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For Immediate Release

Chicago Area Will Exceed Nine Million People by 2020, NIPC Says

Chicago, September 27, 2000:  By the year 2020, population in the 6 counties of Northeastern Illinois will increase by 25% and jobs by 37% from 1990 levels, according to forecasts released today by the Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission (NIPC). The forecasts for Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and Will counties provide essential information for sound transportation planning and for other state, local, and private decisions.

For the 6-county area as a whole, the forecasted increase of population and jobs for the 1990 to 2020 span is 1.78 million (to 9,045,000) and 1.43 million (to 5,280,000), respectively. The revised 2020 forecasts of total population and jobs are the same as those endorsed by the Commission in late 1997. The forecasts of jobs by employment type were revised to reflect the slowing growth in retail and accelerating growth in the service industries.

The revised 2020 forecasts show population and jobs growth in all parts of the region. In raw numbers, the greatest gains in population will occur in Cook and Will counties; Will and McHenry counties will experience the largest percentage gains in population. Cook County will gain the largest number of new jobs. The next highest numerical gains will be found in DuPage and Lake counties.

Data from the 2000 Census were not yet available for use in the forecast update process. Consequently, NIPC relied on a number of other factors including Census Bureau estimates of population growth through 1999, NIPC's own employment estimates, and information on recent development activity in the region. This information led to minor adjustments in the forecasts for some municipalities.

Besides endorsing the forecasts at its Wednesday meeting, the Commission also adopted the Year 2000 edition of the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). The new RTP includes only limited additions to the facilities recommended in 1997. Two commuter rail line extensions -- to Elburn in Kane County and to Manhattan in Will County -- were included as recommended projects. In its goals and objectives, the updated plan places increased emphasis on maintenance and improvement of the existing transportation system, on user safety, on high-speed rail service, and on "intelligent transportation" innovations.

With the Commission's action, the RTP now goes to the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and the Chicago Area Transportation Study (CATS) for final adoption. Staff from NIPC and CATS informed commissioners that they will now begin preparations to develop new forecasts and a new RTP for the year 2030. The new plan and forecasts will be completed in late 2003. Data from the 2000 Census will be used in generating the new forecasts, with preliminary regional totals due to be released in the summer of 2001.

Click here for a table showing the revised 2020 forecasts by county and municipality

The Northeastern Illinois Planning Commission is the comprehensive planning agency for the six-county metropolitan area. In addition to planning, the agency provides technical and research assistance and reviews state and federal grant requests for local governments.

northeastern illinois planning commission

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