Chicago Named Top U.S. Metro for Corporate Relocations

The city saw a 40% increase in corporate expansions, projects and new entrants in 2025.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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For the 13th consecutive year, the Chicago area was named the top U.S. metro for corporate relocations and site selection by Site Selection Magazine. World Business Chicago, the city's economic development agency, reported 223 corporate expansions, projects and new entrants in the Chicago area last year, representing $1.7 billion in annual earnings and the creation of an estimated 19,600 jobs.

Why it matters

Chicago's continued success in attracting corporate investment highlights the city's strengths as a business hub, including its central geography, robust transportation infrastructure, global connectivity, and skilled workforce. This growth supports the city's economic development goals and creates new job opportunities for residents.

The details

The projects span various sectors, including office, industrial, corporate headquarters, warehouse, data and call centers. Some launched in 2025, while others will open in 2026, 2027 and beyond. Key projects include the $50 million, 35,000-square-foot 'immersive theater, dining and illusion' venue The Hand and The Eye, the $185 million Hollywood Casino Joliet, and the expansion of Fortune Brands Innovations in Deerfield, which is expected to create at least 400 full-time jobs by 2027.

  • In 2025, World Business Chicago counted 223 corporate expansions, projects and new entrants in the Chicago area.
  • The $185 million Hollywood Casino Joliet opened last summer.
  • Fortune Brands Innovations expanded in Deerfield and expects to create at least 400 full-time jobs by 2027.
  • The Hand and The Eye is scheduled to open this spring in Downtown Chicago.
  • Universal Horror Unleashed is scheduled to open next year in River West.

The players

Brandon Johnson

Mayor of Chicago.

Phil Clement

CEO of World Business Chicago.

Universal Destinations & Experiences

A division of Comcast NBCUniversal that is building a year-round House of Horrors entertainment complex in Chicago, the first in the Midwest.

Hexaware Technologies

A global IT firm that opened a new office in the Loop in Chicago last May and expects to add 250 employees over five years.

Amazon

Announced a fulfillment center in Bolingbrook that is expected to create some 1,200 jobs after it opens later this year.

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What they’re saying

“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.'”

— Brandon Johnson, Mayor of Chicago (suntimes.com)

“Chicago wins because of structural advantages — central geography at the heart of North American trade, the busiest multimodal freight network in the country, unmatched global connectivity through O'Hare and a 5.5 million–person workforce that spans advanced research to essential operations.”

— Phil Clement, CEO of World Business Chicago (suntimes.com)

What’s next

World Business Chicago's long-term strategy, called Chicago 2050: A Plan for Economic Growth and Jobs, outlines a roadmap to grow the regional economy from about $950 billion today to more than $1.4 trillion by 2050.

The takeaway

Chicago's continued success in attracting corporate investment highlights the city's strengths as a business hub, including its central geography, robust transportation infrastructure, global connectivity, and skilled workforce. This growth supports the city's economic development goals and creates new job opportunities for residents.