Chicagoans have even more to be thankful for on Small Business Saturday: small businesses created all Cook County’s net new jobs since the pandemic.

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...

Despite leading the region in businesses applying to open, Illinois’ combative business climate results in few business actually starting.

Since 2020, 84% of Illinois communities have lost population. Small towns were hit hardest by population declines in 2024, while Chicago’s migrant crisis helped offset people choosing to leave.