, Columnist
The Future of the U.S. Looks a Lot Like Chicago
How can Sun Belt cities learn from what Chicago got right and wrong?
Chicago boomed, and it didn’t go bust. What’s its secret?
Photographer: Scott Olson/Getty Images
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Of all America’s major cities, Chicago may be unique. The rest of the nation — particularly newer, faster-growing cities — should pay close attention to its evolution, because the future of America looks a lot like Chicago.
While Chicago has a vibrant core, it’s not as dauntingly expensive as New York or San Francisco. Chicago lacks the population growth that Sun Belt metros like Houston and Atlanta have, but it is no symbol of Rust Belt decline like Detroit has been. How did it achieve this relatively sustainable happy medium?