Curious City
Curious City, produced by WBEZ Chicago, invites listeners to submit and vote on questions about Chicago, the region and its people, then answers them through reported stories. The show has 669 episodes published weekly since 2012, with a median length of about 20 minutes. Estimated downloads are 2,000 to 8,000 per episode (estimate). Rate range is $40 to $200 per episode.
Chicago's most-trusted local history show, with a loyal public radio audience
- 669 episodes produced weekly since 2012, with a steady, high-production format.
- Apple Podcasts rating of 4.6 from 663 ratings, with most ratings at five stars.
- Listeners engage with Chicago-specific stories, suited to regional and local brands.
Brand fit report
Content
- Formats
- narrative, reported feature, listener-question explainer
- Tone
- curious, informative
- Language
- English
- Production
- Studio production
- Typical length
- 15 to 26 minutes
Audience
Commercial
- Brands seen
- None yet
- Categories promoted
- None yet
- Affiliate links
- No
No sponsor mentions found in the feed.
Suitability GARM Brand Safety Floor + Suitability
Family friendly
Recent titles cover local history, food, music and urban culture with no flagged content; the feed is not marked explicit.
We classify content, never people. No age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political views are inferred about the creator. Audience figures are estimates unless marked verified. Creators can correct anything on their profile.
Where to listen
| Platform | Link |
|---|---|
| Website | www.wbez.org/shows/curious-city/7b79e16d-f3a9-41… |
| Apple Podcasts | podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id568409161 |
| RSS feed | curiouscity.podcasts.wbez.org |
Benchmark score: 93 / 100
Public rule, same for everyone. How it works.
Recent episodes
| Episode | Date | Length |
|---|---|---|
| What’s that dead zone in the 19th Ward? | 2026-10-14 | 13 min |
| ‘Rivalry is our last name:’ Chicago and Detroit battle on the danceflo | 2026-10-07 | 26 min |
| Industrial jobs left Detroit, Chicago, and Milwaukee. Why did it hit t | 2026-09-30 | 22 min |
| Chicago, Milwaukee or Detroit: Which city has the best encased meats? | 2026-09-23 | 20 min |
| How Ella Jenkins’ Chicago childhood shaped her iconic children’s music | 2026-09-16 | 23 min |
| Did Chicago invent the rage room? A look inside “the Frustration Room” | 2026-09-09 | 21 min |
Last six episodes from the show's feed, latest 5 days ago, a new one about every 7 days.
Ask questions, vote and discover answers about Chicago, the region and its people. From WBEZ.
About Curious City
Curious City is a long-running WBEZ Chicago show in which listeners submit and vote on questions about Chicago, the region and its people, and the newsroom answers them with reported stories. The feed lists 669 episodes released weekly since October 2012, with a median episode length of about 20 minutes. The show is published through WBEZ and its website describes the series as a way to ask questions, vote and discover answers about the city.
The show's audience is estimated rather than published. Apple Podcasts shows 663 ratings with a 4.6 average, which suggests a loyal listener base. Based on these signals, downloads are estimated at 2,000 to 8,000 per episode. Listeners are likely to be Chicago residents and regional audiences with an interest in local history, culture and public radio. No sponsors are visible in the feed.
A host-read mid-roll would be estimated at $40 to $200 per episode. Brands that serve Chicago consumers, regional tourism, or local services are the best fit for the show's audience.
Written from the show's public RSS feed, its Podcast Index listing and episode titles. Numbers updated 2026-10-19. Curious City can edit or remove this page at any time.
Questions about Curious City
How much does Curious City charge for a podcast sponsorship?
Based on an estimated 2,000 to 8,000 downloads per episode, a host-read mid-roll is estimated at $40 to $200 per episode. The exact price is set by the show and its producer.
What is Curious City about?
Curious City is a WBEZ Chicago podcast where listeners submit and vote on questions about Chicago, the region and its people. The newsroom then reports the answers in episodes that run about 20 minutes.
How do I contact Curious City about sponsoring an episode?
The show's contact email unlocks on Starbooked for $0.80. Boosted shows can be booked through Starbooked.
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