Even subtracting COVID-19 deaths, Illinois still suffered its largest population drop in modern history in the first year of Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s fiscal policies, including 20 new tax and fee hikes, as well as his pandemic response.

New census data reveals that for a second year, all 10 metro areas based primarily in Illinois experienced population decline.

States with the slowest housing appreciation tend to have worse labor markets, higher taxes and more pension debt.