As Chicago REALTORS®, we know what makes this city exceptional: the people, the culture, the lakefront, the iconic skyline and our 77 community areas. Just as important, though often less celebrated, is Chicago’s economic vitality.
Year after year, Chicago ranks as the number one U.S. metro for business expansion and relocation. With insights from World Business Chicago, we’ll explore what keeps our city on that list—and the developments and projects helping ensure we stay there.
STAY UPDATED
Chicago REALTORS® know that real estate decisions are shaped by more than listings and interest rates. Jobs, investment, development and neighborhood growth all influence how clients think about buying, selling and investing. World Business Chicago offers reports and resources that help REALTORS® stay informed on the economic trends shaping the city we know and love.
Economic Dashboard
Updated monthly, the Economic Dashboard is a snapshot of how the city and region are performing compared to peer metro areas in the areas of spending, trade and business, employment and more. For REALTORS®, it offers helpful context on the economic trends that shape buyer confidence, business investment, neighborhood insights and long-term market outlooks.
Chicago 2050: A Plan for Economic Growth & Jobs
World Business Chicago’s plan to ensure the Chicagoland area is an economically robust and culturally vibrant hub by growing the regional economy. REALTORS® can use the plan to understand where regional growth is headed and how future jobs, industries and investment may influence real estate demand.
Business Pulse Newsletter
World Business Chicago’s weekly
LinkedIn-published newsletter for original insights, data and news on Chicagoland’s economy. REALTORS® can use it to stay current on regional business trends and better connect economic news to what clients are seeing in the real estate market.
Laying The Groundwork
Chicago’s Economy
- $30 Billion: Projected investment pipeline in the city
- 151,000: Students entering the city’s job market each year
- 5.0 million: People in the Chicagoland area workforce
- 4.9%: Unemployment rate in the city, which is down 5.1% from 2024
Chicago’s Competitive Advantages
- Centralized Geographical Location: Sits in between the east and west coasts and is a midpoint between Canada and Mexico
- Diversified Economy: No single industry that makes up more than 13% of the economy
- Infrastructure: Home of O’Hare International Airport, inland ports and rail hubs
- Affordability: Cheaper in comparison to other coastal cities
- Cultural Vibrancy: Hub for artists, sports teams, experimental businesses, restaurants and more
- World Class Education & Research Institutes: Chicagoland is the headquarters of Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab and nearly 100 colleges and universities
Upcoming City Investments
QUANTUM SHORE CHICAGO
IN DEVELOPMENT
National quantum computing campus on the city’s former U.S. Steel site. With computing power 22,000 times faster than today’s machines, this is a world-changing facility.
LOCATION: SOUTH SHORE
OBAMA PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
NOW OPEN
President Barack Obama’s presidential center, featuring a museum, gardens, gathering spaces, a public library branch and more, which will celebrate history while shaping the future.
LOCATION: WOODLAWN
26-STORY WOODLAWN HOTEL
PLANNING APPROVED
This development, planned for 64th St.
and Stony Island Ave., will be designed
by Stantec Architecture Inc., Chicago. This is the first major hotel in Woodlawn in decades, signaling lasting investment confidence in the neighborhood.
LOCATION: WOODLAWN
1901 PROJECT
BROKE GROUND
A major mixed-use redevelopment led by the Bulls & Blackhawks at the United Center campus on West Madison.
LOCATION: NEAR WEST SIDE
GOOGLE MIDWEST HQ
OPENING 2027
Google’s regional headquarters will open next year, a landmark signal for tech investment — and for workforce housing demand downtown.
LOCATION: LOOP
LASALLE REIMAGINED
ONGOING
Conversion of underutilized LaSalle Street office towers into mixed-use residential and retail. This will create a new inventory pipeline for downtown buyers.
LOCATION: LOOP
CHICAGO FIRE FC STADIUM
BREAKING GROUND IN 2026
A new stadium in the South Loop that will bring retail, hospitality and residential development into this neighborhood.
LOCATION: NEAR SOUTH SIDE
UNIVERSAL HORROR UNLEASHED
IN DEVELOPMENT
Universal’s first Chicago entertainment venue, located on Halsted, will be a year-round tourism anchor.
LOCATION: NEAR NORTH SIDE
360 CHICAGO EXPANSION
OPENING 2027
Tens of millions of dollars have been invested in making the top of Hancock the city’s signature special occasion destination again.
LOCATION: NEAR NORTH SIDE
O’HARE ORD NEXT
IN DEVELOPMENT
Major modernization of one of the world’s busiest airports. This infrastructure upgrade will create a citywide economic lift and potential spillover for O’Hare corridor real estate.
LOCATION: O’HARE/NORTHWEST SIDE
NORTHWESTERN
OUTPATIENT CENTER
NOW OPEN
This new outpatient facility is expanding Northwestern’s footprint. The medical corridor investment is driving housing demand for healthcare workers.
LOCATION: DOUGLAS
XCHANGE CHICAGO & SDI PRESENCE CHICAGO STATE UNIVERSITY
NOW OPEN/IN PLANNING
A major IT reshoring and institutional
expansion on the South Side. The Chicago State University campus reconstruction will bring academic investment to the community.
LOCATION: GREATER GRAND CROSSING