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EMBARGOED UNTIL 11:01 p.m. CDT, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 4, 2007 Press
Contact: Tom Garritano (312-386-8609 or tgarritano "at" cmap.illinois.gov) Latest
census numbers show nearly one-percent annual population growth in northeastern
Illinois Steady growth keeps metropolitan Chicago third on the list of largest U.S. cities CHICAGO, April 4, 2007 -- New data from the U.S. Census Bureau show that the population of metropolitan Chicago region grew 4.5 percent between 2000 and 2006. The total estimated growth over that period was 407,133, putting the region's population at 9,505,748 people as of 2006. According to planners at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP), the region must carefully address the increased population and its implications for transportation, land use, the environment, housing, and the economy. The agency is about to embark on a new long-range plan -- to be published in 2010 -- for the seven-county region that includes Cook, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, McHenry, and Will.  "The steady population increase is in line with our projections for northeastern Illinois," said Kermit Wies, CMAP deputy executive director for research and analysis. "With continued economic prosperity, we anticipate 2 million new residents by 2030 compared to 2000, a 26-percent increase. As a region of 11 million residents, we will face extreme challenges in terms of infrastructure -- including roads, transit, wastewater, and housing -- and preservation of natural resources that must be met through collaborative regional planning to preserve our competitiveness and livability." The U.S. Census Bureau estimates address 361 metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) across the nation between April 1, 2000 and July 1, 2006. The Chicago MSA includes parts of Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The 2006 population estimate ranks metropolitan Chicago third nationally for total population. The estimated six-year growth of 407,133 residents is the 10th highest in the nation. But as a percentage -- due to its large base population in 2000 -- northeastern Illinois ranks 207th out of 361 MSAs. The fastest growing regions have smaller base populations and are located in southern and western parts of the U.S. "Large metropolitan areas sustain themselves with a strong economic base," said Randy Blankenhorn, CMAP executive director. "Because of our region's size, we remain a magnet for economic development and, by extension, for population growth. While the southern and western regions of the U.S. are enjoying rapid rates of growth, particularly among mid-size metro regions, we know that sustaining metropolitan Chicago's growth among the largest urban regions in the U.S. will hinge on effective public policies to support our economic development goals."  Of the five U.S. regions with the highest estimated populations in 2006, metropolitan Dallas saw both the fastest growth rate (16.3 percent) and highest numeric increase (842,449 people). The two regions that lost the most population during this period are New Orleans, Louisiana, and Gulfport, Mississippi, both devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. New Orleans lost an estimated 291,834, or 22.2 percent of its population in 2000, and Gulfport lost 18,286, or 7.4 percent of its estimated 2000 population. According to the Census Bureau, more than four-fifths of all U.S. metropolitan areas (305 out of 361) had a larger population in 2006 than in 2000. Each of the 50 fastest-growing areas grew by at least 13.8 percent, which is more than double the national population growth of 6.4 percent during the same period. As of July 1, 2006, the estimated population of the 361 metropolitan regions was 249.2 million people, or 83.2 percent of the total U.S. population. --END--
RELATED MATERIALS Table of U.S. Census Bureau population estimates for northeastern Illinois, 2000-2006 (PDF, 15KB or XLS, 22KB)
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