Booming 'burbs: Cook and collar counties make Top 20 for economic development

If you've noticed new company headquarters in your town or a new manufacturing facility, you aren't alone.

Site Selection has taken note, too, and ranked Cook, DuPage, Kane and Will among the Top 20 counties in the nation for economic development.

Cook County came in second, followed by DuPage at No. 9, Kane at 14 and Will at 19. Illinois is the only state with four contiguous counties on the list.

Though the magazine has ranked the Chicago metro area as the top region for business growth the last 10 years, this is the first time the magazine has ranked individual counties based on economic development.

Rankings were based on the number of economic development projects in each county from January 2022 to March 2023. According to the rankings, Cook had 231 projects; DuPage, 91; Kane, 52; and Will, 48. The magazine did not list the individual projects in each county, but evidence of growth can be seen across the suburbs.

For example, Reyes Coca-Cola is building a new bottling facility in West Dundee. Endotronix located its corporate headquarters in Naperville and built an on-site manufacturing facility.

“We strive to develop and maintain a business friendly environment in DuPage County,” DuPage County Board Chair Deborah Conroy said. “With so many companies building and locating here, we're optimistic our economic outlook will remain strong.”

Kane County Board Chair Connie Pierog said the ranking highlighted why the county is a “prime destination for new businesses and investments.”

“This acknowledgment reinforces our status as a welcoming community that values its workforce, growth and geographic attributes,” Pierog said in a statement.

Site Selection's ‘Heroes of the Heartland' rankings are available at siteselection.com.