Equinix CH5

Chicago's broader economy is anchored by financial trading (CME Group), advanced manufacturing, transportation and logistics as the central US hub, and insurance. Data centers fit into that base unusually well — 350 East Cermak Road is one of the most carrier-connected buildings in the world, and the metro is a major colocation and peering hub for the entire Midwest. The 30 tracked facilities and roughly 4,200 NAICS 518 jobs (estimated) sit inside a much larger commercial real estate and trading-firm infrastructure footprint.

Chicago's headline number is its electrician wage: $102,350 median, near the top of every US metro and reflecting the strong hold of IBEW Local 134 on commercial and industrial work. HVAC technicians earn $77,960 — a real gap, but HVAC apprenticeships take a fraction of the time, making it a faster route into facility work for someone weighing time-to-credential. The maintenance and repair pool of 45,710 is deep and pays $58,020 median, a solid mid-skill entry point.

For a trades worker, Chicago is the strongest union market in the data center industry. The wage premium for organized electricians is real, but so are the barriers to entry. Established trades benefit most; the metro grows slower than Sun Belt comparables but offers far better pension and benefit packages.