2021 Census numbers are horrible for Illinois: Population decline second worst in country, behind only New York – Wirepoints

By: Ted Dabrowski and John Klingner

Illinois’ population dropped by 114,000, or almost 1 percent, in 2021, according to new Population Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau. It’s a record loss of population for Illinois. Only New York lost more people on a percentage basis in 2021.

These latest Census figures should serve as rebuke to Illinois politicians that dismissed Illinois’ population problems back in April when the Decennial 2020 numbers revealed Illinois’ losses over the decade were smaller than originally estimated.

Yes, the final 18,000-population loss was significantly lower than the original estimates. However, Illinois was still an extreme outlier under the final count. It was one of just three states to shrink over the past decade, joining West Virginia and Mississippi. That was a dismal outcome the state’s politicians chose to ignore. 

But these latest 2021 numbers will be harder for them to dismiss. They show Illinois is still an extreme national outlier when it comes to losing people.

Overall, the United States had the worst year of growth in its history. The nation only grew by 393,000 people, or 0.1 percent of its population. The Census Bureau said: “The slow rate of growth can be attributed to decreased net international migration, decreased fertility, and increased mortality due in part to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

That slow growth didn’t impact all states equally.

The nation’s biggest winners in population continued to be states like Texas and Florida. Texas gained 310,000 people and Florida gained 211,000. Arizona, North Carolina and Georgia rounded out the top five winners.

The biggest losers were New York, down 319,000 people, California, which lost 262,000, and Illinois. Massachusetts and Louisiana were the other two states in the bottom five.

Closer to home, all of Illinois’ neighbors grew in 2021, just as they did in the last decade. Indiana was the biggest winner, increasing by over 20,300 people. Iowa grew by more than 4,400. And Wisconsin grew by nearly 3,600 people.

All three components of population change contributed to Illinois’ losses.

Net domestic out-migration resulted in a net loss of 122,000 residents, the highest since at least 2000. The flight of Illinoisans to other states, and the decreasing willingness of people to move into Illinois, continues to be the biggest driver of the state’s population woes.

Those big losses were only partially offset by a 2,800 net natural increase in population (births minus deaths) and net international immigration, which added 5,800 people. Both components were heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Illinois politicians may try to dismiss this year’s dire population data by blaming COVID. But Illinoisans should be able to see right through that. Every state has been impacted by the pandemic and yet it’s still Illinois that’s at the bottom of the barrel.

Read more about Illinois’ population woes:

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jajujon
2 years ago

Here I am on Christmas Day, celebrating with family, 4/5 of which has migrated to Indiana. And we’re ready to follow them. When our new home is completed this Spring, we’re putting Illinois in our rear view mirror. There are so many reasons: corruption, high taxes, CRT, CRTLS, unrelenting crime, public sector union influence, stupid lockdowns and unconstitutional mandates unsubstantiated by science, treating criminals as victims, carjacking, no right to work, pensions underwater, politician lies and deceit, unemployment program mismanagement. What an appalling, disgusting list. We’re taking our taxes and earning power with us. We lived here nearly our entire… Read more »

debtsor
2 years ago
Reply to  jajujon

“Until we grab our pitchforks and march on Chicago and Springfield, nothing will change.” Hhahahaha the pro-life crowd stormed Springfield Capital (insurrection?) in protest of the despicable, detestable abortion law. It got zero, I repeat ZERO coverage in the news. Tens maybe hundreds of thousands of people protested, and it got zero coverage, like it never happened. 24 hours later the there’s the famous picture of left-wing nutjob Rep. Kelly Cassidy was jumping in the air, pumping her fists, celebrating that Moloch was able to kill more unborn children. The progressive crowd runs the state, as a regime. Every lever… Read more »

Wally
2 years ago

Don’t know if we were included, we left in October. But, it’s not only the number of people who left, it’s the money they took with them. The IRS publishes a report on AGI, adjusted gross income, which describes yearly how much money leaves with those who leave based on tax returns. Tens of millions of dollars leave IL yearly for TX, FL, etc. We took several million in personal, pension, and retirement income which will now be spent in SC, (where it will also go a lot farther than in IL). I’m pretty sure others who are leaving are… Read more »

Aaron
2 years ago
Reply to  Wally

yes the money is a big deal. Especially those who have Illinois income. Yes, they still pay IL taxes but NONE of what is left is spent in IL. The money is leaving faster than the people.

Rob M
2 years ago

I can’t think of any way to spin it. Crime, taxation, corruption, hostile governmental leadership, are causing this. Population shrinkage and stagnant or decreasing home values are proof positive that things are on the wrong track. Public employees and educated elites are largely driving status quo by continuing to elect corrupt conmen who promise the stars and mortgage the future while enriching themselves and their donors.

FJB
2 years ago

Life long Chicagoan. I’ve seen the corruption and grift my whole life but until recently I haven’t seen the incompetence. I know why. You only have to look at the pictures to know why. Stay classy Chicago.

WR
2 years ago

Can we make up for the loss with illegal aliens entering the state?

Ex Illini
2 years ago
Reply to  WR

You know Do Nothing Dick Durbin and King Pritzker will certainly try!

Wally
2 years ago
Reply to  WR

Do they bring in money or do they cost the state and taxpayers money?

Eugene from a pay phone
2 years ago
Reply to  WR

What loss? The voter rolls haven’t been purged in Cook County since before the Great Fire. No voters are missing, democrats will still be in control until the ship completely sinks!

nixit
2 years ago

If there’s any consolation, Washington DC had the largest percentage drop. Then again, IL’s percentage drop was larger than Puerto Rico. So maybe no consolation.

Last edited 2 years ago by nixit
NoHope4Illinois
2 years ago

With all the ham-handed pandering for bailouts by Pritzker and the Democrats, the skyrocketing crime wave, and CRT being forced into schools, and the cult of Covidstan, the word is solidly out across America to stay the heck away from Illinois and Chicago unless you get the job offer of a lifetime.

Ex Illini
2 years ago

As with anything else that doesn’t support King Pritzker’s narrative, he will simply ignore the information, or worse, try to discredit it. The King spent millions to pump up the 2020 census results by counting anything that moved, and some that didn’t. The overstated results still cost Illinois a house seat. Our Dear Leader’s ego will prevent him from recognizing that under his reign of terror the state continues to shrink. He is a pathetic leader.

Aaron
2 years ago
Reply to  Ex Illini

Pathetic leadership is the tool of the cultural Marxist and globoshill.

nixit
2 years ago

How did these numbers come out so soon after 2020 numbers were released?

Willowglen
2 years ago
Reply to  nixit

Certain commenters here in the past have dismissed population loss as a negligible event. Query what they will say in reaction to this news? Losing the equivalent of a Peoria in one year, especially if one looks at the capital and productivity flight behind it, it is difficult to rationalize as anything but dismal. If I could short Illinois’ population loss, I surely would.

your dime your dance floor
2 years ago
Reply to  John Klingner

Didn’t the “Vintage Population Estimates” program predict Illinois lost 160,000 people during the 2010 decade when in reality the state lost 18,000 people? If so, how much stock can we put in the current estimate of population loss when the previous estimate of population loss was off by a factor of 9?

debtsor
2 years ago

Did the state really lose 18,000 people? Or did the state count over-count 140,000 people in early 2020? Hard to know for sure. So much money was pumped into our Census to make sure every person was counted because everyone knows the state was losing population….and now JB taunts those who’ve left saying it’s merely the out of state college student population… https://www.realclearpolicy.com/articles/2021/11/12/state_population_counts_deserve_closer_scrutiny_803260.html#! In late October, the National Urban League issued a call for Congressional hearings on the quality of the 2020 census, criticizing how “The Black undercount directly impacts the integrity of local and state governance, redistricting and representation… Read more »

taxpayer
2 years ago
Reply to  nixit

Yeah, that is remarkable. They start from the 2020 census base, then estimate changes using location of IRS taxpayers and Medicare participants, and assuming that folks not participating in either program moved similar. Then they get birth and death data from vital statistics. But since those run a couple years behind, they have to take data from previous years and adjust. For 25 states, estimated deaths exceed estimated births, but for Illinois the births exceed deaths.

NB-Chicago
2 years ago

What going to happen when all the fed covid “free stuff” $$ dry up? What’s the machine going to do with no fed bbb $bucks$ to pay folks to stay?

NoHope4Illinois
2 years ago
Reply to  NB-Chicago

Raise taxes more.

NB-Chicago
2 years ago

Meanwhile Indiana’s giving out small tax refunds and debt free Wisconsin contemplating big tax cuts.

LessonLearned
2 years ago

… and more, and more, ……

marko
2 years ago

Texas and Florida value freedom, liberty and limited government while NY, IL and CA are the exact opposite. It’s not hard to figure out. The states losing people want you to show papers that you took a shot that is called a vaccine even though it doesn’t vaccinate you just to order a hamburger or earn a living while the TX and FL have passed laws protecting your right not to be forced or coerced into an unnecessary experimental medicine for a cold bug that 99% of people will be just fine. Frankly Im surprised anyone even is left in… Read more »

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WIREPOINTS ORIGINAL STORIES

A statewide concern: Illinois’ population decline outpaces neighboring states – Wirepoints on ABC20 Champaign

“We are not in good shape” Wirepoints’ Ted Dabrowski told ABC 20 Champaign during a segment on Illinois’ latest population losses. Illinois was one of just three states to shrink in the 2010-2020 period and has lost another 300,000 people since then. Ted says things need to change. “It’s too expensive to live here, there aren’t enough good jobs and nobody trusts the government anymore. There’s just other places to go where you can be more satisfied.”

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