Illinois' population declined by a record 113,776 residents from July 2020-July 2021, according to estimates released Dec. 21 by the U.S. Census Bureau.

This marks the eighth consecutive year of population decline for Illinois, according to Census Bureau estimates. The only state that's population has been in decline longer, West Virginia, currently is suffering its ninth consecutive year of population decline.

Illinois continues to see a natural increase in population as births outpace deaths, but by an increasingly narrow margin. It also is gaining residents from abroad. But so many people are moving out of Illinois to other states that the state's total population is in decline.