Home to an unrivaled economy, workforce, & quality of life, Chicago is a thriving metropolis, yet a tight-knit community for business & residents. The city's dynamic character is attributed to its people, location and infrastructure, & collaborative business & government community.

Business Climate

Centrally located, Chicago provides easy access to the world. The city has 1,400 daily departures to more than 200 cities worldwide, and serves as a hub for six of the nation's seven Class I North American railroads, as well as six major U.S. Interstates.

Chicago is a leader in a number of key industries including: Business & Financial Services, Manufacturing, Information Technology, Health Services, and Transportation & Distribution, and is a global leader in options, futures, and derivatives trading.

This combination of market access and economic diversity provides the resources a company needs to flourish. Alongside Chicago's pro-business environment, support services, and unique opportunities for growth, the city also offers a vibrant mix of cultural, educational, and social amenities.

As Big as a Country

More than $500 billion gross regional product (GRP), larger than countries like Belgium and Norway
9.5 million people, 4.3 million employees, and over 260,000 businesses

Global and Diverse Economy

400+ Major Corporate Headquarters
30 S&P 500 companies
29 Fortune 500 HQs, including 7 in the City
10 FT Global 500 HQs

The World's Workforce

Culturally diverse private-sector labor force of 4.3 million people
At least 35 ethnic groups with a population greater than 10,000
1,500 foreign-owned firms in Chicago area

Center of the World

At the center of one of the largest trading areas in the world: the east-west nexus joining the markets of Europe and Asia and the north-south nexus of NAFTA
Chicago's location, central time zone and non-stop passenger service means that you can fly to nearly any U.S. city and return on the same business day
Less than 10 hours from the major European business centers
A non-stop global gateway to more than 50 international and 150 domestic business centers, with daily non-stops to Japan, Korea and China
Only U.S. gateway where six of the nation's seven Class I railroads interchange traffic - CREATE projects are underway to increase freight and passenger rail efficiency in Chicago
Nearly 150 intermodal facilities across the region – 41 in the city (more than half of area real estate is devoted to warehouse/distribution)
Leading advanced telecommunications infrastructure supports interconnected regional, national and international networks