#YouthMigration

Sangamon County in central Illinois is facing its first population dip in two centuries. The decline, driven largely by young people and working-age adults leaving, has local leaders racing to find solutions that keep the region vibrant. The County Board Chair highlighted at a chamber of commerce luncheon that roughly 1,000 residents have departed over the past decade. The situation is most evident among ages 5–19 and 35–49, a pattern that contrasts with broader U.S. trends.

Sangamon County, located in central Illinois, is grappling with its first population decline in two centuries—a development that has community leaders sounding the alarm and seeking innovative solutions to reverse the trend. According to recent remarks by the County Board Chair at a chamber of commerce luncheon, the region—best known as the seat of the state capital Springfield—has lost approximately 1,000 residents over the past decade, a decline that is especially pronounced among young people and working-age adults (newschannel20.com).