Pritzker administration continues to deny Illinois’ population decline

The Pritzker administration continues to deny the state is losing population. 

During a panel discussion about pensions with the Better Government Association this week, Deputy Gov. Andy Manar was asked about the state’s economic trends, including population decline. 

“There has never been more people living in the state of Illinois than there is today,” Manar said. “The Census is the Census. There’s a thing called the Post Enumeration Survey which shows Illinois gained population. It’s a correction. And it’s a real correction from the Census Bureau. So I just want to dispel that right away. Illinois is not losing people. Illinois is gaining people.”  

Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski said Manar is not correct. He said while the U.S. Census did modify its numbers for Illinois, it didn’t change them upward. 

“They’re just trying to hang on, right,” Dabrowski told The Center Square. “You look at every piece of data, IRS, moving vans, everything is showing this massive out migration of people.” 

Dabrowski said to focus on policies to reverse population decline in Illinois, policymakers must first recognize that the state is indeed losing population, which leads to less representation in the U.S. Congress and fewer federal tax dollars coming back to Illinois. After the 2020 Census, Illinois lost one of its seats in the U.S., dropping from 18 seats to 17.

“If you don’t admit that you’re losing population, then you don’t fix the problems,” Dabrowski said. “We got lots of problems whether it’s on taxation, on crime, home values, job opportunities.” 

The most recent state-to-state migration flow data Wirepoints analyzed for the most recent year shows another 93,000 fewer people in Illinois.