How many nail salons are there in Chicago's busiest areas?

We counted 101 nail salons within 1 km of the centres of 10 Chicago areas. River North is the most crowded at 7.0 per km²; Pilsen is the least, at 0.3.

Mapped

101

in 10 areas

Busiest area

7.0/km²

River North

Average rating

4.5★

places with 10+ reviews

Last scanned

13 October

2026

Nail salons by area, most crowded first

Measured within 1 km of the centre: LOW under 5, MODERATE 5–15, HIGH 15–40, INTENSE over 40 places per km².

Nail salons within 1 km of each Chicago area centre
AreaWithin 1 kmCompetition
River North4.6★ average227.0/km²MODERATE
Wicker Park4.7★ average175.4/km²MODERATE
Lakeview4.5★ average175.4/km²MODERATE
West Loop4.5★ average165.1/km²MODERATE
The Loop4.5★ average103.2/km²LOW
Lincoln Park4.5★ average103.2/km²LOW
Andersonville3.8★ average31.0/km²LOW
Hyde Park3.4★ average31.0/km²LOW
Logan Square4.1★ average20.6/km²LOW
Pilsen4.3★ average10.3/km²LOW

Where is it least crowded?

  • 1 nail salon within 1 km (0.3 per km²), averaging 4.3★.

  • 2 nail salons within 1 km (0.6 per km²), averaging 4.1★.

  • 3 nail salons within 1 km (1.0 per km²), averaging 3.4★.

Fewer nail salons is not the same as more demand. Look at foot traffic and rents before you read a quiet area as an opening.

How they are rated

All 101 nail salons in the 10 areas, by rating. Places with fewer than 10 reviews are counted apart.

  • 4.5 and up61 (60%)
  • 4.0 to 4.428 (28%)
  • 3.5 to 3.97 (7%)
  • Below 3.51 (1%)
  • Under 10 reviews4 (4%)

Chains seen most

No brand has two outlets inside any one area circle: these areas are mostly independents.

Check competition at your exact address — free

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Questions

Is Chicago saturated with nail salons?

It depends on the street. Within 1 km of the 10 area centres we mapped, density runs from 0.3 per km² in Pilsen to 7.0 per km² in River North. 0 of the 10 areas count as high or intense competition (over 15 per km²). Check the exact address you have in mind before you commit.

Which Chicago area has the most nail salons?

River North, with 22 within 1 km of its centre (7.0 per km²). Next come Wicker Park (17) and Lakeview (17).

What is the average rating of nail salons in Chicago?

4.5 out of 5, across the 97 nail salons with at least 10 reviews in the areas we mapped. The highest area average is Wicker Park (4.7), the lowest Hyde Park (3.4).

How was this counted?

We scanned a 1 km circle around the centre of each area on 13 October 2026 and counted every nail salon on the map inside it. Places missing from the map or opened since are not counted, so treat the numbers as a floor. Circles of neighbouring areas can overlap, so a place near two centres is counted in both, and the figures are not a total for the whole of Chicago.