It's no secret the Windy City draws millions of visitors every year, but our world-class culinary scene and pristine parks are apparently convincing some to stick around. For the second year in a row, Chicago has expanded its population and reversed a downward trend from previous years.
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According to new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau, Second City added 22,164 residents between mid-2023 and mid-2024, a slight increase Mayor Brandon Johnson attributes to Chicago's "remarkable resilience," reports The Chicago Tribune.
Sitting pretty at a population of 2,721,308—up from 2023's 2,664,452—Chicago preserves its stronghold as the third-largest city in the nation, behind New York (pop. 8,478,072) and Los Angeles (pop. 3,878,704). However, Houston, Texas is just 330,000 residents from usurping that third-place finish. (According to the Census, Houston grew to 2,390,125 as of July 1, 2024, up from 2023's 2,314,157.)
Giving Greater Chicago a population boost, though, are the surrounding suburbs, which are also reportedly experiencing an influx as of late: Plainfield leads the region with nearly 4,000 new arrivals since 2020, followed by Naperville, Warrenville, Montgomery, McHenry, and Joliet. Plainfield Village President Jon Argoudelis credits the area's growth to holistic tactics and a 10-year plan to spend $160 million on infrastructure.
“It’s not just things like economics, traffic and taxes," he told the Tribune. "It’s about inclusion, arts and culture. We’re really pushing hard on our green spaces, our trails. We’re looking at the whole big picture."
Speaking of big picture, the residential growth is part of a larger trend across the Midwest, according to the data. "The Midwest showed modest population growth, with average rates varying by population size," the Census report stated. "Places with fewer than 5,000 residents saw an average growth of 0.1%. Those with populations between 5,000 and 9,999 recorded a 0.6% average increase, while cities and towns with 10,000 to 49,999 residents grew by an average of 0.7% — the same rate observed in places with populations of 50,000 or more."