$68 Billion in Illinois Exports Drive Economic Growth, Create Jobs

Illinois is the largest exporting state in the Midwest and the fifth largest in the Country. Illinois exports rose 5.1% to $68.1 billion in 2012 after soaring 30 percent in 2011. Direct exports account for nearly 10 percent of the Gross State Product.

Governor Quinn worked hard to expand global trade partnerships, leading trade missions to China, Canada, Brazil and Mexico and the Illinois Office of Trade and Investment leveraged federal funds to assist hundreds of small to mid-sized companies gain access to fast-growing markets, raise the value of their export sales and fuel job growth at home.

Chicago also leads the nation for Foreign Direct Investment, according to a report from the IBM Institute for Business Value; “cities are becoming more important as vehicles for economic growth and dynamism. Accordingly, a growing share of investment is locating in or around metropolitan areas in order to take advantage of the talent pools, market opportunities and creativity that is available there. At the level of cities, …measured by number of investment projects…Chicago is the top ranking U.S. city after growth of more than 50 percent, notably in financial and business services, ahead of Atlanta and New York.” IBM Institute for Business Value Global Location Trends 2013 annual report.

Content provided by Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity.