Illinois can take credit for plenty of Starbucks’ pumpkin spice lattes. The state produces enough pumpkins to make nearly 8 billion pumpkin spice lattes, the most pumpkins in the U.S.
Illinois’ economy bounces back after early 2025 slump. Long-term growth is threatened by taxation, regulation and barriers to getting a job.
As housing prices continue to soar out of reach for more Americans, an impulse from policy makers across the country has been to attempt to mandate “affordable” prices through legislation. One common idea is rent control, which limits how much landlords can increase rents on residents. A related one is inclusionary zoning, which forces developers...
Chicago lost nearly 1-in-5 businesses between 2015 and 2024, translating to nearly 11,200 fewer businesses operating in the city. Of the city’s 98 neighborhoods, 80 lost 10% or more of their businesses. Mag Mile lost 41% of its stores.
Policies that make building expensive have continued to choke Illinois’ housing supply, pushing more families away with high prices. Nearly $90K has been added to the average house price since 2018.
Illinois showed slow job growth as the state trailed national trends. Unemployment was at 4.4% in August, slightly above the national rate
Ald. Marty Quinn’s proposed ordinance would restrict additional dwelling units in Chicago to just 20% of the city and add costly labor mandates. It also boosts each alderman’s power over what Chicagoans can do with their own homes.
A slew of private investments in nuclear energy signals opportunity, yet Illinois remains one of only 12 states that limits production. The state needs to lift its ban on new reactors.
Legalizing additional dwelling units citywide would bring more housing choices, lower costs and help Chicagoans stay in the neighborhoods they love.
Enrollment in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program dropped by 3.2% in May. Still, nearly 2 million Illinoisans relied on federal food aid, with participation rates exceeding 30% in some Southern Illinois counties.
Illinois companies announced 1,065 mass layoffs in August. Minority-owned Diverse Facility Solutions, headquartered in Alsip, Illinois, and two other janitorial services companies accounted for nearly half of the jobs lost.
Restrictive zoning laws and policy barriers have prevented new housing construction, driving prices up and Illinois families out.
Atlas Sweets is a newcomer to Chicago’s summer farmers market and fair scene. For founders Vlad and Ellery Rikhlyuk, the cotton candy enterprise is about more than bringing in a little extra cash – it’s the revival of a family dream once crushed by Soviet Communism.
Illinois continues to be one of the slowest growing economies in the nation, ranking 46th in post-pandemic job recovery and adding just 20,300 jobs in the past year. Unemployment remained above the national average.