Chicago metropolitan area

{{Short description|Metropolitan area in the United States}} {{redirect|Chicagoland}} {{Use American English|date=January 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}} {{Infobox settlement | name = Chicago (Chicagoland) metropolitan area | official_name = Chicago–Naperville, IL–IN–WI Combined Statistical Area | settlement_type = [[Conurbation]] | image_skyline = {{multiple image | perrow = 1/2/2 | border = infobox | total_width = 280 | image1 = Chicago sunrise 1.jpg | image2 = Chicago at Night (28824229986).jpg | image3 = Evanston, IL Aerial View.jpg | image4 = Downtown Naperville Aerial.jpg | image5 = Downer Place, Aurora, IL.jpg }} | imagesize = | image_alt = Chicago city | image_caption = From top, left to right: [[Chicago skyline]] from Lakefront Trail at [[Northerly Island]] during sunrise, view of [[Gold Coast (Chicago)|Gold Coast]], aerial view [[Evanston, Illinois|Evanston]], Downtown [[Naperville]], view of Downtown [[Aurora, Illinois|Aurora]] | flag_alt = | image_seal = | seal_alt = | image_shield = | shield_alt = | nickname = | motto = | pushpin_map = | pushpin_label_position = | pushpin_map_alt = | pushpin_map_caption = | coordinates = | mapsize = 350px | image_map = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=290|frame-height=240|zoom=7|frame-coord={{coord|41.7700|-88.0900}} | type1=shape|id1=Q108418|title1=Cook County, IL|stroke-color1=#0B162A|stroke-width1=0.5|fill1=#0B162A|fill-opacity1=0.4 | type2=shape|id2=Q109626|title2=DuPage County, IL|stroke-color2=#0B162A|stroke-width2=0.5|fill2=#0B162A|fill-opacity2=0.4 | type3=shape|id3=Q261380|title3=Grundy County, IL|stroke-color3=#0B162A|stroke-width3=0.5|fill3=#0B162A|fill-opacity3=0.4 | type4=shape|id4=Q487403|title4=McHenry County, IL|stroke-color4=#0B162A|stroke-width4=0.5|fill4=#0B162A|fill-opacity4=0.4 | type5=shape|id5=Q483942|title5=Will County, IL|stroke-color5=#0B162A|stroke-width5=0.5|fill5=#0B162A|fill-opacity5=0.4 | type6=shape|id6=Q111613|title6=DeKalb County, IL|stroke-color6=#FF0000|stroke-width6=0.5|fill6=#FF0000|fill-opacity6=0.4 | type7=shape|id7=Q486112|title7=Kane County, IL|stroke-color7=#FF0000|stroke-width7=0.5|fill7=#FF0000|fill-opacity7=0.4 | type8=shape|id8=Q112512|title8=Kendall County, IL|stroke-color8=#FF0000|stroke-width8=0.5|fill8=#FF0000|fill-opacity8=0.4 | type9=shape|id9=Q484263|title9=Lake County, IL|stroke-color9=#720000|stroke-width9=0.5|fill9=#720000|fill-opacity9=0.4 | type10=shape|id10=Q506768|title10=Jasper County, IN|stroke-color10=#1AA000|stroke-width10=0.5|fill10=#1AA000|fill-opacity10=0.4 | type11=shape|id11=Q512951|title11=Lake County, IN|stroke-color11=#1AA000|stroke-width11=0.5|fill11=#1AA000|fill-opacity11=0.4 | type12=shape|id12=Q367632|title12=Newton County, IN|stroke-color12=#1AA000|stroke-width12=0.5|fill12=#1AA000|fill-opacity12=0.4 | type13=shape|id13=Q506752|title13=Porter County, IN|stroke-color13=#1AA000|stroke-width13=0.5|fill13=#1AA000|fill-opacity13=0.4 | type14=shape|id14=Q495315|title14=Kenosha County, WI|stroke-color14=#FF9200|stroke-width14=0.5|fill14=#FF9200|fill-opacity14=0.4 | type15=shape|id15=Q109518|title15=Bureau County, IL|stroke-color15=#FF00FF|stroke-width15=0.5|fill15=#FF00FF|fill-opacity15=0.4 | type16=shape|id16=Q487003|title16=LaSalle County, IL|stroke-color16=#FF00FF|stroke-width16=0.5|fill16=#FF00FF|fill-opacity16=0.4 | type17=shape|id17=Q494579|title17=Putnam County, IL|stroke-color17=#FF00FF|stroke-width17=0.5|fill17=#FF00FF|fill-opacity17=0.4 | type18=shape|id18=Q24648|title18=LaPorte County, IN|stroke-color18=#FBBF00|stroke-width18=0.5|fill18=#FFFF00|fill-opacity18=0.4 | type19=shape|id19=Q494485|title19=Kankakee County, IL|stroke-color19=#586169|stroke-width19=0.5|fill19=#586169|fill-opacity19=0.4 | type20=shape|id20=Q1297|title20=City of Chicago|stroke-color20=#007272|stroke-width20=0.5|fill20=#007272|fill-opacity20=0.6 }} | map_alt = Map of Chicagoland | map_caption = Map of Chicago–Naperville, IL–IN–WI [[Combined statistical area|CSA]] {{Col-begin}} {{Col-break}} {{leftlegend|#007272|[[City of Chicago]]}} Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL–IN [[Metropolitan statistical area|MSA]] {{leftlegend|#6E7F80|Chicago–Naperville–Schaumburg, IL}} {{leftlegend|#FF0000|Elgin, IL [[Metropolitan Statistical Area|Metropolitan Division]]}} {{leftlegend|#C39290|Lake County, IL Metropolitan Division}} {{leftlegend|#1AA000|Lake County–Porter Cty–Jasper Cty, IN}} Other Statistical Areas in the Chicago CSA {{leftlegend|#FF9200|Kenosha, WI MSA}} {{leftlegend|#FF00FF|Ottawa, IL [[µSA]]}} {{leftlegend|#FFFF00|Michigan City–La Porte, IN MSA}} {{leftlegend|#8E9A80|Kankakee, IL MSA}} {{Col-end}} | coor_pinpoint = | coordinates_footnotes = | subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]] | subdivision_name = {{Flagu|United States}} | subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|States]] | subdivision_name1 = {{Flag|Illinois}} {{Flag|Indiana}} {{Flag|Wisconsin}} | subdivision_type2 = | subdivision_name2 = | seat_type = [[Core city]] | seat = {{flag|Chicago}} | parts_type = [[Satellite cities]] | parts = {{plainlist| *  - [[Aurora, Illinois|Aurora]] *  - [[Elgin, Illinois|Elgin]] *  - [[Crystal Lake, Illinois|Crystal Lake]] *  - [[Joliet, Illinois|Joliet]] *  - [[Naperville, Illinois|Naperville]] *  - [[Evanston, Illinois|Evanston]] *  - [[Schaumburg, Illinois|Schaumburg]] *  - [[Waukegan, Illinois|Waukegan]] *  - [[Kankakee, Illinois|Kankakee]] *  - [[Gary, Indiana|Gary]] *  - [[Hammond, Indiana|Hammond]] *  - [[Michigan City, Indiana|Michigan City]] *  - [[Kenosha, Wisconsin|Kenosha]] }} | established_title = | established_date = | founder = | government_footnotes = | leader_party = | leader_title = | leader_name = | unit_pref = US | area_footnotes = | area_magnitude = | area_total_sq_mi = | area_total_acre = | area_land_sq_mi = | area_land_acre = | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_acre = | area_water_percent = | area_urban_sq_mi = | area_urban_acre = | area_rural_sq_mi = | area_rural_acre = | area_metro_sq_mi = 10,856 | area_metro_acre = | area_rank = | area_blank1_title = | area_blank1_sq_mi = | area_blank1_acre = | area_blank2_title =  | area_blank2_sq_mi =  | area_blank2_acre = | area_note = | dimensions_footnotes = | length_mi = | width_mi = | elevation_min_ft = 579 | elevation_max_footnotes = <ref name="1,190"/> | elevation_min_footnotes = <ref name="1,190">{{cite web|title=Elevations of the 50 Largest Cities|url=http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb//pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#50|publisher=U.S. Geological Survey|access-date=January 23, 2016|quote=Chicago city proper only|archive-date=November 9, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109183109/http://egsc.usgs.gov/isb//pubs/booklets/elvadist/elvadist.html#50|url-status=dead}}</ref> | population_blank1_title = [[Metropolitan statistical area|Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)]] (2022) | population_blank1 = 9441957<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/library/visualizations/interactive/2020-population-and-housing-state-data.html |title=2020 Population and Housing State Data |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division |date=August 12, 2021 |access-date=November 19, 2021}}</ref> ([[List of Metropolitan Statistical Areas|3rd]]) | population_blank2_title = [[Combined Statistical Area|Combined Statistical Area (CSA)]] (2022) | population_blank2 = 9806184 <ref>{{cite web|url=http://citypopulation.de/en/usa/combmetro/|title=USA: Combined Metropolitan Areas|publisher=CityPopulation.de|date=August 2021|access-date=November 19, 2021}}</ref> ([[List of Combined Statistical Areas|4th]]) | population_footnotes = | population_demonym = Chicagolander | population_density_sq_mi = 886 | demographics_type2 = GDP | demographics2_footnotes = <ref>{{Cite web|title=Total Gross Domestic Product for Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI (MSA)|url=https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/NGMP16980|work=[[Federal Reserve Economic Data]] |publisher=[[Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis]]}}</ref> | demographics2_title1 = [[Metropolitan statistical area|Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)]] | demographics2_info1 = $923.120 billion (2024) | demographics2_title2 = [[Combined Statistical Area|Combined Statistical Area (CSA)]] | demographics2_info2 = $957.552 billion (2024) | timezone1 = [[Central Time Zone|CST]] | utc_offset1 = −6 | timezone1_DST = [[Central Time Zone|CDT]] | utc_offset1_DST = −5 | postal_code_type = | postal_code = | area_code = [[Area code 219|219]], [[Area code 224|224]]/[[Area code 847|847]], [[Area code 262|262]], [[Area code 312|312]]/[[Area code 872|872]], [[Area code 331|331]]/[[Area code 630|630]], [[Area code 574|574]], [[Area code 464|464]]/[[Area code 708|708]], [[Area code 773|773]]/[[Area code 872|872]] and [[Area code 779|779]]/[[Area code 815|815]] | area_code_type = [[North American Numbering Plan|Area codes]] | iso_code = | website =  | footnotes = | etymology = | area_urban_footnotes =  | area_rural_footnotes =  | area_metro_footnotes =  | elevation_max_ft = 673 }}

The '''Chicago metropolitan area''', also known as '''Chicagoland''', is the largest [[metropolitan statistical area|metropolitan area]] in the [[U.S. state]] of [[Illinois]] and in the [[Midwestern United States|Midwest]]. The metropolitan area contains the [[Chicago|City of Chicago]] along with its surrounding suburbs, satellite cities, and [[hinterland]], spanning 13 [[counties]] across northeast [[Illinois]] and northwest [[Indiana]]. The MSA had a 2020 census population of 9,618,502, and the combined statistical area, which spans 19 counties and extends into southeast [[Wisconsin]], had a population of nearly 10 million.<ref name=PopEstCSA>{{cite web |url= https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2010-2019/metro/totals/csa-est2019-annres.xlsx|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Combined Statistical Areas in the United States and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019 (CSA-EST2019-ANNRES)| publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]], Population Division| date= March 2020|access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref><ref name=PopEstMSA>{{cite web| url= https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/tables/2010-2019/metro/totals/cbsa-met-est2019-annres.xlsx|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the United States and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2019 (CBSA-MET-EST2019-ANNRES)|publisher= United States Census Bureau, Population Division|date=March 2020|access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref> The Chicago area is the [[metropolitan statistical area|third-largest metropolitan area]] in the United States, the fourth-largest in [[North America]] (after Mexico City, New York City, and Los Angeles), and the largest in the [[Great Lakes megalopolis]]. Its urban area is the [[List of urban areas by population|50th-largest in the world]].

According to the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], Chicagoland's population is approaching 10 million. The metropolitan area has seen a substantial increase of [[Latinos|Latin American]] residents on top of its already large Latino population, and the [[Asian American]] population also increased. The metro area has a large number of [[European Americans|White]], [[African American|Black]], [[Hispanic and Latino Americans|Latino]], [[Asian American|Asian]], and [[Arab American]] residents, and also has [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] residents. The Chicago metropolitan area has about 3 percent of the U.S. population.

Chicagoland has one of the world's largest and most diversified economies. With more than six million full and part-time employees, the Chicago metropolitan area is a key factor of the Illinois economy. The state has an annual GDP of over $1 trillion,<ref>{{cite web |title=CAEMP25N Total Full-Time and Part-Time Employment by NAICS Industry 1/ 2018 |url=https://apps.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?reqid=70&step=1&isuri=1&acrdn=7#reqid=70&step=1&isuri=1&acrdn=7 |publisher=Bureau of Economic Analysis |access-date=May 5, 2020 |date=November 14, 2019}}</ref> and the Chicago metropolitan area generated an annual [[gross regional product]] (GRP) of approximately $700 billion in 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=CAGDP1 Gross Domestic Product (GDP) summary by county and metropolitan area 2018 |url=https://apps.bea.gov/iTable/iTable.cfm?reqid=70&step=1&isuri=1&acrdn=7#reqid=70&step=1&isuri=1&acrdn=7 |publisher=Bureau of Economic Analysis |access-date=May 5, 2020 |date=December 12, 2019}}</ref> The region is home to more than 400 major corporate headquarters, including 31 in the [[Fortune 500|''Fortune'' 500]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.worldbusinesschicago.com/economy/ |title=Economy|website=Worldbusinesschicago.com|access-date=October 3, 2017}}</ref> such as McDonald's, United, and Blue Cross Blue Shield. With many companies having project engagements in Chicago, the area ranked as the nation's top metropolitan area for corporation relocations and expansions for nine consecutive years, the most consecutive years for any region in the country.<ref>{{cite web |title=Chicago Named Nation's Top Metro Area for Corporate Relocation For the Sixth Straight Year |url=http://www.worldbusinesschicago.com/chicago-named-nations-top-metro-area-for-corporate-relocation-for-the-sixth-straight-year/ |website=World Business Chicago |access-date=July 21, 2019 |date=March 25, 2019}}</ref> This metric however only measures project engagements, not real GDP or job growth, areas in which Chicago has substantially underperformed many other major metropolitan areas throughout the country over the past decade.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tracking Economic Underperformance in Counties Across the U.S. and Seventh District States - Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago |url=https://www.chicagofed.org/publications/chicago-fed-letter/2025/511 |access-date=2025-10-29 |website=www.chicagofed.org |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Chicago Area Employment — November 2024 |url=https://www.bls.gov/regions/midwest/news-release/areaemployment_chicago.htm |access-date=2025-10-29 |website=Bureau of Labor Statistics |language=en}}</ref> There have been numerous high-profile companies — including several Fortune 500 firms — that have departed the city in recent years, such as [[Boeing]], [[Caterpillar Inc.|Caterpillar]], [[TTX Company|TTX]], [[Citadel Securities]] and [[Tyson Foods|Tyson]], primarily due to unfavorable tax and regulatory conditions, as well as concerns related to crime and overall quality of life.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Josko |first=Patrick Andriesen, Jon |date=2025-08-20 |title=Chicago businesses fall to 10-year low, Mag Mile down by half |url=https://www.illinoispolicy.org/chicago-businesses-fall-to-10-year-low-mag-mile-down-by-half/ |access-date=2025-10-29 |website=Illinois Policy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Copied! |date=2024-04-12 |title=While Ken Griffin drops big bucks on Florida, Chicago left with philanthropic hole |url=https://www.craincurrency.com/philanthropy/while-ken-griffin-drops-big-bucks-florida-chicago-left-philanthropic-hole |access-date=2025-10-29 |website=Crain Currency |language=en-US}}</ref> According to [[McDonald's]] CEO [[Chris Kempczinski]] these factors have significantly hindered the company's ability to recruit talent for corporate roles at its Chicago headquarters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wiener-Bronner |first=Danielle |date=2022-09-15 |title=McDonald's CEO sounds the alarm over crime in Chicago {{!}} CNN Business |url=https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/15/business/mcdonalds-ceo-chicago-crime |access-date=2025-10-29 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>

The Chicago area is home to a number of the nation's leading [[research universities]], including the [[University of Chicago]], [[Northwestern University]], the [[University of Illinois at Chicago]], [[DePaul University]], [[Loyola University Chicago|Loyola University]], and the [[Illinois Institute of Technology]] (IIT). The University of Chicago and Northwestern University are consistently ranked as two of the world's best universities.

There are many transportation options around the region. Chicagoland has three separate rail networks: the [[Chicago Transit Authority]] (CTA), [[Metra]], and the [[South Shore Line]]. The CTA operates elevated and subway lines that run primarily in the city, [[Downtown Chicago]], and some suburbs. The CTA operates some of its rail lines 24 hours a day, every day of the year, nonstop, making Chicago one of only three cities in the world (alongside New York City and Copenhagen) to offer 24-hour nonstop rail service everyday throughout their city limits. The Metra [[commuter rail]] network runs numerous lines between Downtown Chicago and suburban/satellite cities, with one line stretching to [[Kenosha, Wisconsin]]. The [[interurban]] South Shore Line runs between Downtown Chicago and the northwest Indiana portion of the metropolitan area. In addition, [[Amtrak]]'s [[Union Station (Chicago)|Union Station]] in Downtown Chicago is one of its largest hubs, with numerous lines radiating to and from it.

CTA bus routes serve the city proper, with some service into the suburbs. [[Pace (transit)|Pace]] bus routes serve the suburbs, with some service into the city. In addition, numerous CTA bus routes operate 24 hours a day, nonstop.

==Definitions== ===Chicago Metropolitan statistical area=== [[File:Chicago CSA.svg|thumb|The Chicago–Naperville, IL–IN–WI Combined Statistical Area as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget: {{Legend|#b00000|Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL–IN–WI MSA}} {{Legend|#33a02c|Michigan City–La Porte, IN MSA}} {{Legend|#ff7f00|Kankakee, IL MSA}} {{Legend|#1f78b4|Ottawa, IL MSA}}]] The Chicago [[metropolitan statistical area]] (MSA) was originally designated by the United States Census Bureau in 1950. It comprised the [[Illinois]] counties of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and Will, along with Lake County in [[Indiana]]. As surrounding counties saw an increase in their population densities and the number of their residents employed within Cook County, they met Census criteria to be added to the MSA. The Chicago MSA, now defined by the U.S. [[Office of Management and Budget]] (OMB) as the '''Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL–IN–WI Metropolitan Statistical Area''', is the third-largest MSA by population in the United States. The 2022 census estimate for the population of the MSA was 9,441,957.<ref name="csa pop">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2020s-total-metro-and-micro-statistical-areas.html|title=Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2021|website=Census.gov|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=February 12, 2023}}</ref>

The Chicago MSA is further subdivided into four metropolitan divisions. A breakdown of the county constituents and 2021 estimated populations of the four metropolitan divisions of the MSA are as follows:<ref name="csa pop" />

{{div col}} Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL–IN–WI Metropolitan Statistical Area (9,509,934) * ''Chicago–Naperville–Schaumburg, IL Metropolitan Division'' (7,159,394) ** [[Cook County, Illinois]] (5,173,146) ** [[DuPage County, Illinois]] (924,885) ** [[Grundy County, Illinois]] (52,989) ** [[McHenry County, Illinois]] (311,122) ** [[Will County, Illinois]] (697,252) * ''Elgin, IL Metropolitan Division'' (750,869) ** [[DeKalb County, Illinois]] (100,414) ** [[Kane County, Illinois]] (515,588) ** [[Kendall County, Illinois]] (134,867) * ''Lake County, IL Metropolitan Division'' (711,239) ** [[Lake County, Illinois]] (711,239) * ''Lake County–Porter County–Jasper County, IN Metropolitan Division'' (719,700) ** [[Jasper County, Indiana]] (33,091) ** [[Lake County, Indiana]] (498,558) ** [[Newton County, Indiana]] (13,808) ** [[Porter County, Indiana]] (174,243) {{div col end}}

===Combined statistical area=== The OMB also defines a slightly larger region as a [[combined statistical area]] (CSA). The '''Chicago–Naperville, IL–IN–WI Combined Statistical Area''' combines the following [[core-based statistical area]]s, listed with their 2021 estimated populations. The combined statistical area as a whole had a population of 9,806,184 as of 2022.<ref name="csa pop" />

* ''Chicago–Naperville–Elgin, IL–IN–WI metropolitan statistical area'' (9,509,934) * ''Kankakee, IL metropolitan statistical area'' (106,601) ** [[Kankakee County, Illinois]] (106,601) * ''Michigan City–La Porte, IN metropolitan statistical area'' (112,390) ** [[LaPorte County, Indiana]] (112,390) * ''Kenosha, WI metropolitan statistical area'' ** [[Kenosha County, Wisconsin]] * ''Ottawa, IL micropolitan statistical area'' (147,414) ** [[Bureau County, Illinois]] (32,883) ** [[LaSalle County, Illinois]] (108,965) ** [[Putnam County, Illinois]] (5,566)

===United Nations' Chicago urban agglomeration=== The Chicago [[urban agglomeration]], according to the [[United Nations]] ''World Urbanization Prospects'' report (2023 revision), lists a population of 8,937,000.<ref>{{cite web |title=The World's Cities in 2018 |url=https://www.un.org/en/events/citiesday/assets/pdf/the_worlds_cities_in_2018_data_booklet.pdf |publisher=United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division |access-date=May 5, 2020}}</ref> The term "urban agglomeration" refers to the population contained within the contours of a contiguous territory inhabited at [[urban density]] levels. It usually incorporates the population in a city, plus that in the contiguous urban, or built-up area.

===Chicagoland=== [[File:Chicagoland Counties.JPG|thumb|350px|Chicagoland by county and state as defined by the Construction Data Company<ref name=CDCo/>]] [[File:Chicagoland Map.svg|thumb|200px|A map of Chicagoland in relation to the states of Wisconsin, Illinois, and Indiana]] Chicagoland is an informal name for the Chicago metropolitan area. The term ''Chicagoland'' has no official definition, and the region is often considered to include areas beyond the corresponding MSA, as well as portions of the greater CSA.{{citation needed|date=July 2015}}

[[Robert R. McCormick|Colonel Robert R. McCormick]], editor and publisher of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', usually gets credit for placing the term in common use.<ref name="eoc">{{cite encyclopedia|url=http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/2.html|title=Chicagoland|last=Fuller|first=Jack|year=2005|encyclopedia=The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago |publisher=Chicago Historical Society|access-date=February 20, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,779077,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080918050655/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,779077,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 18, 2008|title=The Press: The Colonel's Century|date=June 9, 1947|magazine=TIME|access-date=February 20, 2010}}</ref> McCormick's conception of Chicagoland stretched all the way to nearby parts of four states (Indiana, [[Wisconsin]], [[Michigan]], and [[Iowa]]).<ref name="eoc"/> The first usage was in the ''Tribune'''s July 27, 1926, front page headline, "Chicagoland's Shrines: A Tour of Discoveries", for an article by reporter [[James O'Donnell Bennett]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/451302862.html?dids=451302862:451302862&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jul+27%2C+1926&author=JAMES+O%27DONNELL+BENNETT&pub=Chicago+Daily+Tribune+(1923-1963)&edition=&startpage=1&desc=CHICAGOLAND%27S+SHRINES%3A+A+TOUR+OF+DISCOVERIES|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100910153555/http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/451302862.html?dids=451302862:451302862&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&type=historic&date=Jul+27%2C+1926&author=JAMES+O%27DONNELL+BENNETT&pub=Chicago+Daily+Tribune+(1923-1963)&edition=&startpage=1&desc=CHICAGOLAND%27S+SHRINES%3A+A+TOUR+OF+DISCOVERIES|url-status=dead|archive-date=September 10, 2010|title=Chicagoland's Shrines: A Tour of Discoveries|last=O'Donnell Bennett|first=James|date=July 27, 1926|work=Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963)|access-date=February 20, 2010}}</ref> He stated that Chicagoland comprised everything in a {{convert|200|mi|km|adj=on}} radius in every direction and reported on many different places in the area. The ''Tribune'' was the dominant newspaper in a vast area stretching to the west of the city, and that [[hinterland]] was closely tied to the metropolis by rail lines and commercial links.<ref>Cronon (1992); Keating (2005); Keating (2004)</ref>

Today, the ''Chicago Tribune'''s usage includes the city of Chicago, the rest of [[Cook County]], eight nearby Illinois counties (Lake, [[McHenry County, Illinois|McHenry]], [[DuPage County, Illinois|DuPage]], [[Kane County, Illinois|Kane]], [[Kendall County, Illinois|Kendall]], [[Grundy County, Illinois|Grundy]], [[Will County, Illinois|Will]], and [[Kankakee County, Illinois|Kankakee]]), and the two Indiana counties of Lake and [[Porter County, Indiana|Porter]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagotribune.com/classified/realestate/communities/ |title=Classifieds map of Chicagoland |publisher=Chicagotribune.com |access-date=May 30, 2011}}</ref> Illinois Department of Tourism literature uses ''Chicagoland'' for suburbs in Cook, Lake, DuPage, Kane, and Will counties,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.enjoyillinois.com/plan-your-trip/road-trip-itineraries/|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061110194948/http://www.enjoyillinois.com/3-day/regionchicagoland.aspx|title=Road Trips & Scenic Drives in Illinois|archivedate=November 10, 2006|website=Enjoy Illinois}}</ref> treating the city separately. The [[Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce]] defines it as all of Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will counties.<ref>{{cite web|title=About Chicagoland|url=http://chicagolandchamber.org/wdk_cc/chicagoland/chicagoland_landing_page.jsp|publisher=Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce|access-date=October 25, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131029205946/http://chicagolandchamber.org/wdk_cc/chicagoland/chicagoland_landing_page.jsp|archive-date=October 29, 2013}}</ref>

In addition, company marketing programs such as Construction Data Company's<ref name=CDCo>{{cite web |url=http://www.bidtool.net/products/coveragearea.aspx |title=Bidtool Coverage area: Chicago, Indiana, Wisconsin, Colorado, Kentucky project leads |publisher=Bidtool.net |access-date=May 30, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110715111913/http://www.bidtool.net/products/coveragearea.aspx |archive-date=July 15, 2011 }}</ref> "Chicago and Vicinity" region and the [[Chicago Automobile Trade Association]]'s ''"Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana"'' advertising campaign are directed at the MSA itself, as well as LaSalle, [[Winnebago County, Illinois|Winnebago]] ([[Rockford, Illinois|Rockford]]), [[Boone County, Illinois|Boone]], and [[Ogle County, Illinois|Ogle]] counties in Illinois, in addition to [[Jasper County, Indiana|Jasper]], [[Newton County, Indiana|Newton]], and [[La Porte County, Indiana|La Porte]] counties in Indiana and [[Kenosha County, Wisconsin|Kenosha]], [[Racine County, Wisconsin|Racine]], and [[Walworth County, Wisconsin|Walworth]] counties in Wisconsin, and even as far northeast as [[Berrien County, Michigan]]. The region is part of the [[Great Lakes Megalopolis]], containing an estimated 55 million people.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hill |first=Alex B. |date=September 14, 2021 |title=Mapping the Great Lakes: Defining the region … with three maps |url=https://www.greatlakesnow.org/2021/09/map-region-definitions-great-lakes |website=Great Lakes Now}}</ref>

===Collar counties=== The term "[[collar counties]]" is a [[colloquialism]] for the five counties (DuPage, Kane, Lake, [[McHenry County, Illinois|McHenry]], and Will) of Illinois that border Chicago's Cook County. After Cook County, they are also the next five most populous counties in the state. According to the ''Encyclopedia of Chicago'', there is no specifically known origin of the phrase, but it has been commonly used among policy makers, urban planners, and in the media. However, it also notes that as growth has spread beyond these counties, it may have lost some of its usefulness.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/3.html|title=Collar Counties|website=The Electronic Encyclopedia of Chicago| first=Richard D.|last=Mariner|date=July 10, 2018|publisher=Chicago Historical Society (2005), Newberry Library (2004)| location=Chicago, IL}}</ref>

===Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning=== {{Main|Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning}}

Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP) is an Illinois state agency responsible for transportation infrastructure, land use, and long-term economic development planning for the areas under its jurisdiction within Illinois.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.chicagoareaplanning.org/about/default.asp |title=Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning |publisher=Chicagoareaplanning.org |access-date=May 30, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20060812133837/http://www.chicagoareaplanning.org/about/default.asp |archive-date=August 12, 2006 }}</ref> The planning area has a population of over 8 million, which includes the following locations in Illinois:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cmap.illinois.gov/about |title=About - CMAP |publisher=Cmap.illinois.gov |access-date=September 7, 2015}}</ref> {{div col}} * [[Cook County]] * [[DuPage County]] * [[Kane County, Illinois|Kane County]] * [[Kendall County, Illinois|Kendall County]] * [[Lake County, Illinois|Lake County]] * [[McHenry County, Illinois|McHenry County]] * [[Will County]] {{div col end}} {{clear}}

{{wide image|Panorama of North Avenue Beach.jpg|1100px|Panorama of North Avenue Beach|align-cap=center}}

==Geography and environment== {{further|Geography of Chicago}}[[File:ISS067-E-151549 Chicago metropolitan area.jpg|thumb|Taken from the ISS on {{nowrap|June 23, 2022}}; downtown Chicago is at the center by the lake.]]

The city of Chicago lies in the Chicago Plain, a flat and broad area characterized by little topographical relief. The few low hills are sand ridges. North of the Chicago Plain, steep bluffs and ravines run alongside Lake Michigan.

Along the southern shore of the Chicago Plain, sand dunes run alongside the lake. The tallest dunes reach up to near {{convert|200|ft|m}} and are found in [[Indiana Dunes National Park]]. Surrounding the low plain are bands of [[moraine]]s in the south and west suburbs. These areas are higher and hillier than the Chicago Plain. A [[Chicago Portage|continental divide]], separating the [[Mississippi River]] watershed from that of the [[Great Lakes]] and [[Saint Lawrence River]], runs through the Chicago area.

A 2012 survey of the urban trees and forests in the seven county Illinois section of the Chicago area found that 21% of the land is covered by the tree and shrub canopy, made up of about 157,142,000 trees. The five most common tree species are [[Rhamnus cathartica|buckthorn]], [[green ash]], [[boxelder]], [[black cherry]], and [[American elm]]. These resources perform important functions in carbon storage, water recycling, and energy saving.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/44566 |title=Urban trees and forests of the Chicago region |publisher=Nrs.fs.fed.us |date=September 17, 2013 |doi=10.2737/NRS-RB-84 |access-date=September 7, 2015|last1=Nowak |first1=David J. |last2=Hoehn |first2=Robert E. III |last3=Bodine |first3=Allison R. |last4=Crane |first4=Daniel E. |last5=Dwyer |first5=John F. |last6=Bonnewell |first6=Veta |last7=Watson |first7=Gary. }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mortonarb.org/science-conservation/regional-trees-initiative/regional-tree-census |title=Regional Tree Census | The Morton Arboretum |publisher=Mortonarb.org |access-date=September 7, 2015 |archive-date=May 15, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150515042329/http://www.mortonarb.org/science-conservation/regional-trees-initiative/regional-tree-census |url-status=dead }}</ref>

{{Panorama | image = File:Chicagoland night aerial, Gary through Kenosha.jpg | height = 400 | alt = The [[Chicago]] skyline | caption = {{center|Night aerial view of Chicago and vicinity}} }}

==Demographics== [[File:Population Density in the Chicago Urban Area in 2020.png|thumb|Population density in the Chicago urban area]]

=== Race and ethnicity === As of 2022, the metropolitan area had a population of 9,442,159. The population density was 1,312.3 per square mile. The racial makeup was 50.1% Non-Hispanic White, 23.4% were Hispanic, 15.5% were Non-Hispanic African Americans, 7.2% were Asian, 0.1% were Non-Hispanic Native American, 0.4% identified as “some other race,” and 3.2% were non-Hispanic multiracial.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B03002 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B03002&geo_ids=31000US16980&primary_geo_id=31000US16980 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref>

=== Ancestry === According to 2023 estimates from the [[American Community Survey]], the largest ancestries in the Chicago metro area were [[Mexican Americans|Mexican]] (18.3%), [[African Americans|African]] (17.7%), [[German Americans|German]] (12.6%), [[Irish Americans|Irish]] (9.9%), [[Polish-Americans in Chicago|Polish]] (7.8%), [[Italian Americans|Italian]] (6.2%), [[English Americans|English]] (4.8%), [[Indian Americans in Chicago|Indian]] (2.7%), [[Puerto Ricans|Puerto Rican]] (2.2%), [[Filipino Americans|Filipino]] (1.7%), [[Swedish Americans|Swedish]] (1.5%), and [[Chinese Americans|Chinese]] (1.5%).<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B04006 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B04006&geo_ids=31000US16980&primary_geo_id=31000US16980 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B02018 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B02018&geo_ids=31000US16980&primary_geo_id=31000US16980 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B03001 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B03001&geo_ids=31000US16980&primary_geo_id=31000US16980 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B02009 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B02009&geo_ids=31000US16980&primary_geo_id=31000US16980 |access-date=June 29, 2024 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable sortable" !Ancestry !Number in 2023 (Alone)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B04004 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B04004&geo_ids=31000US16980&primary_geo_id=31000US16980#valueType%7Cestimate |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Grid View: Table B02015 - Census Reporter |url=https://censusreporter.org/data/table/?table=B02015&geo_ids=31000US16980&primary_geo_id=31000US16980 |access-date=2025-04-23 |website=censusreporter.org}}</ref> !Number as of 2023 (Alone or in any combination)<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> !% Total |- |[[Mexican Americans|Mexican]] |— |1,702,582 |18.4% |- |[[African Americans|Black or African American]] (Including Afro-Caribbean & Sub-Saharan African) |1,454,774 |1,640,932 |17.7% |- |[[German Americans|German]] |258,719 |1,171,467 |12.6% |- |[[Irish Americans|Irish]] |228,668 |920,413 |9.9% |- |[[Polish-Americans in Chicago|Polish]] |308,727 |721,538 |7.8% |- |[[Italian Americans|Italian]] |171,860 |573,170 |6.2% |- |[[English Americans|English]] |111,705 |448,481 |4.8% |- |[[Indian Americans in Chicago|Indian]] |233,793 |248,606 |2.7% |- |[[American ancestry|American]] (Mostly [[Old Stock Americans|old-stock]] white Americans of British descent) |160,656 |224,204 |2.4% |- |[[Puerto Ricans in Chicago|Puerto Rican]] |— |206,682 |2.2% |- |[[Filipino Americans in Chicago|Filipino]] |121,749 |157,730 |1.7% |- |[[Swedish Americans|Swedish]] |26,644 |143,476 |1.5% |- |[[Chinese Americans|Chinese]] |113,354 |137,286 |1.5% |- |[[French Americans|French]] |10,665 |106,879 |1.2% |- |[[Dutch Americans|Dutch]] |28,209 |96,060 |1.0% |- |[[Arab Americans|Arab]] |66,215 |94,913 |1.0% |- |[[Scottish Americans|Scottish]] |16,268 |89,240 |1.0% |- |[[Greek Americans|Greek]] |37,976 |85,501 |0.9% |- |[[Norwegian Americans|Norwegian]] |21,289 |85,404 |0.9% |- |[[Russian Americans|Russian]] |28,348 |78,252 |0.8% |- |[[Czech Americans|Czech]] |19,212 |72,058 |0.8% |- |[[Ukrainian Americans|Ukrainian]] |47,806 |69,266 |0.7% |- |[[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Indigenous Latin American]] |38,200 |64,863 |0.7% |- |[[Korean Americans|Korean]] |49,779 |62,325 |0.7% |- |[[Lithuanian Americans|Lithuanian]] |24,763 |59,359 |0.6% |- |[[Pakistani Americans|Pakistani]] |41,457 |47,078 |0.5% |- |[[Nigerian Americans|Nigerian]] |31,833 |41,263 |0.4% |- |[[Guatemalan Americans|Guatemalan]] |— |40,847 |0.4% |- |[[Ecuadorian Americans|Ecuadorian]] |— |38,590 |0.4% |- |[[Hungarian Americans|Hungarian]] |10,626 |37,658 |0.4% |- |[[Colombian Americans|Colombian]] |— |37,451 |0.4% |- |[[Croatian Americans|Croatian]] |11,316 |36,601 |0.4% |- |[[Scotch-Irish Americans|Scotch-Irish]] |8,216 |32,606 |0.4% |- |[[Romanian Americans|Romanian]] |20,218 |31,904 |0.3% |- |[[Japanese Americans|Japanese]] |14,823 |31,055 |0.3% |- |[[Vietnamese Americans|Vietnamese]] |24,447 |31,007 |0.3% |} [[File:Chicagoland Racial Dot Map.png|thumb|A [[dot distribution map]] showing the ethnic and racial demographics of the Chicago area according to the 2020 Census]]

=== Urban growth === The suburbs, surrounded by easily annexed flat ground, have been expanding at a tremendous rate since the early 1960s. Aurora, Elgin, Joliet, and Naperville are noteworthy for being four of the few [[boomburb]]s outside the [[Sun Belt]], [[West Coast of the United States|West Coast]] and [[Mountain States]] regions, and [[Commuter town|exurban]] Kendall County ranked as the fastest-growing county (among counties with a population greater than 10,000) in the United States between 2000 and 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyherald.com/story/?id=157223 |title=Kendall County is fastest growing in the nation |publisher=Daily Herald |access-date=May 30, 2011}}</ref>

=== Income === Settlement patterns in the Chicago metropolitan area tend to follow those in the city proper: the northern and northwestern suburbs are generally affluent and [[Upper middle class in the United States|upper-middle class]], while the southern suburbs (sometimes known as [[Chicago Southland]]) have somewhat lower median incomes and a cost of living, with the exception being the southwest suburbs which contain many upper-middle class areas. Another exception to this is the [[West Side, Chicago|West Side]], which has a somewhat lower median income, but the western suburbs contain many affluent and upper-middle class areas. According to the 2000 Census, DuPage County as a whole had the highest median household income of any county in the [[Midwestern United States]], although there are individual cities and towns in other surrounding counties in the metro that have even higher median incomes.

According to 2022 estimates from the U.S. Census, poverty rates of the largest counties from least poverty to most are as follows: McHenry 4.0%, Dupage 6.7%, Will 6.9%, Kane 7.8%, Lake 8.0%, and Cook 13.6%.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Census profile: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI Metro Area |url=http://censusreporter.org/profiles/31000US16980-chicago-naperville-elgin-il-in-wi-metro-area/ |access-date=June 29, 2024 |website=Census Reporter |language=en}}</ref> However, Cook County, which contains luxury high rises and expensive houses in sections of the city and expensive houses along the waterfront in the [[North Shore (Chicago)|North Shore]] area, would also have the highest percentage of expensive homes in the region.

In an in-depth historical analysis, Keating (2004, 2005) examined the origins of 233 settlements that by 1900 had become suburbs or city neighborhoods of the Chicago metropolitan area. The settlements began as farm centers (41%), industrial towns (30%), residential railroad suburbs (15%), and recreational/institutional centers (13%). Although relations between the different settlement types were at times contentious, there also was cooperation in such undertakings as the construction of high schools.{{citation needed|date=March 2019}}

==Population== As the Chicago metropolitan area has grown, more counties have been partly or totally assimilated with the taking of each decennial census.

{|style="width:99%; text-align:right;" frame="box" rules="all" class="wikitable" |- style="background:#cff; text-align:center;" ! scope="col" | Census Area ! scope="col" | Area Type ! scope="col" style="width:10%;"| [[2020 United States census|2020 census]] ! scope="col" style="width:10%;"| [[2010 United States census|2010 census]] ! scope="col" style="width:10%;"| [[2000 United States census|2000 census]] ! scope="col" style="width:10%;"| [[1990 United States census|1990 census]] ! scope="col" style="width:10%;"| [[1980 United States census|1980 Census]] ! scope="col" style="width:10%;"| [[1970 United States census|1970 census]] ! scope="col" style="width:10%;"| [[1960 United States census|1960 census]] ! scope="col" style="width:10%;"| [[1950 United States census|1950 census]] |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | '''[[Chicago]]-[[Naperville]]-[[Joliet, Illinois|Joliet]], IL-IN-WI''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''Metropolitan''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''9,618,502''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''9,461,105''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''9,098,316''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''8,065,633''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''7,869,542''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''7,612,314''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''6,794,461''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''5,495,364''' |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Cook County, Illinois]] | Metropolitan |5,275,541 |5,194,675 |5,376,741 |5,105,067 |5,253,655 |5,492,369 |5,129,725 |4,508,792 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[DeKalb County, Illinois]] | Metropolitan |100,420 |105,160 |88,969 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 77,932 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 74,624 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 71,654 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 51,714 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 40,781 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[DuPage County, Illinois]] | Metropolitan |932,877 |916,924 |904,161 |781,666 |658,835 |491,882 |313,459 |154,599 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Grundy County, Illinois]] | Metropolitan |52,533 |50,063 |37,535 |32,337 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 30,582 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 26,535 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 22,350 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 19,217 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Kane County, Illinois]] | Metropolitan |516,522 |515,269 |404,119 |317,471 |278,405 |251,005 |208,246 |150,388 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Kendall County, Illinois]] | Metropolitan |131,869 |114,736 |54,544 |39,413 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 37,202 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 26,374 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 17,540 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 12,115 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[McHenry County, Illinois]] | Metropolitan |310,229 |308,760 |260,077 |183,241 |147,897 |111,555 |84,210 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 50,656 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Will County, Illinois]] | Metropolitan |696,355 |677,560 |502,266 |357,313 |324,460 |249,498 |191,617 |134,336 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Jasper County, Indiana]] | Metropolitan |32,918 |33,478 |30,043 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 24,960 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 26,138 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 20,429 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 18,842 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 17,031 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Lake County, Indiana]] | Metropolitan |498,700 |496,005 |484,564 |475,594 |522,965 |546,253 |513,269 |368,152 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Newton County, Indiana]] | Metropolitan |13,830 |14,244 |14,566 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 13,551 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 14,844 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 11,606 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 11,502 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 11,006 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Porter County, Indiana]] | Metropolitan |173,215 |164,343 |146,798 |128,932 |119,816 |87,114 |60,279 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 40,076 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Lake County, Illinois]] | Metropolitan |714,342 |703,462 |644,356 |516,418 |440,372 |382,638 |293,656 |179,097 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Kenosha County, Wisconsin]] | Metropolitan |169,151 |166,426 |149,577 |128,181 |123,137 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 117,917 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 100,615 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 75,238 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Kankakee County, Illinois]] | Combined | style="background:lightgrey;"| 107,502 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 113,449 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 103,833 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 96,255 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 102,926 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 97,250 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 92,063 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 73,524 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[LaSalle County, Illinois]] | Combined | style="background:lightgrey;"| 109,658 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 113,924 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 111,509 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 106,913 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 112,003 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 111,409 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 110,800 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 100,610 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Bureau County, Illinois]] | Combined | style="background:lightgrey;"| 33,244 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 34,978 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 35,503 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 35,688 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 39,114 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 38,541 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 37,594 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 37,711 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[Putnam County, Illinois]] | Combined | style="background:lightgrey;"| 5,637 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 6,006 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 6,086 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 5,730 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 6,085 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 5,007 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 4,570 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 4,746 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | [[LaPorte County, Indiana]] | Combined | style="background:lightgrey;"| 112,417 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 111,467 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 110,106 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 107,066 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 108,632 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 105,342 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 95,111 | style="background:lightgrey;"| 76,808 |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | '''Chicago-Naperville-[[Joliet, Illinois|Joliet]], IL-IN-WI''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''Combined''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''9,986,960''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''9,686,021''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''9,312,255''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''8,385,397''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''8,264,490''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''8,089,421''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''7,204,198''' | style="background:lightblue;"| '''5,911,816''' |}

Counties highlighted in gray were not included in the MSA for that census. The CSA totals in blue are the totals of all the counties listed above, regardless of whether they were included in the Chicago Combined Statistical Area at the time.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/metroareas/pastmetro.html |title=Historical Metropolitan Area Definitions |publisher=Census.gov |access-date=May 30, 2011}}</ref>

===Principal municipalities===

====Over 1,000,000 population==== * [[Chicago]] (2,746,388)

====Over 100,000 population==== * [[Aurora, Illinois]] (180,542) * [[Joliet, Illinois]] (150,362) * [[Naperville, Illinois]] (149,540) * [[Elgin, Illinois]] (114,797)

====Over 50,000 population==== {{div col}} * [[Waukegan, Illinois]] (89,321) * [[Cicero, Illinois]] (85,268) * [[Schaumburg, Illinois]] (78,723) * [[Evanston, Illinois]] (78,110) * [[Hammond, Indiana]] (77,879) * [[Arlington Heights, Illinois]] (77,676) * [[Bolingbrook, Illinois]] (73,922) * [[Gary, Indiana]] (69,093) * [[Palatine, Illinois]] (67,908) * [[Skokie, Illinois]] (67,824) * [[Des Plaines, Illinois]] (60,675) * [[Orland Park, Illinois]] (58,703) * [[Oak Lawn, Illinois]] (58,362) * [[Berwyn, Illinois]] (57,250) * [[Mount Prospect, Illinois]] (56,852) * [[Tinley Park, Illinois]] (55,971) * [[Oak Park, Illinois]] (54,583) * [[Wheaton, Illinois]] (53,970) * [[Downers Grove, Illinois]] (50,247) {{div col end}} {{clear}}

{{Panorama | image = File:WillisTowerPanorama01.jpg | height = 230 | alt = View of Chicago greater metropolitan region and the dense downtown area from the Willis Tower | caption = {{center|View of Chicago greater metropolitan region and the North branch of the [[Chicago River]] from the Willis Tower}} }}

===Urban areas within=== Within the boundary of the 16-county Chicago Combined Statistical Area lies the Chicago [[urban area]], as well as 26 smaller urban areas.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/guidance/geo-areas/urban-rural.html|title=List of 2020 Census Urban Areas|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 7, 2023}}</ref> Some of the urban areas below may partially cross into other statistical areas. Only those situated primarily within the Chicago combined statistical area are listed here.

[[File:Chicago metro area urban areas 2020.svg|thumb|300px|Urban areas contained within the Chicago combined statistical area as of the 2020 census: {{legend|#b00000|Urban areas}} {{legend|#fcf7d1|Counties in the Chicago MSA}} {{legend|#fbf499|Counties in the Chicago CSA but not the MSA}} ]]

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right;" |- style="font-weight:bold; text-align:left;" ! Urban area ! Population (2020 census) ! Land area (sq mi) ! Land area (km2) ! Density (population / sq mi) ! Density (population / km2) |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Chicago]], IL–IN | 8,671,746 | 2,337.89 | 6,055.09 | 3,709.2 | 1,432.1 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Round Lake Beach]]–[[McHenry, Illinois|McHenry]]–[[Grayslake]], IL–WI | 261,835 | 127.61 | 330.52 | 2,051.8 | 792.2 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | Kenosha, WI | 125,865 | 56.17 | 145.48 | 2,240.8 | 865.2 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | Michigan City–[[La Porte, Indiana|La Porte]], IN–MI | 71,367 | 49.16 | 127.32 | 1,451.7 | 560.5 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Kankakee, Illinois|Kankakee]], IL | 66,530 | 31.66 | 82.00 | 2,101.4 | 811.3 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[DeKalb, Illinois|DeKalb]], IL | 64,736 | 25.63 | 66.39 | 2,525.6 | 975.1 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Valparaiso, Indiana|Valparaiso]]–[[Shorewood Forest]], IN | 51,867 | 33.64 | 87.12 | 1,542.0 | 595.4 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Peru, Illinois|Peru]]–[[LaSalle, Illinois|LaSalle]], IL | 29,763 | 21.45 | 55.56 | 1,387.4 | 535.7 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Woodstock, Illinois|Woodstock]], IL | 25,298 | 9.31 | 24.10 | 2,718.7 | 1,049.7 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Ottawa, Illinois|Ottawa]], IL | 20,122 | 9.99 | 25.87 | 2,014.2 | 777.7 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Streator]], IL | 16,209 | 8.12 | 21.04 | 1,995.3 | 770.4 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Coal City, Illinois|Coal City]]–[[Braidwood, Illinois|Braidwood]], IL | 15,837 | 10.29 | 26.65 | 1,539.4 | 594.4 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Morris, Illinois|Morris]], IL | 15,740 | 8.64 | 22.37 | 1,822.2 | 703.5 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Lowell, Indiana|Lowell]], IN | 10,747 | 5.28 | 13.66 | 2,037.2 | 786.6 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Manteno]], IL | 10,437 | 6.01 | 15.56 | 1,736.8 | 670.6 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Harvard, Illinois|Harvard]], IL | 9,376 | 4.36 | 11.30 | 2,148.7 | 829.6 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Princeton, Illinois|Princeton]], IL | 7,979 | 6.20 | 16.06 | 1,287.1 | 497.0 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Marengo, Illinois|Marengo]], IL | 7,509 | 3.81 | 9.86 | 1,971.5 | 761.2 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Lake Holiday, Illinois|Lake Holiday]], IL | 7,313 | 4.30 | 11.14 | 1,700.5 | 656.6 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Mendota, Illinois|Mendota]], IL | 6,918 | 2.85 | 7.38 | 2,426.2 | 936.8 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Wilmington, Will County, Illinois|Wilmington]], IL | 6,388 | 3.95 | 10.23 | 1,617.3 | 624.5 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[McHenry, Illinois|McHenry Northwest]]–[[Wonder Lake, Illinois|Wonder Lake]], IL | 5,758 | 2.35 | 6.08 | 2,453.6 | 947.4 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Hampshire, Illinois|Hampshire]], IL | 5,699 | 2.72 | 7.06 | 2,091.4 | 807.5 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Rensselaer, Indiana|Rensselaer]], IN | 5,509 | 3.23 | 8.37 | 1,703.9 | 657.9 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Genoa, Illinois|Genoa]], IL | 5,484 | 2.20 | 5.69 | 2,498.0 | 964.5 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Westville, Indiana|Westville]], IN | 5,189 | 2.10 | 5.45 | 2,466.0 | 952.1 |- style="vertical-align:bottom;" | style="text-align:left;" | [[Marseilles, Illinois|Marseilles]], IL | 4,660 | 2.39 | 6.19 | 1,948.4 | 752.3 |}

==Economy== [[File:Vecerne Chicago.jpg|thumb|250px|Westward view from the [[Willis Tower]] in Chicago]] {{Main|Economy of Chicago}}

{{See also|List of companies in the Chicago metropolitan area|Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce|Economy of Illinois}}

The Chicago metropolitan area is home to the corporate headquarters of 57 [[Fortune 1000]] companies, including [[AbbVie Inc.]], [[Allstate]], [[Kraft Heinz]], [[McDonald's]], [[Mondelez International]], [[Motorola]], [[United Airlines]], [[Walgreens]], and [[List of companies in the Chicago metropolitan area|more]]. The Chicago area also headquarters a wide variety of global financial institutions including [[Discover Financial Services]], [[Morningstar, Inc.]], [[CNA Financial]], and more. Chicago is home to the largest [[futures exchange]] in the world, the [[Chicago Mercantile Exchange]]. In March 2008, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange announced its acquisition of NYMEX Holdings Inc, the parent company of the [[New York Mercantile Exchange]] and Commodity Exchange. CME'S acquisition of NYMEX was completed in August 2008.

A key piece of infrastructure for several generations was the [[Union Stock Yards]] of Chicago, which from 1865 until 1971 penned and slaughtered millions of cattle and hogs into standardized cuts of [[beef]] and [[pork]]. This prompted poet [[Carl Sandburg]] to describe Chicago as the "Hog Butcher for the World".<ref>Carl Sandburg. "[https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poetrymagazine/browse?volume=3&issue=6&page=1 Chicago]". ''Poetry: A Magazine of Verse'', vol. 3, no. 6 (March 1914):191-192.</ref>

The Chicago area, meanwhile, began to produce significant quantities of telecommunications gear, electronics, steel, crude oil derivatives, automobiles, and industrial capital goods.

By the early 2000s, Illinois' economy had moved toward a dependence on high-value-added services, such as financial trading, [[higher education]], [[logistics]], and health care. In some cases, these services clustered around institutions that hearkened back to Illinois's earlier economies. For example, the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, a trading exchange for global [[derivative (finance)|derivatives]], had begun its life as an agricultural [[futures market]].

In 2007, the area ranked first among U.S. metro areas in the number of new and expanded corporate facilities.<ref>{{cite web|author=RON STARNER|url=http://www.siteselection.com/issues/2008/mar/topMetros/ |title=TOP METROS OF 2007 - Site Selection magazine, March 2008 |publisher=Siteselection.com |access-date=May 30, 2011}}</ref> It ranked third in 2008, behind the [[Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown]] and [[Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area]]s,<ref>{{cite web|author=RON STARNER|url=http://www.siteselection.com/issues/2009/mar/top-metros/ |title=TOP METROS OF 2008 - Site Selection magazine, March 2009 |publisher=Siteselection.com |date=March 9, 2009 |access-date=May 30, 2011}}</ref> and ranked second behind the [[New York metropolitan area]] in 2009.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.siteselection.com/issues/2010/mar/Top-Metros/ |title=TOP METROS OF 2009 - Site Selection Magazine, March 2010 |publisher=Siteselection.com |access-date=May 30, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110702045339/http://www.siteselection.com/issues/2010/mar/Top-Metros/ |archive-date=July 2, 2011 }}</ref>

''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' summarized the Chicago area's economy in November 2006 with the comment that "Chicago has survived by repeatedly reinventing itself."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/google_login.html?url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB116295128088216565.html%3Fmod%3Dgooglenews_wsj%26cid%3D0%26ei%3DhRBlRei1AsqmHc7JsZEN|title=Tale of a Warehouse Shows How Chicago Weathers a Decline|last=Brat |first=Ilan|date=November 8, 2006|work=The Wall Street Journal|page=A1|access-date=February 20, 2010}}</ref>

==Transportation== {{multiple image | align = right | direction = vertical | header = | header_align = left/right/center | header_background = | footer = | footer_align = left/right/center | footer_background = | width = | image1 = Concourse B, Chicago O'Hare airport.jpg | width1 = 250 | alt1 = | caption1 = [[O'Hare Airport]] | image2 = CTA tracks.jpg | width2 = 250 | alt2 = | caption2 = [[Chicago 'L']] in the [[The Loop (Chicago Transit Authority)|Loop]] | image3 = Metra 614.jpg | width3 = 250 | alt3 = | caption3 = [[Metra]] surface rail | image4 = Eisenhower Expressway.jpg | width4 = 250 | alt4 = | caption4 = The [[Eisenhower Expressway]] with the [[Chicago Transit Authority]] [[Blue Line (Chicago Transit Authority)|Blue Line]] tracks and the non-revenue ramp that leads to the [[Pink Line (CTA)|Pink Line]] }}

===Major airports=== * [[Chicago O'Hare International Airport]] (ORD) * [[Chicago Midway International Airport]] (MDW) * [[Milwaukee Mitchell International Airport]] (MKE) (located in the adjacent [[Milwaukee metropolitan area]]) * [[Chicago Rockford International Airport]] (RFD) (located in the adjacent [[Rockford metropolitan area]]) * [[Gary/Chicago International Airport]] (GYY)

===Commercial ports=== * [[Port of Chicago]] * [[Port of Indiana|Port of Indiana-Burns Harbor]]

===Commercial freight=== Chicago has been at the center of the United States' railroad network since the 19th century. Almost all [[Class I railroads]] serve the area, the most in North America.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://news.wttw.com/2017/02/23/chicago-highlighted-us-railroad-capital-trains-magazine |title=Chicago Highlighted as the US Railroad Capital by Trains Magazine |date=February 23, 2017 |work=WTTW |access-date=March 23, 2019 |language=en}}</ref>

===Public Transit=== The [[Regional Transportation Authority (Illinois)|Regional Transportation Authority (RTA)]] coordinates and supports the operation of three transit service boards serving Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, and McHenry Counties in Illinois, with one commuter rail line also serving Kenosha County, Wisconsin.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Regional Transportation Authority {{!}} Accessible transit over six counties |url=https://www.rtachicago.org/region |access-date=2026-03-27 |website=Regional Transportation Authority |language=en}}</ref> * [[Chicago Transit Authority|Chicago Transit Authority (CTA)]] operates the [[Chicago "L"]] rapid transit system and numerous bus routes in the City of Chicago and some surrounding suburbs. * [[Pace (transit)|Pace Suburban Bus]] operates suburban bus and regional vanpool, paratransit, and ride-matching services in the Chicagoland region. * [[Metra]] operates commuter rail service between Chicago and numerous suburbs: ** 4 lines serving southern Cook County and Will County ** 3 lines serving western Cook County, DuPage County, and Kane County ** 2 lines serving northern Cook County and Lake County ** 1 line serving northern Cook County, Lake County, and Kenosha County ** 1 line serving northwestern Cook County and McHenry County The RTA will be replaced by the Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA) in June 2026.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Szalinski |first=Ben |date=2025-12-16 |title=Pritzker signs $1.5B plan to overhaul public transportation, avoid service cuts |url=https://capitolnewsillinois.com/news/pritzker-signs-1-5b-plan-to-overhaul-public-transportation-avoid-service-cuts/ |access-date=2026-03-27 |website=Capitol News Illinois |language=en-US}}</ref>

The [[South Shore Line]], operated by the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (NICTD), is another commuter rail service that runs between Chicago to South Bend, Indiana, passing through the Indiana counties of Lake, Porter, LaPorte, and St. Joseph.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Stations & Map |url=https://mysouthshoreline.com/plan-your-trip/stations-map/ |access-date=2026-03-27 |website=South Shore Line |language=en-US}}</ref>

Several other public transit systems serve counties not within the RTA region such as [[Kenosha Area Transit]], [[Streetcars in Kenosha, Wisconsin|Kenosha streetcar]], [[DeKalb Public Transit]], [[River Valley Metro Mass Transit District|River Valley Metro MTD]], [[Show Bus|SHOW BUS]], [[East Chicago Transit]], [[Gary Public Transportation Corporation]], [[V-Line]], [[ChicaGo Dash|ChicaGO Dash]], and [[Michigan City Transit|Michigan City Transit.]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=National Transit Map Agencies |url=https://geodata.bts.gov/maps/national-transit-map-agencies |access-date=2026-03-27 |website=geodata.bts.gov |language=en-us}}</ref>

=== Passenger Rail === [[Chicago Union Station]] serves as the national and Midwest hub for [[Amtrak]], the national passenger rail operator of the United States. The routes that serve Union Station include the ''[[Blue Water (train)|Blue Water]]'', ''[[Borealis (train)|Borealis]]'', ''[[California Zephyr]]'', ''[[Cardinal (train)|Cardinal]]'', ''[[City of New Orleans (train)|City of New Orleans]]'', ''[[Empire Builder]]'', ''[[Floridian (train)|Floridian]]'', ''[[Hiawatha (Amtrak train)|Hiawatha Service]]'', ''[[Illini and Saluki|Illini/Saluki]]'', ''[[Illinois Zephyr and Carl Sandburg|Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandburg]]'', ''[[Lake Shore Limited]]'', ''[[Lincoln Service]]'', ''[[Pere Marquette (Amtrak train)|Pere Marquette]]'', ''[[Southwest Chief]]'', ''[[Texas Eagle]]'', and ''[[Wolverine (train)|Wolverine]].''<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.amtrak.com/content/dam/projects/dotcom/english/public/documents/Maps/Amtrak-System-Map-081325.pdf | title=The Amtrak Network | website=www.amtrak.com}}</ref> There are also other Amtrak stations in Chicagoland:

* [[Glenview station|Glenview, IL]] - ''Hiawatha Service'', ''Borealis'', and ''Empire Builder'' * [[Naperville station|Naperville, IL]] - ''Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandburg'', ''California Zephyr'', and ''Southwest Chief'' * [[LaGrange Road station|LaGrange, IL]] - ''Illinois Zephyr/Carl Sandburg'' * [[Summit station (Illinois)|Summit, IL]] - ''Lincoln Service'' * [[Joliet Gateway Center|Joliet, IL]] - ''Lincoln Service'' and ''Texas Eagle'' * [[Homewood station|Homewood, IL]] - ''Illini/Saluki'' and ''City of New Orleans'' * [[Hammond–Whiting station|Hammond-Whiting, IN]] - ''Wolverine'' * [[Dyer station|Dyer, IN]] - ''Cardinal''

===Major highways===

====Interstates==== * {{jct|state=IL|I|41}} runs concurrently with I-94 from the northern terminus of the Tri-State Tollway to [[Milwaukee]]. * {{jct|state=IL|I|55}} is the Adlai Stevenson Expressway. * {{jct|state=IL|I|57}} is unofficially the "West Leg" of the Dan Ryan Expressway. * {{jct|state=IN|I|65}} has no name, whether official or unofficial. * {{jct|state=IL|I|80}} is officially called the Borman Expressway (cosigned with I-94), Kingery Expressway (cosigned with I-94 for 3 miles), Tri-State Tollway (cosigned with I-294 for 4 miles) and is unofficially called the Moline Expressway west of I-294. * {{jct|state=IL|I|88}} is the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (formerly East-West Tollway) * {{jct|state=IL|I|90}} is locally known as Jane Addams Tollway (formerly Northwest Tollway), [[Kennedy Expressway|John F. Kennedy Expressway]] (cosigned with I-94), [[Dan Ryan Expressway]] (cosigned with I-94), and Chicago Skyway Toll Bridge. * {{jct|state=IL|I|94}} is Tri-State Tollway in Lake County, Edens Spur, Edens Expy, John F. Kennedy Expy (cosigned with I-90), Dan Ryan Expy (cosigned with I-90), Bishop Ford Freeway (formerly Calumet Expressway), Kingery Expy (cosigned with I-80) and Borman Expy (cosigned with I-80). * {{jct|state=IL|I|190}} is the John F. Kennedy Expy spur heading into [[O'Hare International Airport|Chicago-O'Hare Int'l Airport]]. * {{jct|state=IL|I|290}} is the Dwight D. Eisenhower Expressway. * {{jct|state=IL|I|294}} is the Tri-State Tollway. * {{jct|state=IL|I|355}} is the Veterans Memorial Tollway (formerly North-South Tollway).

====Other main highways==== * US Routes in the Illinois part of the area include: [[U.S. Route 6 in Illinois|US 6]], [[U.S. Route 12 in Illinois|US 12]], [[U.S. Route 14 in Illinois|US 14]], [[U.S. Route 20 in Illinois|US 20]], [[U.S. Route 30 in Illinois|US 30]], [[U.S. Route 34 in Illinois|US 34]], [[U.S. Route 41 in Illinois|US 41]], [[U.S. Route 45 in Illinois|US 45]], and [[U.S. Route 52 in Illinois|US 52]]. * [[Illinois Route 53]], an arterial north–south state highway running through Grundy, Will, DuPage, Cook and Lake counties * [[U.S. Route 66 in Illinois|Historic US Route 66]]'s eastern terminus is in Chicago.

====Major corridors==== In addition to the [[Chicago Loop]], the metro area is home to a few important subregional corridors of commercial activities. Among them are: * Illinois Technology and Research Corridor, along the [[Interstate 88 (Illinois)|Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway (Interstate 88)]] * Lakeshore Corridor, along the [[Edens Expressway]] and [[Tri-State Tollway]]

==Politics== The Chicagoland metro has long been a [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] stronghold due to the Democratic strength concentrated in [[Cook County, Illinois|Cook County]], more specifically in the city of [[Chicago, Illinois|Chicago]] and its many diverse suburbs. The [[Collar counties]] that border Cook County have historically leaned towards the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]], but in recent election cycles they have increasingly shifted to the left.

[[McHenry County, Illinois|McHenry County]] is the reddest collar county, as it is the only county out of the five collar counties that has continued to routinely elect Republicans statewide, having voted for the Republican candidate for president in the last four out of five [[United States presidential election]]s.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Election List Election |url=https://results.enr.clarityelections.com/IL/McHenry/ |access-date=2025-09-05 |website=clarityelections}}</ref> [[Dekalb County, Illinois|Dekalb County]], which is the westernmost county in the metro, is a Democratic leaning county, especially because of the demographically diverse city of [[Dekalb, Illinois|Dekalb]] being home to [[Northern Illinois University|NIU]]. [[Kankakee County, Illinois|Kankakee County]] and [[Grundy County, Illinois|Grundy County]], which are located to the south and southwest of [[Will County, Illinois|Will County]] respectively, are the most Republican counties included in metro, particularly due to being more exurban and rural.

{| class="wikitable" style="float:center; margin:1em; font-size:95%;" |+ '''Chicagoland Presidential election results'''<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chicagoland Metro Presidential Results |url=https://davesredistricting.org/maps#viewmap::4d155f2f-af42-4fc1-9d06-c64d79d1e8ae |access-date=2025-09-05 |website=Daves Redistricting}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Election Results |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/ElectionOperations/ElectionVoteTotalsCounty.aspx?ID=9huvqbsiUWA%3d |website=Illinois State Board of Elections}}</ref> !Year ![[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] ![[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] ![[Third party (United States)|Third parties]] |- | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[2024 United States presidential election in Illinois|2024]] | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |'''61.9%''' ''2,325,189'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}} |36.5% ''1,336,204'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}} |2.5% ''93,943'' |- | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[2020 United States presidential election in Illinois|2020]] | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |'''66.1%''' ''2,691,170'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}} |32.1% ''1,306,077'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}} |1.8% ''72,586'' |- | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[2016 United States presidential election in Illinois|2016]] | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |'''64.4%''' ''2,400,444'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}} |29.5% ''1,099,170'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}} |6.1% ''226,879'' |- | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[2012 United States presidential election in Illinois|2012]] | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |'''64.0%''' ''2,139,672'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}} |34.6% ''1,156,797'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}} |1.4% ''48,478'' |- | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[2008 United States presidential election in Illinois|2008]] | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |'''67.6%''' ''2,460,746'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}} |31.1% ''1,134,317'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}} |1.3% ''47,069'' |- | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[2004 United States presidential election in Illinois|2004]] | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |'''60.3%''' ''2,055,714'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}} |39.0% ''1,331,401'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}} |0.7% ''23,076'' |- | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |[[2000 United States presidential election in Illinois|2000]] | align="center" {{Party shading/Democratic}} |'''59.2%''' ''1,789,820'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Republican}} |38.1% ''1,151,288'' | align="center" {{Party shading/Independent}} |2.7% ''83,554'' |}

{{multiple image | align = center | image_gap = 20 | width = 200px | image1 = 2000 Presidential Election in the Chicagoland Metro.svg | caption1 = '''2000 Presidential Election by Township''' | image2 = 2008 Presidential Election in the Chicagoland Metro by Township.svg | caption2 = '''2008 Presidential Election by Township''' | image3 = 2012 Presidential Election in the Chicagoland Metro by Township.svg | caption3 = '''2012 Presidential Election by Township''' | image4 = 2016 Presidential Election in the Chicagoland Metro by Township.svg | caption4 = '''2016 Presidential Election by Township''' | image5 = 2020 Presidential Election in the Chicagoland Metro by Township.svg | caption5 = '''2020 Presidential Election by Township''' | image6 = 2024 Presidential Election in the Chicagoland Metro by Township.svg | caption6 = '''2024 Presidential Election by Township''' }}

==Culture==

===Sports=== {{Main|Sports in Chicago}}

Listing of the professional sports teams in the Chicago metropolitan area

'''Major league professional teams:''' * [[Major League Baseball|Major League Baseball (MLB)]] ** [[Chicago Cubs]] ** [[Chicago White Sox]] * [[National Football League (NFL)]] ** [[Chicago Bears]] * [[National Basketball Association|National Basketball Association (NBA)]] ** [[Chicago Bulls]] * [[National Hockey League (NHL)]] ** [[Chicago Blackhawks]] * [[Major League Soccer|Major League Soccer (MLS)]] ** [[Chicago Fire FC]] * [[Women's National Basketball Association|Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)]] ** [[Chicago Sky]] * [[National Women's Soccer League|National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)]] ** [[Chicago Stars FC]]

'''Other professional teams:''' * [[American Association of Professional Baseball]] (AA) ** [[Chicago Dogs]] ** [[Kane County Cougars]] ** [[Gary SouthShore RailCats]] * [[American Hockey League|American Hockey League (AHL)]] ** [[Chicago Wolves]] * [[NBA G League|NBA G League (NBAGL)]] ** [[Windy City Bulls]] * [[Major League Rugby|Major League Rugby (MLR)]] ** [[Chicago Hounds (rugby union)|Chicago Hounds]]

The [[Chicagoland Speedway]] oval track has hosted [[NASCAR Cup Series]] and [[IndyCar Series]] races. The [[Chicago Marathon]] is one of the [[World Marathon Majors]]. The [[Western Open]] and [[BMW Championship (PGA Tour)|BMW Championship]] are [[PGA Tour]] tournaments that have been held primarily at golf courses near Chicago.

'''NCAA Division I College Sports Teams:''' * [[Atlantic 10 Conference]] ** [[Loyola Ramblers|Loyola University Chicago Ramblers]] * [[Big East Conference]] ** [[DePaul Blue Demons|DePaul University Blue Demons]] * [[Big Ten Conference]] ** [[Northwestern Wildcats|Northwestern University Wildcats]] ([[Evanston, Illinois|Evanston]]) * [[Mid-American Conference]] ** [[Northern Illinois Huskies|Northern Illinois University Huskies]] ([[DeKalb, Illinois|DeKalb]]) * [[Missouri Valley Conference]] ** [[UIC Flames|University of Illinois Chicago Flames]] ** [[Valparaiso Beacons|Valparaiso University Beacons]] ([[Valparaiso, IN]]) * [[Northeast Conference]] ** [[Chicago State Cougars|Chicago State University Cougars]]

===Cuisine=== {{further|Chicago#Cuisine}} * [[Chicago-style hot dog]] * [[Chicago-style pizza]] * [[Italian beef]] * [[Caramel popcorn]]

===Media=== {{Main|Media in Chicago}}

The two main newspapers are the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' and the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]''. Local television channels broadcasting to the Chicago market include [[WBBM-TV]] 2 (CBS), [[WMAQ-TV]] 5 (NBC), [[WLS-TV]] 7 (ABC), [[WGN-TV]] 9 (CW), [[WTTW]] 11 (PBS), [[MeTV]] 23, [[WCIU-TV|WCIU]] 26 (Ind), [[WFLD]] 32 (FOX), [[WCPX-TV]] 38 ([[Ion Television|Ion]]), [[WSNS-TV]] 44 (Telemundo), [[WPWR-TV]] 50 (MyNetworkTV), and [[WJYS-TV]] 62 (The Way). Radio stations serving the area include: [[WBBM (AM)]], [[WBEZ]], [[WGN (AM)]], [[WMBI-FM|WMBI]], [[WLS (AM)]], and [[WSCR]].

==Education== {{further|List of school districts in Illinois|List of school districts in Indiana|List of colleges and universities in Chicago}} [[File:Wyoung.png|thumb|[[Whitney M. Young Magnet High School]] in Chicago]]

Elementary and secondary education within the Chicago metropolitan area is provided by dozens of different school districts, of which by far the largest is the [[Chicago Public Schools]] with 400,000 students.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cps.edu/Pages/AboutCPS.aspx|title=About CPS|publisher=Chicago Public Schools|access-date=January 26, 2015}}</ref> Numerous private and religious school systems are also found in the region, as well as a growing number of [[charter school]]s. Racial inequalities in education in the region remain widespread, often breaking along district boundaries;<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wbez.org/series/curious-city/why-so-few-white-kids-land-cps-%E2%80%94-and-why-it-matters-111094|publisher=WBEZ|first=Natalie|last=Moore|access-date=January 26, 2015|title=Why so few white kids land in CPS — and why it matters|date=November 12, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150117194235/http://www.wbez.org/series/curious-city/why-so-few-white-kids-land-cps-%E2%80%94-and-why-it-matters-111094|archive-date=January 17, 2015}}</ref> for instance, educational prospects vary widely for students in the Chicago Public Schools compared to those in some neighboring suburban schools.<ref>{{Cite news|newspaper=Chicago Reader|title=Two students, two high schools, two divergent paths to college |url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/cook-county-schools-racial-diversity-and-segregation/Content?oid=7669705|date=October 17, 2012|first=Steve|last=Bogira}}</ref>

Historically, the Chicago metropolitan area has been at the center of a number of national educational movements, from the free-flowing [[Winnetka Plan]] to the regimented [[Taylorism]] of the [[Gary Plan]].<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/226291/Gary-Plan|first=Robert|last=Thiede|title=Gary Plan|access-date=January 16, 2015|encyclopedia=Britannica.com}}</ref> In higher education, [[University of Chicago]] founder [[William Rainey Harper]] was a leading early advocate of the [[junior college]] movement; [[Joliet Junior College]] is the nation's oldest continuously operating junior college today.<ref>{{cite book|title=Re-visioning Community Colleges: Positioning for Innovation|page=13 |url=https://books.google.com/books?isbn=1442214880|isbn=978-1442214880 |first1=Debbie |last1=Sydow|first2=Richard|last2= Alfred|year= 2012 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield Publishers }}</ref> Later U of C president [[Robert Maynard Hutchins]] was central to the [[Great Books]] movement, and programs of [[dialogic education]] arising from that legacy can be found today at the U of C, at [[Shimer College]],<ref>{{cite news|newspaper=The Guardian|date=December 6, 2014|first=Jon|last=Ronson|url=https://www.theguardian.com/education/2014/dec/06/shimer-college-illinois-worst-school-america|title=Shimer College: The Worst School in America?}}</ref> and in the [[City Colleges of Chicago]] and [[Oakton College]] in the Northwest suburbs.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oakton.edu/academics/special_programs/great_books/|publisher=Oakton Community College |access-date=January 26, 2015|title=Great Books program}}</ref>

==Area codes== {{Main|List of Illinois area codes}}

From 1947 until 1988, the Illinois portion of the Chicago metro area was served by a single [[North American Numbering Plan|area code]], 312, which abutted the 815 area code. In 1988 the 708 area code was introduced and the 312 area code became exclusive to the city of Chicago.

It became common to call suburbanites "708'ers", in reference to their area code.

The 708 area code was partitioned in 1996 into three area codes, serving different portions of the metro area: 630, 708, and 847.

At the same time that the 708 area code was running out of phone numbers, the 312 area code in Chicago was also exhausting its supply of available numbers. As a result, the city of Chicago was divided into two area codes, 312 and 773. Rather than divide the city by a north–south area code, the central business district retained the 312 area code, while the remainder of the city took the new 773 code.

In 2002, the 847 area code was supplemented with the overlay area code 224. In February 2007, the 815 area code (serving outlying portions of the metro area) was supplemented with the overlay area code 779. In October 2007, the overlay area code 331 was implemented to supplement the 630 area with additional numbers.

Plans are in place for overlay codes in the 708, 773, and 312 regions as those area codes become exhausted in the future. * [[Area code 312|312]] Chicago - City (The [[Chicago Loop|Loop]] and central neighborhoods, e.g. the Near North Side) * [[Area code 773|773]] Chicago - City (Everywhere else within the city limits, excluding central area) * 872 Chicago - City (overlay for 312 & 773, effective November 7, 2009) * [[847/224]] (North and Northwest Suburbs) * [[Area codes 630 and 331|630/331]] (Outer Western Suburbs) * [[Area code 708|708]] (South and Near West Suburbs) * [[Area codes 815 and 779|815/779]] ([[Rockford, Illinois|Rockford]] & Joliet: Far Northwest/Southwest Suburbs) * [[Area code 219|219]] (Northwest Indiana) * [[Area code 574|574]] (North-central Indiana) * [[Area code 262|262]] (Southeast Wisconsin surrounding [[Milwaukee County]])

===Proposed overlays=== * 464 overlay for 708 (January 21, 2022, rollout)

==See also== * [[Index of Illinois-related articles]]

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Further reading== * Fischer, Paul B. (July 28, 1993). ''[http://www.hcp-chicago.org/2014/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Racial-and-Locational-Patterns-of-Subsidized-Housing-in-the-Chicago-Suburbs.pdf Racial and Locational Patterns of Subsidized Housing in the Chicago Suburbs: A Report to the MacArthur Foundation]'' ([https://web.archive.org/web/20140228083724/http://www.hcp-chicago.org/2014/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Racial-and-Locational-Patterns-of-Subsidized-Housing-in-the-Chicago-Suburbs.pdf Archive]). Lake Forest, Ill.: [[Lake Forest College]]. Report to the [[MacArthur Foundation]]. * Lewinnek, Elaine (2014). ''The Working Man's Reward: Chicago's Early Suburbs and the Roots of American Sprawl''. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

==External links== {{sister project links|d=Q1754965|voy=Chicagoland|c=category:Chicago metropolitan area|n=no|b=no|v=no|s=no|wikt=Chicagoland|m=no|mw=no|species=no|q=no}} * [http://www.encyclopedia.chicagohistory.org/pages/700005.html?entryA ''Encyclopedia of Chicago'' (2004)], comprehensive coverage of city and suburbs, past and present * [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/urbanarea/uaoutline/UA2000/ua16264/ua16264_00.pdf U.S. Census Urbanized Area Outline Map (2000)] * [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/econ/ec2012/csa/EC2012_330M200US176M.pdf Chicago-Naperville-Michigan City, IL-IN-WI Combined Statistical Area (2012) map] * [https://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/metroarea/stcbsa_pg/Feb2013/cbsa2013_IL.pdf Illinois CBSAs and Counties (2013) map] * [https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/chicagocityillinois U.S. Census Bureau Chicago city, Illinois QuickFacts] * [https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/metro-micro.html Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas] * [https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/metro-micro/about.html About Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas] * [https://www.census.gov/history/www/programs/geography/metropolitan_areas.html History of Metropolitan Areas] * [https://www.census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/popest/2010s-total-metro-and-micro-statistical-areas.html Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas Population Totals and Components of Change: 2010–2019]

{{Chicagoland}} {{Navboxes|list= {{Chicago}} {{Illinois}} {{Indiana}} {{Wisconsin}} {{World's most populous urban areas}} {{Great Lakes Megalopolis}} }} {{Portal bar|Chicago|Illinois|United States}} {{Authority control}}

[[Category:Chicago metropolitan area| ]] [[Category:Chicago|*]] [[Category:Metropolitan areas of Illinois]] [[Category:Metropolitan areas of Indiana]] [[Category:Metropolitan areas of Wisconsin]] [[Category:Regions of Illinois]] [[Category:Regions of Indiana]] [[Category:Regions of Wisconsin]] [[Category:1837 establishments in the United States]]