Chicago population shrinks, Houston closes in on third place – NBC Chicago

Chicago could soon lose its status as the third-largest city in the United States, according to Census Bureau data.

Figures released Thursday show the Windy City lost about 0.3% of its population between July 1, 2022 and July 1, 2023.

According to the data, the city increased from a population of 2,672,660 to 2,664,452.

New York and Los Angeles, the No. 1 and No. 2 cities in terms of population size in the United States, also saw population declines.

During the same period, Houston, which had been second only to Chicago in population for several years, continued to grow in size. According to the data, the Texas city grew 0.5% to 2,314,157 residents.

In 2015, experts predicted that Houston could overtake Chicago as the third largest city by 2025. At that time, estimates suggested that Houston’s population could be between 2.54 million and 2.7 million. residents by 2025, while Chicago would reach around 2.5 million.

Now, a new analysis from the Illinois Policy Institute predicts that Chicago will be overtaken by Houston by 2035 “if demographic trends continue.”

Chicago is experiencing a faster population reduction than other major cities, according to Census Bureau data. New York, which has lost nearly 550,000 residents since 2019, saw a decline of 77,000 residents last year.

Los Angeles lost just 1,800 people last year, reversing some pandemic-era trends in that category.

For comparison, Chicago is estimated to have lost 8,200 residents over the past year.

The Bureau warns that data collected for 2023 does not include an influx of asylum seekers who arrived in the city after Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s administration began busing them north to Chicago. According to data provided by municipal authorities, Chicago has welcomed more than 41,000 migrants since June 2023.

Overall, Illinois has also lost population over the past year, although the state has previously filed objections to its census data.

The 2020 census found that Illinois lost just over 18,000 residents in 10 years, or about 0.1% of its population. But Illinois officials said the state actually gained residents between 2010 and 2020.

Officials say more than 700 “group neighborhoods” were missed or undercounted in the 2020 census. It was determined that more than 40,000 people residing in nursing homes or senior living communities were been forgotten, as well as nearly 6,000 residents in dormitories and other university residences.

The residents counted will not be added to this census’ official total of 12,812,508, but officials say the recount will impact how annual projections are calculated, resulting in additional federal funding for the state.

Illinois also lost a seat in the House of Representatives due to significant population increases in states like Texas and Florida.