The Chicago metropolitan area is not only the third most populous in the U.S., it also has the third highest GDP by a fair margin. More generally, it tends to

The Chicago metropolitan area is not only the third most populous in the U.S., it also has the third highest GDP by a fair margin. More generally, it tends to be regarded as a much more global city than SF or DC. New York is clearly #1 as far as international importance, but Chicago generally places third behind LA in any serious ranking of U.S. cities based on economic and cultural importance.