Census data: IL losing 18 and under at faster rate than NY, CA
[June 26, 2025]
By Greg Bishop | The Center Square
(The Center Square) – The latest data on Illinois’ population trends
shows the state losing more people 18 and under at a faster rate than
any other state. That spells trouble ahead according to one analyst.
Illinois’ population is growing older with fewer working age people than
before, according to the latest U.S. Census data released Thursday.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker told members of Congress earlier this month the state
is growing.
“Our population is increasing,” Pritzker said June 12, during a U.S.
House hearing on states with migrant sanctuary policies. “We have a
higher population as a result of the Census that was done in 2020.”
While the state did see a gain of nearly 68,000 people from 2023 to
2024, Illinois has lost nearly 89,000 people since 2020. Data released
Thursday also show there are fewer people under 18 with the 65 and older
population growing.
Wirepoints President Ted Dabrowski said that spell trouble for Illinois.
“Fewer young people coming up in the pipeline that take jobs and pay
taxes. Our workforce is shrinking,” Dabrowski told The Center Square.
“Wow. We better dramatically change our policies and flip the dynamics
of our state, or we're going to be in massive trouble.”
As the final Vintage 2024 Population Estimates data to be revealed,
Thursday’s release from the U.S. Census Bureau also shows the racial
makeup of the state, and demographic data for male, female and age.
In 2024, there were more women than men in Illinois, 51% to 49%. The
median age has increased from 38.6 years old in 2020 to 39.4 years old
in 2024. The national median age is 39.1, up 0.6 years since 2020.
The Census shows that across the country, older adults outnumbered
children in nearly half of U.S. counties in 2024, including in counties
across Illinois. While there are counties in Illinois where that is
reflected, statewide, at nearly 2.7 million Illinoisans 18 and under,
that compares to 2.2 million Illinoisans over the age of 65.
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Across the country, the Census shows the U.S. population age 65 and
older rose by 3.1% while the population under age 18 decreased by
0.2% from 2023 to 2024. Illinois numbers reflect that for the same
timeframe with Illinoisans 65 and up increasing by 62,500 and those
18 and under decreasing by 26,800.
Since 2020, there are more than 172,000 fewer Illinoisans 18 and
under. That number is surpassed only by California with 485,000
fewer 18 and under and New York with 230,000 fewer 18 and under. By
percent of decline over four years, California had a 5.45% decline,
New York had a 5.47% decline and Illinois had a 6% decline in the
number of people 18 and under.
Dabrowski said that’s not good news.
“Very worrisome is that we have fewer working age people, so all of
those things are going to work against the state,” Dabrowski said.
Data shows there were fewer Illinoisans under the age of 18 across
all demographics, and fewer 45 to 64 year olds than there were four
years ago. Drilling down further, there were 12,000 fewer 35 to 39
year olds in 2024 than in 2020.
“It's not only that, we're losing our wealthy people and we're
gaining very poor people,” Dabrowski said. “And, from a tax base
perspective and from a workforce perspective, from a, you know, a
productivity perspective, it's very dangerous for Illinois.”
One demographic where the state gained is the Hispanic and Asian
populations, which increased 217,000 combined since 2020. The
American Indian and Alaskan Native population increased by more than
7,500 over four years. The Asian population in Illinois increased by
more than 93,000. The Hispanic population increased by more than
124,000.
There are 187,000 fewer white Illinoisans than in 2020, as well as
31,000 fewer Blacks in the Land of Lincoln.
Illinois’ total population is 12,710,158 in 2024, up from 12,642,259
in 2023. The population for Illinois in 2020 was 12,799,088.
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