photo credit: peddhapati

Chicago officially became incorporated in 1837. Today, Chicago has 2.7 million residents, making it the most populous city in Illinois and the Midwest, and the third in the US. The Chicago metropolitan area, or “Chicagoland” is home to 9.5 million people; the third-largest in the US. The city is the fourth-largest gross domestic product in the world, ahead of London and Paris, but just behind Tokyo, New York City, and Los Angeles.  According to the Globalization and World Cities Research Network in 2012, Chicago ranks seventh in the world. Chicago’s airport, O’Hare International is the second-busiest airport in the world.  The city’s distinct features make it notable for various forms of popular culture in novels, plays, films, and songs. The city’s best known nicknames are the “Windy City” and “Second City.”

Chicago Metro Demographics

Population*: 2,087,725 (18+)
White American: 45%
African-American: 32.9%
Hispanic or Latino: 28.9%
Asian American: 5.5%
From two or more races: 2.7%
Native American: 0.5%
Median household income: $47,371

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Sports in Chicago

The Chicago Marathon has been held each year since 1977, the Chicago Marathon is one of six World Marathon Majors.

Events in Chicago

Most large-scale events in the market are held at the McCormick Place Chicago Convention Center.

Business and Education in Chicago

The city is home to six Fortune 500 companies. They are Boeing, United Continental Holdings, Exelon, Aon, R.R. Donnelley & Sons, and Telephone & Data Systems. Other companies of note headquartered in Chicago include Walgreen, Kraft Foods, Sears Holdings, Abbott Laboratories, United Continental, Allstate, McDonald’s, IL Tool Works, Navistar, Baxter, Motorola Mobility, Sara Lee, RR Donnelley, CDW, Motorola Solutions, Discover, Dover, W.W. Grainger, Tenneco, OfficeMax, Anixter, Ingredion, CF Industries, and United Stationers.

Advertising & PR agencies: (AD) Stylechicago, Fresh Design Studio, KTK Design Associates, Abelson Taylor, Gustafson-Shields Advertising, Bad Monkey Circus Ad Agency, Noble & Associates, RST Creatives, High Note Media, Inc., Cows in Trees, DG Fast Channel, Two by Four, Red Bird Sign Studio LLC, (PR) Mac Strategies Group, Jayson Associates Reputation Partners, 3Point Communications, Pietryla Enterprises, Inc, Lipman Hearne, Inc., Pims, Kyle Arnett & Associates, Jerry Thomas, and Dilenschneider Group.

Colleges: There are two public universities located within the city limits: University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), and Chicago State University (CSU). Private colleges in the city include The University of Chicago (UofC), Northwestern University(NU), Loyola University Chicago (LUC), Illinois Institute of Technology (ITT), DePaul University, Robert Morris University-Illinois, Saint Xavier University (SXU), Rush University, The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago, Catholic Theological Union, Moody Bible Institute, and the University of Chicago Divinity School.

Must see destinations in Chicago, IL 

For more information on Chicago, please visit the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce website.