The Chicago area was named the top U.S.
metro for corporate relocations and site selection for the 13th year in a row by Site Selection Magazine, the World Business Chicago announced on Monday.
World Business Chicago, the city’s nonprofit economic development agency, last year counted 223 corporate expansions, projects and new entrants in the Chicago area.
The 40% year-over-year increase in activity represents $1.7 billion in annual earnings and the creation of an estimated 19,600 jobs.
The projects include office, industrial, corporate headquarters, warehouse, data and call centers.
Some launched in 2025, while others will open in 2026, 2027 and beyond.
The Chicago area’s “industrial depth, combined with modern infrastructure and a skilled workforce, is why companies continue to choose Chicago to grow, invest and innovate,” Mayor Brandon Johnson said in a news release.
He cited recent projects like Universal Horror Unleashed, Hexaware Technologies, The Hand and The Eye, Freedman Seating Co., Infleqtion and Theatre of the Mind, the collaboration between David Byrne and The Goodman Theatre.
World Business Chicago CEO Phil Clement said the organization’s long-term strategy, called Chicago 2050: A Plan for Economic Growth and Jobs, outlines a road map to grow the regional economy from about $950 billion today to more than $1.4 trillion by 2050.
Last May, Hexware Technologies opened a new office in the Loop at 145 S.
The global....
