Illinois lost nearly 160,000 residents over the last decade, most in the country
Illinois lost over 159,700 residents, or about 1.3% of its population, between 2010 and 2019. West Virginia followed with a loss of 60,871 people; Connecticut with 8,860; and Vermont with 1,748.
Illinois kicked off the decade as the the fifth-most populous state but will end as the sixth behind California, Texas, Florida, New York and Pennsylvania.