Built in Chicago

About Chicago's Money

We transform public records into actionable intelligence. From salary transparency to neighborhood growth signals, Chicago's Money empowers residents, journalists, and businesses to understand where dollars flow—and where opportunity grows.

Explore Salaries Budget Dashboard

Chicago by the Numbers

0 Population
$0 City Budget
0 Employees
0 Neighborhoods

Our Mission & Method

Making Chicago's finances accessible to everyone. We collect, normalize, and explain open data—then build tools and stories that help people make informed decisions. No logins. No paywalls. Just clarity.

Trusted Data Sources

We source directly from data.cityofchicago.org and official city documents, ensuring accuracy and transparency in every dataset we present.

Smart Analysis

Clean interfaces first, deeper insights when you need them. We transform complex data into actionable intelligence for every user.

Focused Coverage

Specializing in payroll, overtime, permits, and budget data—the key indicators that reveal Chicago's economic pulse across all 77 communities.

Explore Chicago Neighborhoods

Discover the unique economic story of Chicago's diverse communities

Downtown Core & Loop

The economic heart of Chicago shows strong recovery with rising foot traffic and continued investment. Tourism has rebounded and weekday office activity is climbing steadily.

  • 📈
    Office occupancy reaching 75-80%
  • 🏨
    Hotel renovations and riverfront upgrades ongoing
  • 🚶
    Riverwalk visits trending upward
  • 💼
    Strong opportunities for vendors and services

North Side Innovation

From River North to Ravenswood, tech and creative firms drive demand for professional services and commercial buildouts. A hub of entrepreneurship and modern commerce.

  • 🔧
    Strong pipeline of small permits and renovations
  • 🏗️
    Growing demand for specialty trades
  • 🍽️
    Restaurant refresh cycles continue
  • 💡
    Tech startup ecosystem expansion

South Side Renaissance

Corridors around Hyde Park and South Shore see significant reinvestment. Transit connections and cultural anchors fuel new storefront openings and community development.

  • 🏠
    Building permits signal strong rehab cycles
  • 🏞️
    Beautiful parks and lakefront attractions
  • 🛍️
    Growing opportunities in neighborhood services
  • 🎨
    Cultural institutions driving economic activity

West Side Logistics Hub

Industrial corridors and freight access keep logistics operations thriving. City contracts support extensive streets and sanitation operations throughout the region.

  • 🚛
    Jobs in fleet & facilities growing with demand
  • 🏭
    Active warehouse retrofits and permits
  • 🛣️
    Service opportunities around arterial streets
  • ⚡
    Industrial infrastructure investments

Live Chicago Metrics

Real-time pulse on the city's financial health

0
Daily Permits Issued
↑ 12% from last month
$847M
YTD Payroll Spending
↑ 3.2% year over year
0
Active Construction Projects
↑ 8% from last quarter
94.2%
Budget Utilization Rate
On track for fiscal year

Frequently Asked Questions

Get answers to common questions about our data sources, update frequency, and how to use Chicago's Money for research and outreach.

We rely exclusively on the City of Chicago's open data portal (powered by Socrata) and official budget documents. Salary and overtime figures come from the City payroll dataset, while permits and inspections are sourced from departmental datasets. We cite source links throughout the site and maintain data integrity through automated validation checks.
Most datasets refresh automatically on a weekly or monthly basis, depending on the source. Our system checks for updates daily and reflects changes in our tools automatically. We display the last refresh date when available and maintain a data freshness indicator for each dataset.
Absolutely! Use the Salary Lookup for transparency work and investigative journalism. The Business Intelligence section provides leads for B2B outreach and market research. For enterprise integration or newsroom collaboration, contact us through our dedicated partnership program.
Yes. All data comes directly from official city sources with no modifications. We implement automated data validation, cross-reference multiple sources when available, and clearly mark any estimated or calculated fields. Our methodology is transparent and our source code is available for review.
No All core tools and data are free to use. We believe in open access to public information. Our business model focuses on premium services for enterprises and partnerships, while keeping essential transparency tools completely free for individuals, journalists, and small organizations.

Ready to explore Chicago's data?

Jump into our live tools or browse our insights. Everything is built to be fast, mobile-first, and user-friendly.

Start Salary Lookup View Budget Dashboard Read Our Analysis