At the close of December, the Office of Governor JB Pritzker and the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), two of Illinois EDC’s civic partners, announced that 2025 was a record-breaking year for Illinois’ economic development. The timing was apropos, as Team Illinois had just celebrated National Illinois Day on December 7!
The iconic Wrigley Field, home of the Chicago Cubs. Image via Shutterstock.
By the Numbers: An Unprecedented Year for Illinois
Illinois’ economic accomplishments in 2025 reflect the state’s competitive advantage both domestically and globally:
- More than $13B in incentivized private investments drove new company expansions and relocations across sectors—from advanced manufacturing to clean energy, quantum computing, and more
- Companies committed to nearly 3,000 new jobs while retaining thousands more statewide
- Ranking among the top states for business and corporate investment, Site Selection magazine (again!) crowned Illinois #2 in the U.S. for corporate expansions and relocations and Chicago the #1 metro nationwide
- Illinois also earned 10 credit rating upgrades since 2021, reflecting continuing financial stability and confidence from the business community
- Exports exceeded $81B, exemplifying Illinois’ global economic reach as a top 20 largest economy in the world
The numbers are all the more celebratory when they represent jobs, innovation, and investment across every sector and all regions of Illinois.
Hear From Team Illinois EDC: Illinois’ Bests
As we celebrate these quantitative milestones, we were curious about Illinois’ qualitative success, too.
We asked our team to share some of the reasons that they love Illinois, reflective of what makes Illinois a place to prosper—both personally and professionally.
Q: What is your favorite thing about living in Illinois?
Contrary to popular belief, Illinoisans don’t suffer through our cold winters. In fact, our climate is partly why we love Illinois. Amanda Vinicky, VP of communications, and Kaitlyn McDermott, VP of administration and operations, shared the sentiment, both responding: “The seasons.”
Illinois’ native redbud trees produce heart-shaped leaves. Image via Shutterstock.
The vibrancy and centrality of our state was another common response. Communications Manager Anna Cowden said, “Illinois is a wonder for the senses. There’s always something to do, see, eat, or drink here.”
Marketing Operations Manager Dane Pennacchi emphasized: “Chicago is great because it checks a lot of the boxes for a lot of things that my family and I love: proximity to a body of water, great architecture, amazing food.”
Illinois’ incredible people were mentioned frequently. SVP of Business Development Paulina San Millan describes them as “Midwest nice,” while Research Manager Henry Hodge noted that Illinoisans are “hardworking people.” We’ll admit, those stereotypes are true.
Q: What are your must-sees and must-dos for Illinois visitors?
Our team shared complete itineraries for out-of-towners. Whether you are an Illinoisan or a visitor, make sure to add these to your list.
“The new and old state capitols, Dana Thomas House, and Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library in Springfield. Hiking and the wine trail in Southern Illinois. Take a walk, capture photos, and read a book at Allerton Park near Monticello,” said Vinicky.
Many of our team members reiterated that the Chicago Architecture Tour is a traveler’s must-do. “This made me fall in love with Chicago,” said VP of Site Readiness Kyla Karten, who is coming up on her first anniversary as an Illinoisan.
Several of us also pointed to Starved Rock State Park as a great place for hiking and enjoying Illinois’ breathtaking outdoors. For more adventure, McDermott also recommends driving down the iconic Route 66, and Marvel fans might find Metropolis, Illinois—the Home of Superman—especially enticing.
Q: What is your favorite piece of Illinois history?
Both Hodge and McDermott answered simply: “Abraham Lincoln.” (Illinois is the Land of Lincoln, after all!)
The Lincoln Home National Historic Site in Springfield. Image via Shutterstock.
“Cahokia Mounds is one of North America’s most significant historic sites. Recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Cahokia Mounds is the largest and most complex prehistoric Native American city north of Mexico,” shared Robin Ficke, SVP of research.
For our Wicked-obsessed, you’ll find it interesting that “L. Frank Baum wrote The Wizard of Oz while living in Chicago,” noted Vinicky.
Pennacchi sells Illinois single-handedly with his response: “The musician Sufjan Stevens had an ambitious project to write a record for each of the 50 states. He did Michigan! And then Come On! Feel the Illinoise! (2005), and that was it. Illinois was so amazing, he decided the other states could never compare.”
Other team members emphasized Illinois’ resilience and ingenuity: “The Great Chicago Fire shows how the city of Chicago is strong and was able to rebuild after such a tragedy,” reflected Paulina San Millan.
“Chicago reversed the direction of the Chicago River in the late 1800s to early 1900s,” said Karten. McDermott reiterated: “The Chicago River is one of the only rivers in the world that was engineered to flow backward.”
(That very fact struck PsiQuantum’s Pete Shadbolt, too, when their company was first considering Illinois to build the first fault-tolerant computer in the U.S. They are now anchor tenants at the Illinois Quantum and Microelectronics Park, alongside IBM, Diraq, Infleqtion, DARPA, and others.)
Q: What is something that surprises other people about Illinois?
Illinois’ natural beauty is particularly striking, responded much of our team. “We have beaches—and Lake Michigan is so gigantic, it seems like an ocean,” said San Millan.
Cowden noted poetically: “It’s surprising how gorgeous Illinois is! From the bluffs of the Mighty Mississippi and the jewel tones of Lake Michigan to the iconic skyscrapers of Chicago, Illinois has a great mix of natural and man-made beauty.”
Speaking to its exceptional natural qualities, “Illinois is home to wild bunnies,” mentioned Director of Business Development and Special Projects Lucia Bertone-Ledford.
A trail leading to the Garden of the Gods in Herod. Image via Shutterstock.
And Pennacchi said out loud what we all think: “All of your cool friends in New York and LA came from Chicago.”
Q: What’s your favorite Illinois food?
Both McDermott and Vinicky responded: “Horseshoe!” Vinicky also noted that the chocolate chip coffee cake from Kirschbaum’s Bakery is fantastic.
“Nothing beats a Chicago-style hot dog,” said both Hodge and Cowden.
Karten and San Millan were also in agreement: “deep-dish pizza,” although Karten specified, “sourdough deep-dish.”
Chicago-style deep-dish pizza. Image via Shutterstock.
Pennacchi and Bertone-Ledford both offered restaurants to check out, respectively responding: “Chicago’s Mexican food is to die for; Taqueria Mazamitla is my new jam,” and “Del Seoul Kalbi Poutine.”
Q: Tell the World: Why Illinois?
In asking our team members to share their #WhyIllinois pitch, none of them hesitated.
“Illinois combines innovation, infrastructure, talent, and incentives to deliver a business-friendly environment and sustainable growth for companies of all sizes,” said McDermott.
“Illinois is a state comprised of broad-shouldered doers who tend to have a more straight-forward approach to work and life than our coastal friends. Illinois is a place where people from all walks of life can find peace and comfort, whether in the openness of fields and trails and trees, or in the skyscrapers and dive bars of our metropolises,” said Pennacchi.
Karten offered: “Illinois sits at the center of the country with the nation’s best multimodal transportation network, giving companies unmatched access to customers, suppliers, and global markets. The state offers a deep and highly skilled workforce, competitive operating costs, and robust incentive programs that support growth. With strong industry clusters and reliable infrastructure, Illinois is one of the most efficient and strategic places for businesses to expand or invest.”
Bertone-Ledford noted: “Illinois has everything: food and entertainment, but here, you can also live affordably, meet like-minded people, and build a future.”
Perfectly punctuated by Hodge, “Illinois is the best place to live and work.”
Looking Forward: Another Decade of Growth
As we come upon Illinois EDC’s 10-year anniversary, we’re energized by what’s next. With record-breaking investment, job creation, global connectivity, and an environment that truly loves business, Illinois is the preeminent destination for companies seeking fertile ground to grow and thrive.
If you’re considering expansion or relocation, Illinois stands ready for you. For companies, we’re built for business. And for people, we’re a place to call home.
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