IPI and their allies talk about population loss in the state and in Chicago, but they don’t admit that there are two different trends here: people moving from Chicago to the suburbs (ex-urbs), and downstaters moving to nearby-but-out-of-state urban area. Their solution won’t work because they won’t acknowledge what’s really going on, but these charts show where the problems are.
===Wylie, downstaters should move to metro Chicago, plenty of jobs.
It’s a national problem for rural areas–and that is exactly what the young people are doing–especially those with degrees beyond high school. It creates and aging population in these other areas and ag is often have to rely on immigrant labor.
Even McLean County is having problems with this–it’s harder to attract people to jobs from outside the area so State Farm is moving jobs to larger metro areas in IT and other fields with high demand.
I understand the flippant response, but it’s a serious issue that we need to address. I don’t have great solutions, but I don’t want anyone living in high poverty areas rural or urban.
—-It’s only losing poor African Americans fleeing crime and a racist history
No, it’s losing African Americans with resources to move. You have that exactly backwards.
Also, there is likely nothing we can do to save these rural areas. And it would be a collosal waste of limited resources to try to fight economic forces that are unstoppable.
Anon 4:01…don’t give up on downstate as a whole. Look at all the green there, and not just university towns. The downstate reds are often in places where manufacturing has moved or the workforce has collapsed in coal, and other deindustrializing situations. Economic development might be effective in limited circumstances, although support of universities is likely to be more productive, if also more localized.
===there is likely nothing we can do to save these rural areas===
Dead wrong. Pick almost any of these downstate counties and allow a couple of hundred Syrian refugees to move in and you’ll be amazed at the transformation. They used the Euphrates to irrigate the desert. Imagine what they could do with farmland along the Illinois, Wabash or Ohio rivers.
Counties that are growing are winning. If not immigrants, who will move to Hardin County? Who’s going to work in nursing homes as these rural communities age?
It’s way past time to stop complaining and put out a welcome sign. Immigration made this country great. Under the right terms and circumstances, it’s the best hope for many rural towns all across Illinois.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:09 pm:
What’s up with Lake County? Pretty high for metro Chicago.
- Last Bull Moose - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:16 pm:
Explains why I see so many help wanted signs here in Naperville. Wages seem to be rising too.
- City Zen - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:25 pm:
In light of recent events, Stava-Murray has reconsidered her move to Oak Park.
- @misterjayem - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:27 pm:
“What’s up with Lake County? Pretty high for metro Chicago.”
Lake has been the sick man of the collar counties for at least twenty years.
– MrJM
- Nagidam - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:28 pm:
In other news…Harassment complaint filed against blogger ‘City Zen’ by…
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:32 pm:
Why though, misterjay?
- Wylie Coyote - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:34 pm:
Looking at those numbers you can understand the frustration of many from southern Illinois. The “haves” and the “have nots”
- DuPage - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:36 pm:
Almost every store has “immediate openings apply within” in their windows.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:38 pm:
IPI and their allies talk about population loss in the state and in Chicago, but they don’t admit that there are two different trends here: people moving from Chicago to the suburbs (ex-urbs), and downstaters moving to nearby-but-out-of-state urban area. Their solution won’t work because they won’t acknowledge what’s really going on, but these charts show where the problems are.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:43 pm:
Wylie, downstaters should move to metro Chicago, plenty of jobs.
- Huh? - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:43 pm:
Isn’t this the map showing the counties won by 1.4%?
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:45 pm:
Chicago is actually doing better than most of the state now. It’s only losing poor African Americans fleeing crime and a racist history.
- Precinct Captain - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:53 pm:
Not a shock, metros doing well and rurals suffering.
- ArchPundit - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:56 pm:
===Wylie, downstaters should move to metro Chicago, plenty of jobs.
It’s a national problem for rural areas–and that is exactly what the young people are doing–especially those with degrees beyond high school. It creates and aging population in these other areas and ag is often have to rely on immigrant labor.
Even McLean County is having problems with this–it’s harder to attract people to jobs from outside the area so State Farm is moving jobs to larger metro areas in IT and other fields with high demand.
I understand the flippant response, but it’s a serious issue that we need to address. I don’t have great solutions, but I don’t want anyone living in high poverty areas rural or urban.
—-It’s only losing poor African Americans fleeing crime and a racist history
No, it’s losing African Americans with resources to move. You have that exactly backwards.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 3:59 pm:
Archpundit, ok Chicago is losing African Americans in general, the vast majority of which are low income.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 4:01 pm:
Also, there is likely nothing we can do to save these rural areas. And it would be a collosal waste of limited resources to try to fight economic forces that are unstoppable.
- ArchPundit - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 4:04 pm:
====Archpundit, ok Chicago is losing African Americans in general, the vast majority of which are low income.
Another IPI cartoonist I see.
- Anonymous - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 4:05 pm:
What? Look at the census estimates. Chicago is actually gaining high earning African Americans.
- Jibba - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 4:11 pm:
Anon 4:01…don’t give up on downstate as a whole. Look at all the green there, and not just university towns. The downstate reds are often in places where manufacturing has moved or the workforce has collapsed in coal, and other deindustrializing situations. Economic development might be effective in limited circumstances, although support of universities is likely to be more productive, if also more localized.
- 47th Ward - Friday, Jan 25, 19 @ 4:21 pm:
===there is likely nothing we can do to save these rural areas===
Dead wrong. Pick almost any of these downstate counties and allow a couple of hundred Syrian refugees to move in and you’ll be amazed at the transformation. They used the Euphrates to irrigate the desert. Imagine what they could do with farmland along the Illinois, Wabash or Ohio rivers.
Counties that are growing are winning. If not immigrants, who will move to Hardin County? Who’s going to work in nursing homes as these rural communities age?
It’s way past time to stop complaining and put out a welcome sign. Immigration made this country great. Under the right terms and circumstances, it’s the best hope for many rural towns all across Illinois.
More people = more economic activity.