Population loss in Chicago – and Illinois in general – can be attributed to one cause: people moving out. More people are moving out of the city than are moving in. While international migration continues to be a boon to population counts and births still outpace deaths, Chicago’s population decline is because Chicagoans are leaving.
The latest data from the Census Bureau confirms Illinois’ outmigration and population crises are ongoing and continue to plague the state and Chicago. While politicians have disputed the numbers, Illinois’ population loss and outmigration crises have been continuously affirmed by data from the U.S. Census Bureau, IRS, as well as U-Haul, United Van Lines and Allied Van Lines moving companies.
While the new city-level data does not break down population change by components such as domestic and international migration, births and deaths, Illinois’ population declines during the past decade have been solely attributable to domestic outmigration. The same is very likely true for Chicago – the city’s population is declining because residents are fleeing.
When taxes were not a response option, surveys of those who have left the state showed the major reasons were for better housing and employment opportunities. The Chicago metro area’s unemployment rate is the highest in the nation among large metropolitan areas and Illinois unemployment remains well above the U.S. average.
