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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 81 of Illinois’ 102 counties
lost population in 2021. While the state’s most populous areas are
losing the largest number of residents, population decline is
occurring at the fastest rates in Illinois’ more rural areas.
Ben Winchester, a rural sociologist at the University of Minnesota,
said during a recent University of Illinois Extension webinar that
41% of survey respondents moved to a rural area primarily for a job,
but a surprisingly low number of people who moved to a small town
weren’t born there.
“They grew up there, they moved away and then they came back, and
those are called returnees,” said Winchester. “That is just one in
four people. Three out of four newcomer households to our rural
communities are transplants, meaning they’re not from there.”
Winchester said small communities in a region should come together
and coordinate economic and community development plans to attract
and retain residents to their region.
The survey showed the top three reasons respondents would move to a
rural area are to take advantage of a slower pace of life, to live
closer to relatives and to find a less congested place to live.
Norman Walzer, professor of economics at Western Illinois
University, said the pandemic has created an opportunity for smaller
towns to attract residents and businesses.
“The idea that we have increases in telecommunications programs, and
Illinois has spent a lot of money putting broadband into rural
areas, but you can now have people who want to start their own
business in a small community and market over the internet,” Walzer
said.
Walzer thinks smaller communities should market themselves to
Illinois families.
“They want good schools, they want affordable housing, they want
social involvement, and these are things that are really
opportunities for rural areas,” Walzer said.
Kevin Bessler reports on
statewide issues in Illinois for the Center Square. He has over
30 years of experience in radio news reporting throughout the
Midwest.
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