Chicago is the largest city in the state of Illinois and the largest in the Midwest. With a population of nearly 3 million people, Chicago is the third largest city in the United States. It is the anchor of the Chicago metropolitan area, commonly called Chicagoland, which has a population of over 9.7 million people in Illinois, Wisconsin and Indiana, making it the third largest metropolitan area in the U.S. Rich in history and renowned for its historically-innovative and influential architecture, Chicago is classified as an alpha world city.

The City of Chicago is almost entirely located in Cook County, with a small portion overlapping into DuPage County, while the metropolitan area extends over several counties.

Located at the site of a portage between the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River watershed, Chicago was incorporated as a city in 1837. It rapidly became a major transportation hub, as well as the business, financial, and cultural capital of the Midwest. Since the Chicago World's Fair of 1893, it has been regarded as one of the ten most influential cities in the world.

Learn more about this city.

City of Chicago, IL official site

City of Chicago, IL Chamber of Commerce

City of Chicago, IL newspaper

County of Chicago, IL official site

State of Illinois official site