Why does 50 employees matter?

Several US rules start at 50 employees. FMLA covers employers with 50+ employees, and under the ACA, employers with 50+ full-time employees (including equivalents) are "applicable large employers" with coverage and reporting duties. Growing firms near 50 often need HR, payroll, benefits or a PEO.

Are these exact headcounts?

No. They are estimates (modelled headcount), not payroll or FTE counts. Use them to prioritise outreach, then confirm with the company.

What do I get for $7?

All 405 Illinois companies with website, city, industry, estimated employees, growth and revenue bands and a careers link, as CSV, Excel and PDF.

Illinois companies approaching 50 employees (October 2026)

Free top 10 of 405

#	Company	City	Industry	Employees (est.)	1-yr growth
1	Kepple Real Estate Group	Peoria	Real Estate	~58	200%+ (estimated)
2	OPEN Health Communications	Chicago	Data Collection & Internet Portals	~54	200%+ (estimated)
3	Harbour International	Batavia	Freight & Logistics Services	~50	200%+ (estimated)
4	Anderson Nissan	Rockford	Automobile Dealers	~49	200%+ (estimated)
5	Blackburn College Athletics	Carlinville	Sports Teams & Leagues	~46	200%+ (estimated)
6	Iris Reading	Chicago	Training	~65	+100–200%
7	Reggies Chicago	Chicago	Restaurants	~64	+100–200%
8	Heartland Nursing Center	Casey	Vitamins, Supplements & Health Stores	~60	+100–200%
9	Spark Hire	Northbrook	Human Resources Software	~60	+100–200%
10	St Matthew Church	Glendale Heights	Religious Organizations	~60	+100–200%

Edition October 2026. Source: licensed B2B firmographic and technographic data. Company-level only.

What the data shows

114 of 405 (28%) have an estimated 45–55 employees, right around the 50-employee line; 210 are estimated at 50 or more already.
Most common growth band: +20–50% (217 of 405 companies, 54%).
29 of 405 (7%) at least doubled headcount in a year (figures over 200% are estimates).
Biggest industries: Commercial & Residential Construction (28), K-12 Schools (20), Custom Software & IT Services (20).
Chicago has the most (122 of 405, 30%); the list spans 155 towns and cities.
Size mix: 195 under 50 staff, 210 with 50–199 (median 50 employees).

Get all 405: $7

CSV + Excel + PDF with website, size, growth and revenue bands and a careers search link for every company.

Buy for $7

Secure card checkout by Dodo Payments. Your files (CSV, Excel, PDF) are emailed to your checkout address, normally the same day; questions: labskaruna@gmail.com. One-time payment. 14-day money-back guarantee (refund policy).

Notes and limits

Employee counts are estimates: modelled headcount from licensed B2B firmographic and technographic data, not payroll or IRS full-time-equivalent counts. Whether FMLA or the ACA employer rules apply depends on the employer's own counts.
Companies with an estimated 35–65 employees whose headcount grew 15%+ in a year, listed by growth band, then size.
Growth is shown as a band: +15–20%, +20–50%, +50–100%, +100–200% or 200%+ (estimated). Within a band, companies are listed largest first; the order inside a band is not a growth ranking.
"200%+ (estimated)" means the growth figure is above 200% and has not been verified; treat it as an estimate.
Likely branches of larger groups, government bodies, colleges and universities are left out (private schools and non-profits are kept).
Company-level data only: no personal contacts. Not legal, tax or benefits advice.

Related lists

Arizona companies approaching 50 employees (197 companies)
California companies approaching 50 employees (962 companies)
Florida companies approaching 50 employees (652 companies)
Georgia companies approaching 50 employees (270 companies)
North Carolina companies approaching 50 employees (247 companies)
New York companies approaching 50 employees (792 companies)
Ohio companies approaching 50 employees (317 companies)
Pennsylvania companies approaching 50 employees (335 companies)

All: US companies approaching 50 employees, by state · All global lists

FAQ

Why does 50 employees matter?: Several US rules start at 50 employees. FMLA covers employers with 50+ employees, and under the ACA, employers with 50+ full-time employees (including equivalents) are "applicable large employers" with coverage and reporting duties. Growing firms near 50 often need HR, payroll, benefits or a PEO.
Are these exact headcounts?: No. They are estimates (modelled headcount), not payroll or FTE counts. Use them to prioritise outreach, then confirm with the company.
What do I get for $7?: All 405 Illinois companies with website, city, industry, estimated employees, growth and revenue bands and a careers link, as CSV, Excel and PDF.