Metropolis (Ch 16)

The Impressive Chicagoland.

"Chicagoland" a name originally coined in 1926 by James O'Donnell Bennett, a reporter for the Chicago Tribune, refers to the metropolitan area of Chicago. It is important to note that this area does not just encompass the city of Chicago, but also currently includes nearby counties in Illinois and Indiana. Chicagoland is a 300 mile area.

In 1950, the Chicago Metropolitan area was designated by the United States Census Bureau as the Chicago Metropolitan Statistical Area. Though much like the term Chicagoland, the Chicago Metropolitan Statistical Area consists of several of the surrounding areas, as well as Chicago itself. As those counties and Chicago expand, the statistical area expands as well and has in fact become the third largest Metropolitan Statistical Area in the United States. The area that the Chicago Metropolitan Statistical Area represents is focused on the local collective labor market.

Many of the surround areas in the last few decades have experienced several population booms. One of the areas that comes under the Chicago Metropolitan heading is classified as the fastest growing city within the United States. In almost a decade, Kendall County, Illinois has expanded by 10,000 people. In addition, the Chicago Metropolitan area is home to three other suburbs that are experiencing major population increases. Within this area is also DuPage County, which has the highest median household income of any county in the Midwestern United States.

Chicago's Metropolitan area is home to 57 business on the Fortune 1000 list. These business are represented by the most common; Boeing, McDonald's, and Motorola. Over the years, the industries that dominate the metropolitan economy is constantly evolving. Currently, the economy is producing telecommunication, electronic, and steel as a small example. However, this is not all the products that are coming out of the area. Chicago is also a prime financial district, a place for high education, and a center for health care.

With an ever evolving community, extensive transportation facilities, and a strong economy, Chicago continues to expand. With the sure nature of the city, it continues to expand and reinvent itself as one of the leading metropolitan areas.