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Chicago Suffers 7 Percent Population Drop as More Flock to Suburbs

CHICAGO -- The most recent census results have shownby about 200,000 people, or 6.9 percent. The sudden drop was much larger than predicted by pre-census estimates. The number of residents is what helps the city bring in money, and with such a large decrease, Chicago could see significantly less funds for a variety of different programs and projects.

The official census was released on Tuesday and revealed that the percent loss of residents declined more than the gain between 1990 and 2000, which saw a 4 percent increase—the first increase in the city's population in 50 years. The census covered racial groups and found that . Likely causes for this include reduced public housing in the city in which the Chicago Housing Authority tore down thousands of public housing complexes in the inner city. Another cause might be that middle-class African-Americans are finding more social opportunities in the south suburbs, including education for children and safer neighborhoods.

The racial makeup of the city (as designated by three major census categories) is becoming more even. The census shows that the city's population is now 33 percent African-American, 29 percent Hispanic, and 32 percent Non-Hispanic Whites.

While Chicago saw a steep drop in population,of about 18,000. Surrounding counties have seen increases in population growth as well. Kendall County's population increased by a whopping 110 percent. Even DuPage County saw a slight increase of 1.4 percent, indicating that metropolitan populations are moving away from the center and spreading out in different areas.

Former Chicago resident Meredith Schmidt commented about her decision to make the move from the city to the suburbs: "I had lived in Chicago my entire life and began working in the city. It was a good idea when I was getting my career off the ground. But then I got married and had kids. It didn't make sense to have a cramped townhouse in the city when we could live in the suburbs for the same price. I like the community more, I like the schools more, and my family is just happier. I think more people are realizing the benefits of suburban life."

Related to the most recent census information, Rockford is no longer the second largest city in Illinois. Aurora's population increased by 38 percent, pushing it past Rockford's total population, which only grew by about 2 percent. Plainfield, a southwest Suburb located in Will County, actually saw its population go up by 204 percent. Back in 2000 the town only had 13,000 residents but is now thriving with upper-middle class families.