Illinois population drops by record 104,437 in 2022

People moving out of Illinois drove the highest population loss on record in 2022, new data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows.

Illinois’ population declined by a record 104,437 residents from July 2021-July 2022, according to estimates released Dec. 22 by the U.S. Census Bureau.

This marks the ninth consecutive year of population decline for Illinois, according to census estimates. The only state that’s population has been in decline longer, West Virginia, currently is suffering its 10th consecutive year of population decline.

Illinois continues to see a natural increase in population as births outpace deaths, but by an increasingly narrow margin. It also is gaining residents from abroad. But so many people are moving out of Illinois to other states that the state’s total population is in decline.

Estimates from the Census Bureau show there were 4,866 more births than deaths in Illinois, 31,529 net migrants gained from abroad, but 141,656 residents lost on net to other states. The loss in residents to other states was the largest in state history.