Illinois loses resident every 4 minutes, 18 seconds: like Springfield vanishing each year

By Bryce Hill

12/23/2021

More Illinoisans fled for other states from July 2020-July 2021 than during any other year in recorded history, driving the state’s record population decline.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Illinois breaks record for population loss, outmigration in 2021

By Bryce Hill

12/21/2021

Despite a higher-than-expected 2020 population count, the U.S. Census Bureau estimates Illinoisans moving away was the sole reason for the state’s record loss of the equivalent of nearly everyone in Springfield.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Rural areas lose to cities amid Illinois’ historic population loss

By Bryce Hill

08/13/2021

Chicago and other urban areas in Illinois gained people compared to the rural areas, with 87 of 102 counties losing people in the 2020 U.S. Census.

TAGS: Chicago, Illinois, population, U.S. Census Bureau

90% of Illinois communities lost population in 2020

By Bryce Hill

05/27/2021

Census estimates predict nearly all Illinois municipalities shed population last year, with a greater share of large communities being affected.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

All Illinois metro areas see populations drop in 2020

By Bryce Hill

05/20/2021

Each of Illinois’ metropolitan areas got smaller from July 2019-July 2020, census estimates showed.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Census estimates again confirm Illinois population loss driven by people leaving

By Bryce Hill

05/05/2021

New data showed domestic migration continued to be the only reason for Illinois’ population decline.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Pritzker fact check: Prime working-age Illinoisans leading exodus, not students

By Bryce Hill

04/30/2021

Gov. J.B. Pritzker inaccurately identified students leaving for college as the reason for Illinois’ population decline. Illinoisans between the ages of 26 and 54 made up 64.5% of the net decline in population from 2017-2018, the most recent year of available data.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Illinois population loss drops it to 6th-most populous state

By Bryce Hill

04/28/2021

Illinois was the nation’s fifth-largest state until 2020 census data was released. Now Pennsylvania’s population exceeds Illinois’ to take the No. 5 spot.

TAGS: Illinois, outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau

Illinois loses 1 seat in Congress after 2020 Census shows first population drop in 200 years

By Bryce Hill, Joe Tabor

04/27/2021

Illinois will lose one representative in the U.S. House. The state’s population declined for the first time in over 200 years, the 10-year U.S. Census count showed.

TAGS: outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Congress

Illinois to lose 1 seat in U.S. Congress, new Census shows

By Brad Weisenstein

04/26/2021

Illinois’ decade of population loss, with last year being the worst loss of people since World War II, will cost is one seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. Some thought the new Census would cost Illinois two seats in Congress.

TAGS: outmigration, population, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Congress

Unions flood politicians with cash: How it buys clout in Illinois General Assembly

Government unions in Illinois have tremendous power. Most are allowed to go on strike and can bargain over virtually anything.1 It creates an uneven playing field, with unions able to demand costly provisions in their contracts and threaten to strike – denying Illinoisans needed services – to get what they want.2 Until recently, the potential...

View Report

Unions flood politicians with cash: How it buys clout in Illinois General Assembly

Report Archive

Toni Larocco

Policy lessons from Illinois’ exodus of people and money

CBS Chicago: Illinois’ highest-paid superintendent receives $400K per year to oversee 1,200 students