Politics & Government
Growth in Latino Population Buoys Illinois as More Residents Move Out
By the numbers: The changing face of Illinois' minority populations.
The U.S. Census projects 2044 to be the year when the nation’s whole population becomes majority-minority, which is Census terminology to describe a population where less than half of the individuals are identified as non-Hispanic whites.
In some states this demographic shift is expected to occur much sooner. Four states already have majority-minority populations: California, Hawaii, New Mexico and Texas.
Earlier this summer we shared a Northern Illinois University report that showed Illinois’ population declined by 10,000 between 2013 and 2014 -- the biggest decline of any state. A closer look shows that if not for the growth of Illinois’ Latino population, the loss would have been far greater.
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Here’s what demographers predict for Illinois’ ethnic makeup over the next few decades, and the year in which the Land of Lincoln is expected to hit the “tipping point.”
We also include a map that shows which counties had the biggest increase in the Latino population from 2013 to 2014, as well as the current ethnic breakdown using the latest Census data.
