IL Regional team
Counting Albanian Americans in Illinois.
NAR — the National Albanian Registry — is the community-led count. 70 counted in Illinois so far.
No NAR ambassador is seated in Illinois yet. They need someone local organizing. Apply to be the first.
Why Illinois matters
A real count is where the work starts.
ACS 2024 estimate
15,370
Federal count
Community estimate
61,480–76,850
Methodology page
On NAR today
70
From Illinois
Capture rate
0.46%
vs. ACS
As Illinois's Albanian community becomes visible in the data systems institutions actually use, the recognition story gets stronger — for bilingual-ballot petitions in jurisdictions with significant limited-English Albanian populations, for hospital interpreter staffing, for school home-language reporting, and for university heritage programs. None of these unlock automatically from a count; they come from sustained organizing on top of one. The Census ACS stays the official federal source; NAR builds the parallel community count alongside it.
Illinois concentrations
Cook County (Chicago)
Chicago anchors the Midwest Albanian population outside Michigan. Cook County school districts and DuPage municipalities are the relevant federal-formula geographies.
Illinois ranks in the published ACS Albanian-ancestry counts at 15,370 (2024). Nationwide the Census counts 224,000 Albanian Americans while community estimates put us close to a million — and the same gap shows up here. NAR is the community-led parallel count that sits alongside the ACS, one self-attestation at a time.
What's happening in Illinois
1 upcoming event.
Festivals, services, fundraisers, and community gatherings the Illinois team is tracking.
Organizations in Illinois
23 Albanian organizations.
Religious institutions, charities, schools, and cultural associations — free to list, claimable by the people who run them.
- Albanian American Association Ulqini (Chicago) Cultural & community
- Albanian American Association Uskana Cultural & community
-
Albanian American Community Of Illinois Cultural & community - Albanian American Cultural Alliance (AACA) at DePaul University Student & youth
- Albanian American Medical Student Society (AAMSS) — Loyola Stritch School of Medicine Student & youth
-
Albanian American National Organization — Chicago Chapter Cultural & community - Albanian American Organization Chameria (AAOC) Civic & advocacy
- Albanian Language School Chicago Education & Albanian schools
- Albanian Language School Chicago (Shkolla Kongresi i Manastirit) Education & Albanian schools
- Albanian Stars SC (Albanian Stars-Chicago) Sports clubs
- Albanian Student Association at UIUC Student & youth
- Albanian-American Bar Association of Illinois Professional associations
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Albanian-American Women's Association of Greater Chicago Professional associations - American Albanian Cultural & Religious Org Religious institutions
- Care For Albania Charities & foundations
- Dardania Association Cultural & community
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Friends of Fondacioni Firdeus Inc Charities & foundations - Shkolla Shqipe Arbëria (Chicago) Education & Albanian schools
- Shoqata Çameria Cultural & community
- Shoqata Prespa Cultural & community
- Shoqata Shqiptaro-Amerikane në Rockford Cultural & community
- Shoqata Shqiptaro-Amerikane Valët e Liqenit Cultural & community
- St. Nicholas Albanian Orthodox Church (Chicago) Religious institutions
Businesses in Illinois
11 Albanian-owned businesses.
Added by the owners themselves. Listing is free.
- Professional services
Carol Stream, IL
Professional services business in Carol Stream, IL.
- Professional services
Chicago, IL
Professional services business in Chicago, IL.
- Real estate
Park Ridge, IL
Real estate business in Park Ridge, IL.
- Other
Skokie, IL
Albanian-owned business in Skokie, IL.
- Real estate
Naperville, IL
Real estate business in Naperville, IL.
- Other
Glen Ellyn, IL
Albanian-owned business in Glen Ellyn, IL.
- Professional services
Glen Ellyn, IL
Professional services business in Glen Ellyn, IL.
- Professional services
Arlington Heights, IL
Professional services business in Arlington Heights, IL.
- Professional services
Chicago, IL
Professional services business in Chicago, IL.
- Real estate
Orland Park, IL
Real estate business in Orland Park, IL.
- Professional services
Willow Springs, IL
Professional services business in Willow Springs, IL.
Apply
Be the first NAR ambassador in Illinois.
Each state seats up to three Regional Ambassadors plus one state outreach lead. Volunteer role. Listed publicly. Reimbursed expenses for one local event a year.
Or browse all states with open spots →