,419	3	0.5	54%	Below average
60623	Chicago	81,277	12,534	4	0.5	45%	Far below average
60629	Chicago	108,324	8,370	5	0.4	44%	Far below average
60606	Chicago	3,840	203,655	4	0.4	38%	Far below average
60004	Arlington Heights	51,835	20,130	0–2	—	—	Not published
60005	Arlington Heights	28,843	20,389	0–2	—	—	Not published
60006	Arlington Heights	—	36	0–2	—	—	Not published
60008	Rolling Meadows	22,800	21,481	0–2	—	—	Not published
60017	Des Plaines	—	170	0–2	—	—	Not published
60022	Glencoe	8,352	2,391	0–2	—	—	Not published
60026	Glenview	14,069	8,480	0–2	—	—	Not published
60029	Golf	518	88	0–2	—	—	Not published
60043	Kenilworth	2,503	555	0–2	—	—	Not published
60056	Mount Prospect	55,818	17,452	0–2	—	—	Not published
60062	Northbrook	41,406	46,099	0–2	—	—	Not published
60065	Northbrook	—	201	0–2	—	—	Not published
60070	Prospect Heights	15,496	1,603	0–2	—	—	Not published
60074	Palatine	36,460	8,793	0–2	—	—	Not published
60077	Skokie	28,501	20,601	0–2	—	—	Not published
60078	Palatine	—	40	0–2	—	—	Not published
60082	Techny	—	184	0–2	—	—	Not published
60091	Wilmette	27,333	5,627	0–2	—	—	Not published
60093	Winnetka	19,867	10,004	0–2	—	—	Not published
60104	Bellwood	18,256	3,868	0–2	—	—	Not published
60131	Franklin Park	18,054	17,688	0–2	—	—	Not published
60141	Hines	195	3,318	0–2	—	—	Not published
60153	Maywood	23,201	11,871	0–2	—	—	Not published
60154	Westchester	16,436	9,124	0–2	—	—	Not published
60155	Broadview	7,906	6,792	0–2	—	—	Not published
60159	Schaumburg	—	14	0–2	—	—	Not published
60161	Melrose Park	—	61	0–2	—	—	Not published
60162	Hillside	8,084	7,285	0–2	—	—	Not published
60163	Berkeley	5,199	1,517	0–2	—	—	Not published
60168	Schaumburg	—	27	0–2	—	—	Not published
60169	Hoffman Estates	33,401	10,355	0–2	—	—	Not published
60179	Hoffman Estates	—	1,237	0–2	—	—	Not published
60192	Hoffman Estates	16,461	7,007	0–2	—	—	Not published
60193	Schaumburg	40,146	9,409	0–2	—	—	Not published
60194	Schaumburg	19,756	5,345	0–2	—	—	Not published
60195	Schaumburg	4,397	5,331	0–2	—	—	Not published
60196	Schaumburg	—	3,103	0–2	—	—	Not published
60201	Evanston	43,744	25,259	0–2	—	—	Not published
60202	Evanston	32,341	7,547	0–2	—	—	Not published
60203	Evanston	4,680	390	0–2	—	—	Not published
60204	Evanston	—	160	0–2	—	—	Not published
60208	Evanston	255	20,972	0–2	—	—	Not published
60301	Oak Park	3,475	4,793	0–2	—	—	Not published
60302	Oak Park	32,862	7,083	0–2	—	—	Not published
60303	Oak Park	—	20	0–2	—	—	Not published
60304	Oak Park	16,955	2,964	0–2	—	—	Not published
60305	River Forest	11,992	4,595	0–2	—	—	Not published
60412	Chicago Heights	—	43	0–2	—	—	Not published
60419	Dolton	20,825	2,530	0–2	—	—	Not published
60422	Flossmoor	9,542	1,424	0–2	—	—	Not published
60425	Glenwood	8,714	1,909	0–2	—	—	Not published
60426	Harvey	23,906	7,383	0–2	—	—	Not published
60428	Markham	10,927	3,809	0–2	—	—	Not published
60429	Hazel Crest	14,864	4,802	0–2	—	—	Not published
60430	Homewood	19,838	12,628	0–2	—	—	Not published
60438	Lansing	28,806	7,275	0–2	—	—	Not published
60443	Matteson	20,663	7,534	0–2	—	—	Not published
60454	Oak Lawn	—	156	0–2	—	—	Not published
60461	Olympia Fields	4,761	3,726	0–2	—	—	Not published
60463	Palos Heights	13,722	6,296	0–2	—	—	Not published
60464	Palos Park	9,773	1,758	0–2	—	—	Not published
60466	Park Forest	21,461	2,093	0–2	—	—	Not published
60467	Orland Park	24,398	8,422	0–2	—	—	Not published
60471	Richton Park	12,848	1,435	0–2	—	—	Not published
60472	Robbins	4,563	217	0–2	—	—	Not published
60473	South Holland	21,225	10,974	0–2	—	—	Not published
60476	Thornton	1,940	780	0–2	—	—	Not published
60478	Country Club Hills	16,390	2,171	0–2	—	—	Not published
60480	Willow Springs	5,388	773	0–2	—	—	Not published
60487	Tinley Park	26,043	6,646	0–2	—	—	Not published
60499	Bedford Park	—	77	0–2	—	—	Not published
60525	La Grange	31,324	41,056	0–2	—	—	Not published
60526	La Grange Park	13,459	1,746	0–2	—	—	Not published
60558	Western Springs	13,446	2,222	0–2	—	—	Not published
60601	Chicago	15,235	83,170	0–2	—	—	Not published
60602	Chicago	1,480	33,916	0–2	—	—	Not published
60603	Chicago	1,298	60,606	0–2	—	—	Not published
60604	Chicago	616	41,171	0–2	—	—	Not published
60615	Chicago	42,975	7,045	0–2	—	—	Not published
60621	Chicago	28,301	3,833	0–2	—	—	Not published
60624	Chicago	35,263	6,140	0–2	—	—	Not published
60628	Chicago	60,431	7,654	0–2	—	—	Not published
60636	Chicago	32,198	3,505	0–2	—	—	Not published
60637	Chicago	52,721	31,368	0–2	—	—	Not published
60644	Chicago	47,210	5,433	0–2	—	—	Not published
60645	Chicago	48,208	4,307	0–2	—	—	Not published
60649	Chicago	48,056	4,778	0–2	—	—	Not published
60651	Chicago	63,335	6,154	0–2	—	—	Not published
60652	Chicago	41,074	5,715	0–2	—	—	Not published
60653	Chicago	33,383	3,171	0–2	—	—	Not published
60655	Chicago	28,434	3,995	0–2	—	—	Not published
60666	Chicago	—	37,159	0–2	—	—	Not published
60673	Chicago	—	7	0–2	—	—	Not published
60680	Chicago	—	80	0–2	—	—	Not published
60690	Chicago	—	25	0–2	—	—	Not published
60699	Chicago	—	50	0–2	—	—	Not published
60712	Lincolnwood	13,112	10,293	0–2	—	—	Not published
60805	Evergreen Park	19,420	6,844	0–2	—	—	Not published
60827	Riverdale	24,713	2,241	0–2	—	—	Not published

Scroll the table sideways to see all columns.

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Census withholds some ZIP-by-industry cells to protect small businesses. 0–2 means the cell was not published (Census publishes industry counts only at 3+ per ZIP), so the ZIP is left unranked rather than counted as zero. ~ means the count is estimated from the broader industry group and can be off by a business or two.

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Methodology & sources

Establishments. U.S. Census ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP 2023), NAICS 722410 — drinking places (alcoholic beverages). Counts establishments with paid employees. ZBP is published annually with a ~2-year lag.

Fresh county signal. This industry has no clean QCEW series, so the freshest county signal is Census County Business Patterns 2023: 901 establishments and $336M in annual payroll county-wide. This count includes locations in ZIP codes that do not map to a ZCTA, so it can be slightly higher than the sum of the ZIP rows. CBP is annual and slower than QCEW. It cannot be broken down by ZIP.

Population. U.S. Census American Community Survey 2024 5-year ZCTA population (table B01003). Workers are the ZIP's total employment from the same 2023 ZBP file.

Demand ("people present"). Demand comes from residents and daytime workers: residents + 0.5 × workers. This is the single documented assumption in the model and can be tuned.

Index. index = (ZIP establishments ÷ ZIP demand × 10,000) ÷ the U.S. average for this industry (1.01 per 10,000 present). It is a supply-side density measure; it does not capture income, rent, tourism, or whether locals actually want more.

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BizGapMap — free, no-login small-business saturation reports for major U.S. counties. Built entirely from public U.S. Census, BLS, and IRS data (ZBP 2023, ACS 2024 5-year, PEP 2024, LODES, QCEW, IRS SOI). No forecasts, no revenue guesses — withheld cells are marked, and the few derived counts are labelled as estimates.