New population estimates show Cook County lost more than 117,000 white residents and nearly 65,000 Black residents in recent years — larger declines for both groups than nearly every county in the nation.
From 2020 to 2023, only Los Angeles County lost more white residents and only Brooklyn, New York, lost more Black residents, according to a WBEZ analysis of population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.
The estimates released Thursday provide a more detailed breakdown by race and ethnicity, sex and age of population totals published in May. The Census Bureau provides figures annually to reflect estimated population changes — based upon births, deaths and migration — since the last once-in-a-decade census count in 2020.
Cook County’s Latino population experienced a more modest decline of about 10,000 residents while the Asian population stayed roughly the same.
The county is also aging faster across all racial and ethnic groups as the number of residents 65 years and older increased while those ages 64 and under declined.
The fastest growth in older residents occurred amongst Latino and Asian residents, according to the WBEZ analysis. From 2020 to 2023, the 65 years and over Latino population in Cook County grew by 18,000, or 17%. The population of Asian residents in that age range grew by 8,000, or 13%. Black residents 65 years and above increased by 10,000, or 6%. White residents in that age group saw their population increase by 18,000, or 4%.
The Census Bureau also measures population change by annual domestic and international migration. From 2022 to 2023, about 24,000 more people moved to Cook County from abroad. During the same period, about 58,000 left for another county within the U.S.
The numbers don’t all spell doom and gloom for the Chicago area.
Overall, in 2023, Cook County was the second most populous county in the U.S., and it had the largest Black, third largest white, fifth largest Latino and eighth largest Asian population.
While Cook County experienced some steep losses, several neighboring suburban counties grew and became more diverse, according to the estimates.
All five collar counties surrounding Cook — DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties — saw increases in their nonwhite population and declines in their white populations.
Together, the collar counties gained a combined total of about 30,000 Latino, 18,000 Asian and 6,500 Black residents and lost about 70,000 white residents from 2020 to 2023. Will County experienced the largest gain of nonwhite residents out of the five collar counties, according to WBEZ’s analysis.
Statewide, Kendall County saw the largest gain in total population and highest percentage change in population out of all Illinois counties from 2020 to 2023. The southwest suburban county of 140,000 gained more than 8,000 residents, reflecting an increase of about 6%. The growth in the total population of the county was led by net increases in the number of Latino and Black residents.
Amy Qin is a data reporter for WBEZ; follow her @amyqin12.