Widely recognized as the cultural hub of the Midwestern United States, Chicago is the third largest metro area in the United States with over 9.5 million residents. Approximately 84 million people, equivalent to 27 percent of the total population of theUnited States, live within 500 miles of Chicago. The city of Chicago also ranks as the third-most populous in the U.S., with over 2.7 million residents and is considered to be one of the most important business centers in the world.

The city is an international hub for finance, commerce, industry, technology, telecommunications, and transportation. Considered to be one of the world’s largest and most diverse economies, no single industry employs more than 20% of the workforce.
Quick facts on industrial
(Q1 2020)
Chicago CBD key metrics

RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT

​$8.5 billion
International airport to add 3.1 msf and 35 new gates expansion of o'hare International airport to add 3.1 msf and 35 new gates
$6 billion
Lincoln yards : 55 acres of former industrial land being redeveloped into a sprawling mixed-use campus supporting 23,000 jobs and 6,000 residential units
$800+ million​
Renovation of the old main post office. The long-vacant 2.8 msf structure is the single largest adaptive reuse project in the country.
Airports
O'HARE International Airport
14.9 Miles from Chicago CBD
Midway International Airport
9.2 Miles from Chicago CBD
Transportation
CTA: one of the most exclusive public transit
​network in the US
1.6 Million Passengers Daily
8 train lines, 129 bus routes
Metra: Service to & from Chicago's Suburbs
11 Train Lines
240 Stations within 40-Mile Radius of Chicago CBD
Railways
The Chicago region is the largest railroad hub in North America, linking six class I rails.
BSNF Railway Company
Canadian National Railway Company
Kansas City Southern
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Norfolk Southern Corporation
Union Pacific Railroad
​Major Expressways
64 miles of expressway with 10 major interstate freeways /
Dan Ryan expressway (i -290) is the Nation's
​busiest expressway.
Interstate 55     Interstate 290
​Interstate 94     Interstate 355
Interstate 90    Interstate 57
Interstate 294    Interstate 80
Interstate 190     Interstate 88

FORTUNE 500 CHICAGO

Rank
​Company
Industry
​No. of Employees
​Annual Rev (Millions)
​Rev Change
28
​Boeing
​Aerospace
153,000
​$101,127
​8.30%
49
​Archer Daniels Midland
​Food Production
​31,600
​$64,341
​5.80%
78
​United Continental Holdings
​Airlines
​92,000
​$41,303
​9.50%
93
​Exelon
​Energy
33,383
​$35,985
​7.30%
96
​Abbvie
​Pharmaceutical
​30,000
$32,753
​16.10%
149
​McDonald's
​Food Service
210,000
$21,025
​-7.90%
189
​Jones Lang LaSalle
Real Estate
​90,000
$16,318
​105.70%
262
​LKQ
​Wholesaler
​51,000
​$11,877
​20.60%
386
​ConAgra Brands
​Food Production
​12,400
​$7,938
-14.00%
416
​Motorola
​Solutions Technology
​16,000
​$7,343
​15.10%
445
​R.R. Donnelley & Sons
​Publishing
​39,500
​$6,800
​-2.00%
453
​Northern Trust
​Financials
​18,800
$6,659
16.50%
481
​Old Republic
​International Financials
​9,000
​$6,022
​-3.90%