The US Census Bureau estimates (Excel file) that 632,866 more Illinois domestic residents left for other states than migrated here from other states between April 1, 2000 and July 1 of this year. Net international in-migration (403,978) and natural increase resulted in illinois’ population growting by nearly half a million over the period.
California and New York were the only states with greater domestic out-migration than Illinois. Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and Washington all experienced greater population growth than Illinois.
Just one data point in the complex mosaic of factors that drive housing demand.
Joe, do you have data regarding what ethnic/racial group is leaving?
I’m guessing that a disproportionate number of white people (greater than the proportion in the cities from which they are fleeing) are the ones moving out of those states.
tup,
If that data has been published, I’ve been unable to find it.
The white population of Illinois has, according to the Census Bureau, increased only slightly from 2000 to 2008, while the black population has decreased slightly. The Census Bureau estimates show significant declines in both the white (non-Hispanic) and black / African-American populations for the City of Chicago during that time frame. Those numbers do not, however, reflect net in-migration to either the city or state.
The link I provided enables you to select fact sheets for both the city and state.
Joe, the more important thing is that Illinois’ population still grew. Like New York, California, and Florida, its growth is fueled by immigrants and new births.
Is this a surprise to you? Most Americans would rather have their cake and eat it too in places like Arizona and Colorado. The American-losing states are places where it’s becoming more and more expensive to live the so-called “American dream” (4 cars of which half you don’t need, a house large enough to fit an entire Peruvian village, a cul-de-sac with no traffic anywhere, no minorites anywhere to “corrupt” your children, etc)
tup,
The even more important thing is that Illinois’ population growth badly lags that of the US as a whole, reflecting its declining attractiveness with regard to other areas.
From 1970 until now Illinois population grew 16%, while US population increased by nearly 50%.
Exactly. For all the reasons I gave.
But what about Illinois’ proportion of immigrants compared to the US as a whole?
You know, the cheap labor as well as the “best and the brightest” who are willing to work hard, start companies, and build businesses? I think it goes: California, Texas, New York, Florida, Illinois in descending order of number of immigrants received. Of those states, I believe only Texas isn’t exporting Americans.
On another note, one must also consider the possibility that Illinois’ slower growth is a reflection of smaller household sizes compared to other booming places.
Here’s some interesting data–while we all talk about how Chicago’s population peaked in 1950 and declined thereafter, actually Chicago continued to GAIN households in all subsequent decades (except 1980-1990). Chicago had about 47,000 more households in 2000 than it did in 1950. Here’s the source:
http://www.census.gov/statab/hist/HS-12.pdf
While the population of Chicago city proper will show decline. Chicagoland will actually show growth in the 2010 census. Is that not correct. From what I have read and looked at that seems to be the case.