Chicago (
/ʃɨˈkɑːɡoʊ/ (help·info) or /ʃɨˈkɔːɡoʊ/) is the third largest city in the United States, and with more than 2.8 million people, the largest city in the state of Illinois and the Midwestern United States. Located on the southwestern shores of Lake Michigan and next to Indiana, Chicago is the third-most densely populated major city in the U.S.,[3] and anchor to the world's 26th largest metropolitan area[4] with over 9.6 million people across three states.[5][6] Except for the southwest corner of O'Hare International Airport in DuPage County, the city of Chicago is located in Cook County.