Steel City is a term used to refer to three cities in the United States: Essen, Toledo, and Gary. Essen is a city in Louisiana with a population of about 2, 000 people. Toledo is a city in Ohio located on the western end of Lake Erie. It has a population of over 280, 000 people. Gary is a city in Indiana located on the southern shore of Lake Michigan. It has a population of over 75, 000 people. All three cities are known for their steel production and have been referred to as Steel Cities.