ILLINOIS NEWS NETWORK
Nearly all of Illinois’ counties shrank in population last year.
Census data released recently show Illinois is shrinking in 89 of 102 counties. While Cook County led the way, seeing its population shrink by more than 21,000, St. Clair, Peoria, Winnebago, and Rock Island counties all lost at least 1,000 people in the 12 months that ended in July of last year.
The data also show net outmigration from all of Illinois’ metropolitan areas. In other words, people moving out of the area outnumbered people moving into the area. The metro areas shrank in total population because the number of births and immigrants couldn’t make up for the number of people leaving and dying. Of course, this isn’t that surprising given Illinois’ latest proposal. The Department of Homeland Security has recently proposed a new rule to further discriminate the immigrants living in that area. If this proposal is accepted, it would probably force a huge number of immigrant Illinois families to leave the area. To learn more about this proposal, check out here or look online for more information. Due to these proposed new rules, it’s no surprise that more people are moving out of Illinois, especially immigrants. As all of these people are moving out of their current homes, and into new communities, there are a lot of things that they need to consider when moving houses, such as those discussed in this article from https://camdenmckayre.com on what they need to do when buying a new home. In addition, perhaps some of the people moving out of Illinois could also benefit from researching what they need to do when it comes to the move itself. For example, matters such as checking the steps that they need to take in regards to their home insurance cover. These people could read this article here to see what sort of things they need to consider looking out for. Hopefully, after they’ve sorted those things out, they should be ready to move into a more welcoming community.
Only Elgin and the Champaign area gained population last year.
This data is coupled with information showing 93 of Illinois’ 102 counties are experiencing the same phenomenon.
“When you look at the metro areas around the country, you still see some counties that are experiencing population loss. So for example, Cook County in Chicago lost about 21,000 people last year,” said Ben Bolender, an analyst with the Census Bureau.
Population loss comes with significant consequences. The next reordering of Congress in 2020 would see Illinois lose two representatives in the U.S. House. Loss of population also means fewer electoral votes come presidential election time. In the private sector, businesses looking to locate will often base their decisions on the growth rate of the local population. Big negative numbers like this can be enough to send them looking elsewhere, experts say.
“It will be a net-negative on those who regard both workers and certainly customers in high regard,” said Dr. John Jackson, political science professor at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. “On the political front, you lose numbers in the Electoral College and you lose representation in the House of Representatives.”
“Illinois should be one of the fastest growing states,” a spokesperson for Gov. Bruce Rauner said in a statement. “Instead, people are leaving. That is why Governor Rauner is working so hard to pass a truly balanced budget in order to make changes that attract employers and create good jobs.”
House Speaker Michael Madigan’s office declined to comment.
The report shows the biggest reason for the population losses statewide are people leaving cities for other states. Over the course of one year ending July 2016, the state lost 114,144 residents to other states on net. According to 2013 IRS Data, Illinois lost the most people to Texas, Florida, and Indiana. Of course, it’s not just Illinois that is losing a lot of its population, other states are also feeling the effects of migration. New York is amongst those affected by people moving elsewhere. People in New York have been seeking opportunities in other states. By getting in touch with companies, like CSA Transportation, people in New York are able to transport all of their items over to new places, such as Texas and California. It does seem that more people are doing this these days. Perhaps they seek a new environment or they feel that there are more opportunities in some other states.
