Illinois North Central Region
Regional Hubs
- Peoria
- Bloomington
- Normal
- Pekin
- East Peoria
- Morton
- Washington
- Canton
- Pontiac
Counties
- Peoria
- McLean
- Tazewell
- Woodford
- Livingston
- Fulton
- DeWitt
- Mason
- Marshall
- Stark
Key Industries
- Advanced Business Services
- Information & Communications Technologies
- Transportation and Logistics
- Biomedical
- Computer and Electronic Products
- Food/Beverage Machinery and Capital Equipment
- Agribusiness
- Automotive
Major Employers and Headquarters
Corporate HQ:
Higher Education
Unique Facts
- Population 650,000+; Workforce 300,000+
- Peoria is home to a thriving and innovative health care industry with numerous partners
- The Peoria NEXT Innovation Center is a 48,000 square foot technology incubator for entrepreneurial businesses looking to make their mark on the world
- The Amtrak station in Bloomington-Normal is frequently ranked as one of the busiest Amtrak stations in the midwest (229,894 passengers in 2019) and provides service to Chicago, Milwaukee, and St. Louis
- Central Illinois Regional Airport (BMI) in Bloomington features an 8,000 foot primary runway and 6,500 foot crosswind runway with three Instrument Landing Systems including a CAT II, providing for reliable operations during inclement weather conditions. FedEx operates a daily air cargo flight and a sorting and distribution facility at BMI and many corporate and private aircraft are based at BMI along with service from Delta, American Airlines, Frontier, and Allegiant.
- Morton is known as the Pumpkin Capital of the World because 85% of the world’s canned pumpkin is packed there
Region Specific Assistance
Lauren Gibson, AICP
North Central Region Manager
217-986-0062
lauren.gibson@illinois.gov
The Illinois Department of Commerce is Your One-Stop Resource
- Site Selection
- Customized Workforce Training
- Regional & Local Collaboration
- Expedited Permitting, Licensing & Other Approvals
- Connection to Key Stakeholders and Civic & Business Partners
- Potential Financial Support
- And more!