Will 2024 be the year Illinois actually Gains Population?

The data was released and Illinois saw a population loss in 2023, making it 10 straight years of population loss here in the Land of Lincoln, will it finally turn around in 2024?

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According to Illinois Policy, Illinois saw a population loss of 32,000 plus residents from July 2022 to July 2023, making it 10 straight years of losing population here in the Land of Lincoln. The site goes on to say...

"Illinois’ population declined by 32,826 residents from July 2022-July 2023, according to estimates released Dec. 19 by the U.S. Census Bureau...The only state that’s population has been in decline longer, West Virginia, currently is suffering its 11th consecutive year of population decline...High taxes were the No. 1 reason why Illinoisans considered leaving the state. Polling from NPR Illinois and the University of Illinois found 61% of Illinoisans thought about moving out of state in 2019, and the No. 1 reason was taxes."

To read more about why people continue to leave Illinois, click here!

Can it turn around in 2024...?

I hope so, but it doesn't seem likely unless you count gaining thousands of migrants being bussed up here from Texas as population gain.

What is crazy to me, a lifelong Illinoisan and fan of this state is that the answer is obvious...people want lower taxes. If 61% of your population wants to leave because of taxes, and you have seen 10 straight years of population loss, maybe try lowering taxes and see if that helps. Crazy thought right???

Illinois will NEVER be able to compete with the beaches of Florida, the warm winters of Texas, and the sunshine of Arizona, so to compete against those states you have to incentivize people to move here, stay here, and grow here, and maybe the answer is obvious...make it affordable to live here.