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Buying a business: Illinois vs Kentucky

Two markets side by side — inventory, pricing, and what you actually pay per dollar of cash flow, from live Waterfall data.

Illinois

1,106 active listings
Active listings1,106 Edge
Median asking$450,000
Median cash flow$180,547 Edge
Typical multiple2.5×
Owner-earnings yield~40%
Median revenue$804,805
VS

Kentucky

241 active listings
Active listings241
Median asking$425,000 Edge
Median cash flow$168,944
Typical multiple2.5×
Owner-earnings yield~40%
Median revenue$905,484

Who wins?

Illinois has 359% more businesses on the market than Kentucky (1,106 vs 241). Kentucky is cheaper at the median asking price. Both markets price at about the same 2.5× cash-flow multiple, so you pay a similar earnings premium either way — the difference is selection and entry price, not valuation.

MetricIllinoisKentucky
Active listings1,106241
Median asking$450,000$425,000
Median cash flow$180,547$168,944
Typical multiple2.5×2.5×
Owner-earnings yield~40%~40%
Median revenue$804,805$905,484
Related comparisons

See the full Illinois market or the Kentucky market, or set a Buy Box across both and let the matches come to you.

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