Major Employers
Freeport and Stephenson County employ skilled individuals in diverse businesses such as healthcare, manufacturing and value-added agriculture.
| Employer | Industry | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| The Helm Group | Construction, plumbing, heating & service | 1400 |
| FHN | Healthcare provider | 985 |
| The Morse Group | Electrical contractor | 905 |
| Berner Food & Beverage | Private label food manufacturing | 758 |
| Freeport School District #145 | Pre-K to 12 public school | 722 |
| Honeywell | Switches & sensors | 471 |
| Farmers Insurance | Insurance | 413 |
| Walmart | Retail | 380 |
| Titan Tire Corporation of Freeport | Auto, farm & industrial Trres | 340 |
| Snak King | Snack food packaging | 329 |
| Stewart & Associates | Business services | 215 |
| Newell Rubbermaid Co. | Freeport office | 260 |
| Stephenson County | Government | 226 |
| Danfoss | Manufacturing hydrostatic transmissions | 207 |
| Fehr Graham | Engineering Consultants | 205 |
| Liberty Village | Healthcare - nursing home | 183 |
| Nuestro Queso | Food manufacturing | 182 |
| City of Freeport | Municipality | 178 |
| Anchor Harvey | Forging & alloys | 150 |
| Highland Community College | Two-year junior college | 150 |
| Menards | Retail | 145 |
| Broadstep | Social service agency | 145 |
| Stephenson Service Co. | Agricultural | 141 |
| Walnut Acres | Healthcare - nursing home | 140 |
| Pearl Valley Farms | Agricultural | 135 |
| Pearl City Elevator | Agricultural | 132 |
| Tri Star Metals | Manufacturing | 120 |
| Piedmont Hardware Brands | Warehouse | 123 |
| YMCA | Not-for-profit organization | 120 |
| Fischer Inc. | Ready mix stone & excavation | 115 |
| Savencia Cheese | Food manufacturing | 112 |
| Sentry Insurance | Insurance | 110 |
| Cub Foods | Retail | 110 |
| Loescher HVAC | HVAC & plumbing | 108 |
| Pearl Pavillion | Healthcare & rehabilitation | 105 |
| Seaga Manufacturing | Vending manufacturing | 105 |
| Parkview Home | Retirement community | 105 |
| Provena/St. Joseph Campus | Healthcare - nursing home | 104 |
| HB Plastic, Inc. | Plastic molding | 100 |
| Sullivan's Foods | Retail | 90 |
| In Grown Farms | Medical and adult use cannabis cultivation | 88 |
| Freeport Park District | Recreation property | 82 |
| Farm & Fleet | Retail | 81 |
| Malcom Eaton Enterprises | Social service vocational center | 71 |
| Modern Plating Corporation | Metal finishing | 71 |
| CoreFX | Custom Ingredients Mfg | 63 |
| SPG International | Material & storage products | 61 |
| SSM Health | Healthcare | 60 |
| Culver's | Restaurant | 60 |
| ABM Janitorial | Cleaning service | 60 |
Key Industries
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Greater Freeport Partnership Receives $18,500 State Tourism Marketing Grant to Promote Freeport and Stephenson County September 30, 2026 STEPHENSON COUNTY, IL —The Greater Freeport Partnership has been awarded an $18,500 Tourism Marketing Partnership Grant through the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), providing additional resources to promote Freeport and Stephenson County as a destination for outdoor travel, events, and overnight visitors. Tourism remains an important driver of economic development in Stephenson County, supporting jobs, generating tax […]
Stephenson County Tourism Direct Spending Reaches $56.3 Million in 2025, Up 9.3 Percent September 10, 2026 freeport il, Stephenson County STEPHENSON COUNTY — Tourism continues to be a significant economic driver for Stephenson County, with visitors generating $56 million in direct spending in 2025—a 9.3 percent increase over 2024. The growth in visitor spending supported more than 350 direct hospitality jobs throughout Stephenson County, benefiting local restaurants, retailers, lodging properties, attractions and other tourism-related businesses. The strong performance follows continued […]
A Stronger Economy Starts with a Welcoming Community June 30, 2026 In business, we understand a simple truth: growth depends on people. Talent, entrepreneurs, and investment follow opportunity—but just as importantly, they follow communities where they feel they can belong. Across Illinois, that idea is not just a value—it’s a strategy for economic growth. Communities that are welcoming to newcomers and open to people with different backgrounds are consistently positioned to compete more effectively for jobs, investment, […]
Downtown Freeport Celebrates Successful Launch of “The Great Pretzel Bite” During Pretzel Fest May 13, 2026 FREEPORT — Downtown Freeport made history on April 25 as community members gathered for the inaugural Great Pretzel Bite, a new signature event held during the Greater Freeport Partnership’s annual Pretzel Fest celebration. A total of 216 participants joined together in downtown Freeport to simultaneously take a bite of their pretzels, officially establishing the benchmark for future Great Pretzel Bite […]