The U.S. Census Bureau released new migration data Dec. 20, and it’s frightening. Illinois has a massive people problem. From July 2015 to July 2016, the state’s population declined by more than 37,000 people. That’s the worst population loss in the nation, and will likely mean the loss of a seat in the U.S. House...

Illinois has record loss of 114,000 residents to other states in 2016 as population shrinks by 37,500.

The Chicago market has grown to the third largest in the country, accounting for almost all of the more than $73 million in supplemental income in 2016.

Since the end of the recession, only 5 out of Illinois’ 13 metro areas – Carbondale-Marion, Chicago, Kankakee, Lake County-Kenosha County and Springfield – have recovered all the private-sector jobs lost from the Great Recession.

The Land of Lincoln’s unfriendly climate for manufacturers has weakened Illinois cities, discouraged investment and made the state uncompetitive in the region.

August records summer-high job losses, including 495 in manufacturing.

Manufacturers are struggling with unfavorable global conditions, and Illinois’ anti-growth policies are only hurting the state’s industrial sector more.

Manufacturing weakness driving Illinois unemployment up; dropout and out-migration driving unemployment down.