Will PA overtake IL to become 5th most population state? (Philadelphia: moving to, suburbs)

[g500]

PA historically was 2nd behind NY from 1790.
PA was passed by California in 1944 to become 3rd.
PA was passed by Texas in 1973 to become 4th.
PA was passed by Florida in 1986 to become 5th.
PA was passed by Illinois in 1997 to become 6th. But it has been a close race since.

So will PA overtake IL to become 5th most population state?

[trackstar13]

Possibly, but I think both North Carolina and Georgia will overtake PA in terms of population.

[g500]

That's a good point.

[Dequindre]

Probably not. Yes, there are places that actually have a net population growth (mostly around Harrisburg, Lancaster, York, and South Central PA), but I doubt it's enough to counteract the population loss and stagnation in the larger cities.

[pman]

Originally Posted by Dequindre

Probably not. Yes, there are places that actually have a net population growth (mostly around Harrisburg, Lancaster, York, and South Central PA), but I doubt it's enough to counteract the population loss and stagnation in the larger cities.

presumably you mean Pittsburgh?

[Dequindre]

Originally Posted by pman

presumably you mean Pittsburgh?

Allegheny County's population has been more or less stagnant. Cities losing population are places like Erie, Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Allentown, Reading, etc.

[Gerania]

I don't think the Allentown area, Lehigh Valley is losing population. New Jersians move there.

[SteelCityRising]

Originally Posted by Gerania

I don't think the Allentown area, Lehigh Valley is losing population. New Jersians move there.

Correct. Dequindre is correct otherwise, but the Lehigh Valley is actually growing moderately and has been for quite some time due to the spillover of NJ commuters. Also, while Erie itself has been sharting the bed for a very long time, Erie County's population has been flat, more or less, for a very long time, since most of Erie city's net loss is just people moving to the suburbs. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre seems like a lost cause. They've been trying to "reinvent" that area since at least the 1980's when I was born and likely generations before that, too. Whenever I visit family in Luzerne County it just seems sadder and sadder.

[Clark Park]

Originally Posted by Dequindre

Probably not. Yes, there are places that actually have a net population growth (mostly around Harrisburg, Lancaster, York, and South Central PA), but I doubt it's enough to counteract the population loss and stagnation in the larger cities.

Philadelphia has been increasing in population, at a very modest rate to be sure, but it's been climbing since 2000.

[Dequindre]

Originally Posted by Clark Park

Philadelphia has been increasing in population, at a very modest rate to be sure, but it's been climbing since 2000.

Is it enough to negate the steep declines in other places?