Chicago and its surrounding suburbs experienced some of the largest population declines over the decade. According to U.S. Census Bureau data released, Cook County experienced the nation’s second-largest population decline, losing a total of 48,783 residents since 2010, in raw terms. Only Wayne County, Mich., suffered worse population decline. New analysis from the nonpartisan Illinois Policy Institute shows this is the second straight year that all 10 metropolitan areas based primarily in Illinois lost population. From July 2018 to July 2019, the Chicago MSA, which includes Cook and 15 other surrounding counties, saw the third-largest raw decline in population of any metropolitan area in the nation, shrinking by more than 25,000 residents. The two years of population decline across all Illinois’ metro areas occurred after the state’s record-breaking income tax hike in 2017. Institute research indicates these historic losses are primarily due to residents moving on net from Illinois to other states.