Illinois
“The Prairie State”
What Makes Illinois Beautiful
Illinois unfolds from Chicago's magnificent lakefront skyline across vast prairies that stretch to every horizon, interrupted by the dramatic bluffs of Starved Rock and the lush Shawnee National Forest in the south. The Mississippi and Illinois rivers carve scenic valleys through rich farmland under enormous Midwestern skies.
Key Metrics
12.5M
Population
$1004.2B
GDP
+4.2%
GDP Growth (5yr)
$74.2K
Median Income
11%
Tax Burden
History
Admitted as the 21st state
Abraham Lincoln elected president from Springfield
Great Chicago Fire destroys much of the city
Chicago hosts the World's Columbian Exposition
First controlled nuclear chain reaction achieved at University of Chicago
Sears Tower (Willis Tower) completed as world's tallest building
Top Cities
Chicago
2.7M
Third-largest US city; global finance and architecture
Aurora
180K
Second-largest city; Fox River community
Joliet
150K
Logistics hub; historic Route 66 city
Naperville
149K
Top-rated suburb; tech and research corridor
Springfield
114K
State capital; Abraham Lincoln's home city
Economy & Industry
Core Industries
Natural Resources
Energy Portfolio
Budget & Fiscal Health
$52.7B
State Budget
$51B
State Revenue
$-1.7B
Fiscal Balance
Social Indicators
10.8%
Poverty Rate
36%
College Degree
5.6%
Uninsured
382/100K
Crime Rate
Where is Illinois Headed?
GDP Projections ($B)
| Scenario | 1yr | 5yr | 10yr | 25yr | 50yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optimistic | $1015B | $1060B | $1119B | $1317B | $1728B |
| Baseline | $1013B | $1047B | $1092B | $1238B | $1526B |
| Pessimistic | $1009B | $1030B | $1056B | $1139B | $1291B |
Political Landscape
D+7