The City of Big Shoulders carries the might of the Midwest

Once deemed the "City of Big Shoulders" for its blue-collar might in the meatpacking and railroad industries, Chicago's broad shoulders now carry one of the nation's most diverse economies, where no industry sector bears more than a 15% share of the region's marketplace. So, while Chicago's stockyards have been permanently closed since 1971, Chicago has since learned to lean into its inherent strengths as a central locale with superior intermodal hubs, two international airports, financial resources, world-class universities and the intellectual capital derived from the thousands who annually graduate from college and move to the Windy City to begin their new careers.