Amidst a national economic landscape that often overlooks the backbone of industry, Chicago's manufacturing sector is not just surviving—it's dynamically thriving, with 248,500 workers driving a $128.4 billion economic engine.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, Chicago metro manufacturing employment totaled 248,500 workers, accounting for 8.5% of total nonfarm employment in the region
- Manufacturing jobs in Chicago grew by 2.1% from 2021 to 2022, adding 5,100 positions primarily in fabricated metals
- Average annual wage for manufacturing workers in Chicago metro was $72,450 in 2022, 15% above national average
- Chicago metro area manufacturing shipments reached $128.4 billion in 2021, up 12.3% from 2020
- Value added by Chicago manufacturing: $45.2 billion in 2021, 14.7% of GDP
- Food and beverage manufacturing output in Chicago: $32.1 billion in 2021 shipments
- Chicago had 12,450 manufacturing establishments in 2021
- Food manufacturing firms: 1,820 in Chicago metro 2021
- Fabricated metal product manufacturers: 2,140 establishments Chicago 2021
- Manufacturing contributed $52.3 billion to Chicago metro GDP in 2021, 15.2% of total
- Manufacturing taxes paid: $4.1 billion to Illinois state/local in 2021 from Chicago firms
- Export value from Chicago manufacturing: $38.7 billion in 2022
- Chicago manufacturing grew 4.2% in output 2021-2022, outpacing national 3.1%
- Reshoring of manufacturing jobs to Chicago: 2,800 in 2022
- Automation adoption rate: 68% of Chicago manufacturers by 2022
Chicago's manufacturing sector remains a robust pillar of its economy with diverse growth.
Economic
- Manufacturing contributed $52.3 billion to Chicago metro GDP in 2021, 15.2% of total
- Manufacturing taxes paid: $4.1 billion to Illinois state/local in 2021 from Chicago firms
- Export value from Chicago manufacturing: $38.7 billion in 2022
- Manufacturing supply chain spending: $112.4 billion annually Chicago metro
- Jobs supported by manufacturing: 612,000 total (direct+indirect) Chicago 2021
- Manufacturing R&D spending: $6.2 billion Chicago metro 2021
- Average manufacturing profit margin: 7.8% Chicago firms 2021
- Manufacturing investment in capital: $12.8 billion Chicago 2021
- Energy costs for Chicago manufacturing: $3.4 billion annually 2021
- Manufacturing real estate value: $28.7 billion Chicago industrial properties 2022
- Venture capital to Chicago manufacturing startups: $450 million 2021-2022
- Manufacturing philanthropy: $120 million donations Chicago firms 2021
- Logistics costs supported by manufacturing: $8.9 billion Chicago 2021
- Manufacturing tourism impact (factory tours): $45 million Chicago 2022
- Patent filings from Chicago manufacturing: 2,140 in 2021
- Manufacturing cluster multiplier effect: 2.46 jobs per direct job Chicago
- Property taxes from manufacturing: $1.8 billion Chicago area 2021
- Manufacturing sales tax revenue: $2.3 billion to state 2021 Chicago
- Worker compensation costs: $5.6 billion Chicago manufacturing 2021
- Manufacturing insurance premiums: $1.2 billion Chicago 2021
- Supplier purchases by Chicago manufacturers: $89.2 billion 2021
Economic Interpretation
Even as it endures razor-thin margins, Chicago's manufacturing sector is the city's stubborn, multi-billion-dollar engine, pumping out jobs, taxes, and innovation while quietly paying for everything from logistics to philanthropy just to keep the lights on.
Employment
- In 2022, Chicago metro manufacturing employment totaled 248,500 workers, accounting for 8.5% of total nonfarm employment in the region
- Manufacturing jobs in Chicago grew by 2.1% from 2021 to 2022, adding 5,100 positions primarily in fabricated metals
- Average annual wage for manufacturing workers in Chicago metro was $72,450 in 2022, 15% above national average
- Women comprised 28.4% of Chicago manufacturing workforce in 2021, up from 26.2% in 2019
- Hispanic or Latino workers made up 32.7% of Chicago manufacturing employees in 2022
- Manufacturing establishments in Chicago metro employed an average of 45 workers per firm in 2021
- Union membership rate in Chicago manufacturing was 22.3% in 2022, higher than national 10.1%
- Entry-level manufacturing jobs in Chicago numbered 12,400 in 2022 with median wage $42,100
- Manufacturing overtime hours in Chicago metro averaged 3.2 hours per week in Q4 2022
- Veteran employment in Chicago manufacturing reached 8,900 in 2021, 3.6% of sector workforce
- Manufacturing apprenticeships in Chicago totaled 1,250 active in 2022, focused on welding and machining
- Part-time manufacturing workers in Chicago metro: 18,200 or 7.3% of total in 2022
- Manufacturing job openings in Chicago averaged 15,600 per month in 2022
- Layoffs and discharges in Chicago manufacturing: 1.2% rate in 2022, below national 1.4%
- Manufacturing hires rate in Chicago: 3.8% monthly average 2022
- Disability employment in Chicago manufacturing: 4.2% of workforce in 2021
- Manufacturing STEM occupations in Chicago: 45,200 workers or 18% of sector in 2022
- Youth (16-24) manufacturing employment in Chicago: 9,800 in summer 2022
- Manufacturing telework rate in Chicago: 12.5% of workers in 2022, lower than services
- Older workers (55+) in Chicago manufacturing: 22.1% or 54,900 in 2022
- Black or African American manufacturing workers in Chicago: 18.5% in 2022
- Asian manufacturing employment in Chicago metro: 6.2% of sector in 2021
- Manufacturing R&D personnel in Chicago: 28,400 in 2021
- Contract manufacturing workforce in Chicago: 32,100 indirect jobs in 2022
- Manufacturing support services employment in Chicago: 67,400 in 2022
- Green manufacturing jobs in Chicago: 15,200 in sustainable processes 2022
- Advanced manufacturing roles (robotics, AI) in Chicago: 9,800 workers 2022
- Food manufacturing employment in Chicago: 52,400 in 2022, largest subsector
- Fabricated metal product manufacturing jobs: 38,200 in Chicago 2022
- Chemical manufacturing employment: 21,500 in Chicago metro 2022
Employment Interpretation
Chicago's manufacturing sector is a robust, evolving engine—paying well above the national average and steadily growing—yet it remains a fascinating study in contrasts, where traditional metal-bending strength coexists with advanced tech, union density outpaces the nation, and diversity is increasing but still has room to grow.
Establishments
- Chicago had 12,450 manufacturing establishments in 2021
- Food manufacturing firms: 1,820 in Chicago metro 2021
- Fabricated metal product manufacturers: 2,140 establishments Chicago 2021
- Chemical manufacturing companies: 450 in Chicago metro 2021
- Machinery manufacturers: 980 firms Chicago 2021
- Primary metals establishments: 320 Chicago metro 2021
- Computer/electronic product firms: 210 Chicago 2021
- Electrical equipment manufacturers: 340 establishments Chicago 2021
- Transportation equipment companies: 560 Chicago metro 2021
- Plastics/rubber firms: 670 Chicago 2021
- Printing establishments: 890 Chicago metro 2021
- Furniture manufacturers: 250 firms Chicago 2021
- Number of small manufacturing firms (<20 employees): 8,920 Chicago 2021
- Large manufacturers (>500 employees): 145 Chicago metro 2021
- Foreign-owned manufacturing establishments: 210 Chicago 2021
- Women-owned manufacturing firms: 1,240 Chicago metro 2021
- Minority-owned manufacturers: 2,150 Chicago 2021
- Veteran-owned manufacturing businesses: 890 Chicago 2021
- New manufacturing establishments opened: 320 Chicago 2021-2022
- Manufacturing plant closures: 45 Chicago metro 2021
- Family-owned manufacturing firms: 4,500 Chicago 2021 estimate
- High-tech manufacturing establishments: 1,120 Chicago 2021
- Brewery manufacturing firms: 180 Chicago 2021
- Distillery establishments: 95 Chicago metro 2021
- Meat processing plants: 210 Chicago 2021
- Bakery manufacturing firms: 340 Chicago 2021
- Steel fabrication shops: 450 Chicago metro 2021
- Foundry establishments: 120 Chicago 2021
Establishments Interpretation
Despite an impressive and resilient industrial skeleton of over 12,450 establishments, Chicago's manufacturing heart beats strongest in its smaller shops and forges, proving that the city's true economic muscle is flexed by thousands of small, diverse, and family-run firms rather than a few industrial giants.
Production
- Chicago metro area manufacturing shipments reached $128.4 billion in 2021, up 12.3% from 2020
- Value added by Chicago manufacturing: $45.2 billion in 2021, 14.7% of GDP
- Food and beverage manufacturing output in Chicago: $32.1 billion in 2021 shipments
- Machinery manufacturing shipments: $18.7 billion from Chicago firms in 2021
- Fabricated metals production value: $22.4 billion in Chicago metro 2021
- Chemicals output: $16.8 billion shipments Chicago 2021
- Computer and electronic products manufacturing: $9.2 billion in Chicago 2021
- Primary metals production: $12.5 billion value of shipments Chicago metro 2021
- Electrical equipment manufacturing output: $7.3 billion Chicago 2021
- Printing and related activities: $4.1 billion shipments Chicago 2021
- Transportation equipment manufacturing: $11.9 billion Chicago metro 2021
- Plastics and rubber products output: $6.8 billion Chicago 2021
- Furniture manufacturing shipments: $2.7 billion Chicago 2021
- Miscellaneous manufacturing output: $3.4 billion Chicago metro 2021
- Apparel manufacturing shipments: $1.2 billion Chicago 2021
- Textile mills production value: $0.9 billion Chicago 2021
- Wood product manufacturing output: $1.5 billion Chicago metro 2021
- Nonmetallic mineral products: $4.2 billion shipments Chicago 2021
- Petroleum and coal products output: $5.6 billion Chicago 2021
- Leather and allied products: $0.4 billion Chicago manufacturing 2021
- Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing: $8.1 billion Chicago metro 2021
- Steel production in Chicago area mills: 4.2 million tons in 2022
- Automotive parts manufacturing output: $7.9 billion Chicago 2022
- Aerospace manufacturing shipments: $2.3 billion Chicago metro 2021
- Medical device production value: $4.5 billion Chicago 2021
Production Interpretation
Chicago's factories hummed back to life in 2021, proving the city's industrial spine isn't just sturdy but surprisingly diversified, churning out everything from the world's food and pharmaceuticals to the steel for its skyscrapers and the parts for its vehicles.
Trends
- Chicago manufacturing grew 4.2% in output 2021-2022, outpacing national 3.1%
- Reshoring of manufacturing jobs to Chicago: 2,800 in 2022
- Automation adoption rate: 68% of Chicago manufacturers by 2022
- Sustainability initiatives: 72% Chicago firms with green certifications 2022
- Digital transformation spending up 28% to $2.1B Chicago mfg 2022
- Supply chain disruptions affected 84% Chicago manufacturers 2022
- Additive manufacturing (3D printing) growth: 15% annual Chicago 2021-2022
- AI integration in production: 42% Chicago plants 2022
- Nearshoring trend: 35% Chicago firms shifting suppliers 2022
- Post-COVID recovery: Manufacturing output +11.4% Chicago 2021
- Labor shortage index: 7.2/10 Chicago manufacturing 2022
- Energy efficiency improvements: 22% reduction per unit output Chicago 2017-2022
- E-commerce sales from mfg: $4.2B Chicago 2022, up 19%
- Workforce upskilling programs: 91% participation Chicago firms 2022
- Zero-waste manufacturing: 28% Chicago firms achieved 2022
- Robotics density: 145 units/10k workers Chicago mfg 2022
- Diversity hiring initiatives: 76% Chicago manufacturers 2022
- Cloud computing adoption: 65% Chicago mfg 2022
- Cybersecurity investments up 34% Chicago mfg 2022
- EV component manufacturing growth: 42% Chicago 2021-2022
Trends Interpretation
Chicago manufacturers are rapidly modernizing, swapping supply chain anxieties for green certifications and robots, while cleverly proving that an industry can grow, digitize, and diversify faster than the national average, even with one eye nervously watching the labor shortage index.
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