A Deere & Co. John Deere 9560 combine harvests soft red winter wheat in a field in Kirkland, Illinois.
Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images
| Category | Score | 2018 Rank | 2017 Rank | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Workforce | 234 | 25 | 24 | B- |
| Infrastructure | 205 | 22 | 24 | C+ |
| Cost of Doing Business | 175 | 29 | 30 (Tie) | C+ |
| Economy | 115 | 42 | 45 | D+ |
| Quality of Life | 143 | 30 | 27 | D+ |
| Technology & Innovation | 152 | 12 | 12 | B+ |
| Education | 122 | 17 | 24 | B |
| Business Friendliness | 26 | 47 | 47 (Tie) | F |
| Access to Capital | 91 | 4 | 5 (Tie) | A |
| Cost of Living | 26 | 25 | 21 | C |
| [[link#104545209#Overall]] | 1289 | 28 | [[link#104395337#31]] | - |
Economic Profile
Governor: Bruce Rauner, Republican
Population: 12,802,023
GDP growth (Q4 2017): 2.7 percent
Unemployment rate (May 2018): 4.3 percent
Top corporate tax rate: 9.5 percent
Top individual income tax rate: 4.95 percent
Gasoline tax: 35.75 cents/gallon
Bond rating (Moody's/S&P): Baa3, negative/BBB-, stable
Major private employers: Sears Holding Corp., McDonald's Corp.
Economic profile sources: U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federation of Tax Administrators, American Petroleum Institute (excluding 18.40 cent/gallon federal tax), Moody's Investor Service, S&P Global Market Intelligence
