Chicago by the numbers
1,701,646
Owner-occupied homes
595,600
Estimated with wood floors (35%)
119,100
Wood floors due a year (one coat every 5 years)
11,900
Owners likely to pay for it a year (1 in 10)
These count the 241 ZIP codes whose centers are within 30 miles of Chicago's center. That takes in the city and the towns around it, the kind of area a recoat business usually serves.
What these numbers mean
- Owner-occupied homes: homes lived in by the people who own them. Owners are the ones who pay to fix up their floors, so renters are left out
- Wood floors: our estimate of how many of those homes have wood floors. We use 35%, lower than the share homeowners report
- Due a year: wood floors that reach the point where they need a fresh coat this year, if each one gets a coat every 5 years
- Likely to pay for it: the owners of those floors who pay someone to do it, if only 1 in 10 does
None of these is money. They show how many homes and floors are around Chicago, not what a business there will sell. Leads aren't sold jobs.
The ZIP codes near Chicago with the most owner-occupied homes
| ZIP code | Closest town | Owner-occupied homes | Wood floors due a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60629 | Hometown, IL | 20,914 | 1,500 |
| 60634 | Harwood Heights, IL | 20,450 | 1,400 |
| 60618 | Lincolnwood, IL | 19,162 | 1,300 |
| 60453 | Oak Lawn, IL | 17,838 | 1,200 |
| 60617 | Whiting, IN | 16,886 | 1,200 |
Each row is one ZIP code within 30 miles of Chicago. Click a ZIP to see the demand within 30 miles of it. The town is the closest place in the Census list to the center of the ZIP code, so treat it as a rough guide.
How we got these numbers, and why they are conservative
- Homes: owner-occupied homes from the U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 (5-year estimates), added up for every ZIP code whose center is within 30 miles of Chicago's center. Renters are left out
- Wood floors: 35% of those homes. The National Wood Flooring Association found 52% of homeowners say they have wood floors, so we use a lower figure on purpose
- Due each year: we assume a floor gets a fresh coat about every 5 years
- Hiring it out: we assume only 1 in 10 owners whose floor is due pays anyone to do it
Every choice leans low. Homeowners report more wood floors than we count, and we assume only 1 in 10 owners pays anyone at all. The demand tool uses the same math and shows every step.
Check any ZIP code
Chicago is a big place, and your part of it is what matters. Type any ZIP code or town into the demand tool to see the same numbers for the 30 miles around it.
Guides to read next
Starting a recoat business in Chicago
FloorIt takes one partner per area. We build the business in your name, train you, ship your equipment and finish, and bring you your first 50 leads. Apply to check if your part of Chicago is open.
Questions about Chicago
Is there demand for a floor recoat business in Chicago?
By the numbers, yes: there are 1,701,646 owner-occupied homes within 30 miles of Chicago, and with conservative math about 119,100 of their wood floors come due for a recoat each year. We assume only 1 in 10 of those owners pays someone to do it, which is still about 11,900 homeowners a year.
How many homes near Chicago have wood floors due for a recoat?
Using a conservative 35% wood floor share, about 595,600 of the 1,701,646 owner-occupied homes within 30 miles of Chicago have wood floors. At one recoat every 5 years, that is about 119,100 floors due each year, and about 11,900 owners a year likely to pay someone to do it.
Where near Chicago are the most owner-occupied homes?
By ZIP code, the most owner-occupied homes within 30 miles of Chicago are in 60629 (near Hometown, IL, 20,914 homes), 60634 (near Harwood Heights, IL, 20,450 homes), 60618 (near Lincolnwood, IL, 19,162 homes), 60453 (near Oak Lawn, IL, 17,838 homes), and 60617 (near Whiting, IN, 16,886 homes).
Are these numbers a sales forecast?
No. They are the size of the market within 30 miles of Chicago, not what any one business will sell. Leads aren't sold jobs, and every business wins its own share.