CHICAGO, Ill. – There’s more people in the state of Illinois than originally thought.
Governor J.B. Pritzker announced Wednesday that a request to include nearly 47,000 people in population estimates was approved.
The additional people reported comes after a review was conducted following the 2020 Census, which reported Illinois’ population at 12,812,508. The review found the underreported numbers mainly came from senior living facilities, care homes, and college dormitories.
They will not be added to the Census total for 2020, but will be used for population estimates for the next six years.
“This correction will bring in millions in additional federal funding for crucial programs and help to ensure future counts reflect the true number of Illinois residents. I’m grateful to the NORC at the University of Chicago for their work on this appeal and all who helped make this decision possible,” Pritzker said.
Pritzker says the additional numbers will help Illinois get a more accurate proportion of $675 billion in annual funds given out to states each year.
