What does food truck cost in Illinois?

Food Truck Costs in Illinois vary by location. 39 food trucks operate across 1,396 ZIP codes. Use our calculator for a precise estimate.

How many food trucks are in Illinois?

Illinois has approximately 39 food trucks across 1,396 ZIP codes, based on Census Bureau business pattern data.

What is the best area for food truck in Illinois?

Based on our opportunity scoring (walkability, income, and competition), the top-rated area in Illinois is ZIP 60516 with a score of 100/100. See our full rankings for the top 20 locations.

Is Illinois a good market for food truck?

Illinois rates as a fair market for food truck with an average opportunity score of 52/100. The score factors in walkability, median income, population density, and existing competition across 1,396 scored ZIP codes.

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Food Truck Costs in Illinois

Aggregated from 1,396 ZIP codes · Data updated March 2026

Best Markets in IL ›

Avg Opportunity Score

Fair

13 Million

Total Population

$75 Thousand

Avg Median Income

Registered Food Trucks

Illinois has 39 registered food trucks across 1,396 ZIP codes, serving a population of 13 Million. Median household income averages $75,232, close to the national median.

Mixed picture. The 52/100 state average covers a wide spread: a few standout ZIP codes, a lot of middling ones. Competition runs about 0.0 businesses per ZIP. Location selection matters more here than in higher-scoring states.

Permit and licensing fees in Illinois average $4,840 per year across the cities we track. These are annual totals covering business license, health permit, and mobile vendor fees, pulled from municipal fee schedules — not estimates.

Top ZIP Codes in Illinois

See all 20 ›

ZIP 60516 Pop. 29 Thousand

$120 Thousand

med. income

100

score

ZIP 60151 Pop. 4.3 Thousand

$120 Thousand

med. income

100

score

ZIP 60521 Pop. 18 Thousand

$240 Thousand

med. income

100

score

ZIP 60526 Pop. 13 Thousand

$120 Thousand

med. income

100

score

ZIP 61525 Pop. 12 Thousand

$150 Thousand

med. income

100

score

ZIP 60540 Pop. 43 Thousand

$160 Thousand

med. income

100

score

ZIP 60136 Pop. 8.6 Thousand

$120 Thousand

med. income

100

score

ZIP 60134 Pop. 30 Thousand

$150 Thousand

med. income

100

score

ZIP 60126 Pop. 48 Thousand

$140 Thousand

med. income

100

score

#10

ZIP 60124 Pop. 24 Thousand

$140 Thousand

med. income

100

score

Permit Costs

Chicago, IL

Business License $250

Health Permit $510

Mobile Vendor Permit $2,200

Fire Permit $230

Annual Renewal $1,650

Source: Municipal fee schedules, 2024–2025

Best Markets

See the top 20 ZIP codes in Illinois ranked by opportunity score with full breakdowns.

Best Food Trucks Markets in Illinois

Compare Other States

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Data sources: Census Bureau American Community Survey 2023, USDA National Walkability Index 2021, County Business Patterns 2022, FDIC Summary of Deposits 2023.