A number of Illinois communities shrank in population throughout a recent one-year period, while some saw little to no change and others experienced sizable growth.
U.S. Census Bureau 2023 population estimates released in mid-May revealed that overall, large cities in the Northeast and Midwest grew in 2023, reversing earlier population declines. Midwest cities with populations of 50,000 saw a 0.1% increase after declining an average of 0.2%.
However, some Chicago-area communities saw welcome increases.
Two small communities in McHenry County - Wonder Lake and Union - experienced 9.39% population growth - the highest out of anywhere in Illinois.
A few percentage points behind was the village of Volo in Lake County; it reported a 6.56% increase in population. Deer Grove in Whiteside County, along the Iowa border in northwest Illinois, and Grafton, a city near the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers in Jersey County, rounded out the top five.
Those two communities saw increases of 5.71% and 4.79%, respectively.
Out of the more than 1,000 municipalities in Illinois, including cities, towns and villages, here are the 10 communities that saw the greatest population growth from 2022 to 2023:
- 9.39% - Wonder Lake - McHenry County - 4,456 to 4,889 residents
- 9.39% - Union - McHenry County - 543 to 594 residents
- 6.56% - Volo - Lake County - 6,584 to 7,016 residents
- 5.71% - Deer Grove - Whiteside County - 35 to 37 residents
- 4.79% - Grafton - Jersey County - 730 to 765 residents
- 3.52% - Hampshire - Kane County - 7,811 to 8,086 residents
- 3.47% - Yorkville - Kendall County - 23,864 to 24,693 residents
- 3.43% Mascoutah - St. Clair County - 8,620 to 8,916 residents
- 3.36% - North Aurora - Kane County - 18,403 to 19,022 residents
- 3.22% - Oswego - Kendall and Will counties - 35,917 to 37,074 residents
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