Illinois drops from 5th to 6th largest state (Chicago: transplants, crime)

[edsg25]

Illinois has dropped from fifth to sixth largest US state, being passed up by Pennsylvania. Let the s**t storm begin....

Illinois drops from the fifth-largest state to No. 6 - Chicago Tribune

[Soccernerd]

People vote with their feet. A state with 12 million people should not be losing population.

[Sunbiz1]

"Look at the damage that has been done under his decadeslong reign. Massive unfunded pension liabilities, a political system that gives power to politicians at the expense of voters, a bond rating that has collapsed from AAA in 1973 to near junk status today, out-migration and job losses, a state that is the laughingstock to 49 other states. There is little trust in state government because of Madigan's actions and policies. He should relinquish the job of governing to someone else, someone who cares about the future of Illinois."
Mike Madigan doesn't care - Chicago Tribune

[Maintainschaos]

Somewhat unsurprising. The current economic policies of the state of course favor Chicago and put all of the eggs in that one basket; Chicago (city) and Chicagoland (metro) growth is tepid at best, and then the rest of the state is basically a far, far after thought. Won't be too surprised if the city of Chicago posts another loss in 2020 and Chicagoland shows its slowest growth for decades.

I suppose another question is: when will the state hit the bottom?

[Chicago South Sider]

No surprises here. It won't be too long before the Chicago MSA is passed up by a couple of other areas.

[flamadiddle]

Thank you Mike Madigan! Awesome job!

[Sunbiz1]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

Thank you Mike Madigan! Awesome job!

"Madigan has blocked the governor’s proposals to weaken collective bargaining and workers’ compensation rights, portraying Rauner as an enemy of the middle class. The speaker also has stopped the governor’s attempt to impose term limits for legislative leaders and to change how legislative district boundaries are redrawn every 10 years, a process Madigan has used to help elect Democratic allies."

Is there no means to get rid of this cancer?.
How many governors have tried??

[prhill]

Originally Posted by flamadiddle

Thank you Mike Madigan! Awesome job!

Exactly. Population will keep dropping in Illinois and especially Chicago as taxes and cost of living and crime keep going up.

[Chicago South Sider]

I have a feeling the population loss will accelerate in the next few years. It disgusts me to live in such a backwards, poorly run state. The voters here have to be the dumbest in the world.

[DavePa]

My home and current state of Pennsylvania has been loosing people past years too. What helped it more recently is NYC transplants some from displacement. The Northeast Poconos region was for years the Wisconsin of NYC residents for weekend getaways. But increasingly more and more affluent commuters living and daily driving into NYC and those who retire to a quieter area in the Pocono mountains but still close to NYC. So to has the Bethlehem/Allentown region by proximity to NYC. Both regions now in NYC's CSA.

Then you have eastern central regions of depressed older small cities (many former Coal region cities)gaining lower-income families (many welfare recipients) to areas of very cheap old-stock row-housing and good no-gang schools. My hometown is one. Its racial make-up changing as their native aging population decreases. As recently as 2000 a Elementary school built in the 80s was being considered for consolidation into the nearby High-school built in the late 70s. That idea is far from reality today with NYC and Philly families that moved in. Just overall population isn't booming as it is like a reverse gentrification. PA is next to NJ also where taxes are even higher to live on that side many times. It can be noted that most Northeastern and Midwestern states still loss population or very very slow growth. But someone has to be worst...... sadly it seems it's Illinois.

Illinois doesn't have such possible influx likely from another major city. Even St Louis it seems less likely. Also southern Illinois proximity to the sunbelt states to lure those to where more jobs are there as Northerners overall have been moving to.

But of course debt issues and taxes and jobs the main issues.