I absolutely agree it's had more importance historically, but many of the things you listed don't have much relevance for what people define as an "important" c

I absolutely agree it's had more importance historically, but many of the things you listed don't have much relevance for what people define as an "important" city today. The central location of Chicago I think plays a lot into many of those factors re transportation and mercantilism in particular which aren't as relevant as travel became easier and the internet arose. In terms of cost, in my experience, it's in line with coastal cities overall besides SF/NYC, maybe a bit lower than Boston. > Not that many Chicagoans will gush unreservedly about their city. Chicago is not the kind of city that invites unexamined boosterism. I wouldn't say they gush, but I know a good deal of people from the Chicago area at this point and it's very much in my experience an underlying assumption set they hold.