Chicago exodus? Millennials and wealthy are actually moving in
The Windy City continues to shrink, according to U.S. Census data, which showed Chicago’s population declined for a third consecutive year.
Estimates recently published revealed Chicago lost about 3,800 residents in 2016 and 2017, but remains the third-largest U.S. city, with 2.7 million residents.
Chicago-based demographer Rob Paral told The Associated Press that the population decline is a result of African Americans leaving the city as well as slowing immigration. But he also noted more millennials and wealthy people are moving in.
Of the five largest cities, which also include New York, Los Angeles, Houston and Phoenix, Chicago was the only city to see a population drop.
The Chicago metropolitan area, which extends from the city into parts of Indiana and Wisconsin, also witnessed a loss of occupants for three straight years. And Illinois dropped one spot to be the sixth-largest state in 2017.