Why Chicago?

Why Chicago?

Find out how Chicago’s robust economy, vibrant tech ecosystem, commitment to equity, and high-quality of life (at a lower price tag!) are making it a world-class hub of innovation.

Chicago by the Numbers

Chicago by the Numbers

Chicago by the Numbers

Chicago by the Numbers

Chicago by the Numbers

Chicago by the Numbers

Chicago by the Numbers

Chicago by the Numbers

Chicago by the Numbers

Chicago by the Numbers

A Global Economy with a Vibrant Tech Ecosystem

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Collage of Chicago's Lake Point Tower and geometric shapes
Person jogging across State Street with the Chicago Theatre in the background

$7B raised by Chicago tech firms in 2021—more than double from 2020

#3

Fastest growing tech hub by salary

#1

Metro for new and expanding companies for nearly a decade

Two coworkers sitting next to each other and looking at a laptop

23 tech unicorns call Chicago home, with 12 minted in 2021 alone

3D pie chart showing windmills, solar panels, forests, and waterways, representing the diverse industries in Chicago

#1

Most diversified economy of the largest 10 U.S. metros based on employment

6,151

Chicago tech companies (and counting!)

90,000+

STEM jobs added since 2010

The Jay Pritzker Pavilion

37

Fortune 500 Companies in Illinois with 15 in Chicago alone

#2

Largest producer of computer science degrees in the U.S.

Quotation marks on a white circle

VC firms in the city, the nation, and around the globe should take note; Chicago’s start-up system is primed to be a world leader.

Forbes

A Community Built on Diversity & Inclusion

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Collage of a group of people in a crowd, a fingerprint, and 3 hands making peace symbols in red, white, and blue
Two men and a woman looking at a computer screen

26%

Of Chicago’s tech workforce is Black or Latinx

34%

Of Chicago startups are run by women—the highest concentration of women-owned startups in the world

#1

City in the US for angel & seed-stage funding for Black and Latin Founders

A woman in a dark room holding an electronic device

1,200+

Certified minority-owned businesses

LGBTQ+

Home to the oldest official LGBTQ+ neighborhood in the country

#1

Most immigrant-friendly out of the 100 largest U.S. cities

Quotation marks on a white circle

Chicago is a welcome counter to tech’s homogenous track record by empowering minority and female-led startups with an environment built for their success.

TechCrunch

A World-Class City with a Low Cost of Living

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Collage of downtown Chicago, illustrations of the Cloud Gate sculpture, and a bust of Jean-Baptiste Point DuSable
Chicago skyline framed by Lincoln Park's honeycomb sculpture

#1

Named Best Big City in the U.S. 5 years in a row by Condé Nast Traveler’s Readers’ Choice Awards

20%

Lower rents than other major U.S. cities, with a cost of living 35% lower than San Francisco and 30% lower than NYC

600+

Parks spanning 12,429 total acres

26

Miles of lakefront

Iconic Chicago buildings, including the John Hancock Center, Water Tower Place, Lakepoint Tower, and more

15

Miles of sandy beaches

#2

Highest percentage of commuters riding their bikes to work

#1

Named Time Out’s best food and drink city in the world

8

Major league sports teams to cheer for

500+

Theaters and live music venues

60+

Museums

Chicago park

77

Distinct neighborhoods

Find Chicago Jobs

Ready to make your mark on Chicago’s tech scene? Browse jobs for people with daring ideas and the drive to bring them to life.

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