Capital City: Springfield
Population: 12,831,970
Top Industry: Energy
Total Area: 57,918 square miles
With Chicago and its surrounding metro area in the northeast portion of the state, small industrial cities and farming towns dot central and western Illinois. The state has a very diverse economy, comprised of natural resources, agriculture, and manufacturing. With a shortage of truck drivers not only in Illinois but throughout the entire United States, trucking companies are willing to pay top dollar for new drivers.
Chicago
Illinois’s largest city, Chicago is a major hub for transportation (ground and air), business, and the financial industry. The surrounding metro areas of the city are by far the most populated in the state, with a total population of 9.7 million residents.
Major Illinois Interstates
Interstate 80 – I-80 runs across the entire length of the U.S. and passes through the northern portion of Illinois. The interstate runs east and west and in Illinois, it crosses the Mississippi River and intersects with I-74 before it joins with I-94 near the Indiana border.
Interstate 55 – I-55 runs north and south through the central U.S. and is commonly referred to as “the Stevenson” in Chicago and the surrounding metro area.
Interstate 70 – I-70 runs east and west, starting in Cove Fort, Utah and ending in Baltimore, Maryland. The interstate crosses through the southern half of Illinois and does not pass through any major cities.
Other interstates that pass through Illinois include I-24, I-39, I-57, I-64, I-72, I-74, I-88, I-90, I-94.
Industries in Illinois
Agriculture – Soybeans remain the top agricultural product in Illinois and the state is the largest supplier of the product in the U.S. Other important agricultural goods include dairy products, corn, wheat, and cattle (namely for beef).
Energy – Illinois is well-known for its numerous energy resources, including electricity, coal, nuclear power, and biofuels.
Manufacturing – There are a number of manufacturing industries in Illinois including food, machinery, chemical, and metal manufacturing.