Illinois Faces Population Decline as Young Adults and Families Depart

Illinois continues to see a troubling trend: a significant population decline, especially among young adults and families. Since April 2020, the state’s population under 18 has dropped by 6.1%, outpacing the national decline. Wealthy millennials and young professionals are also leaving, citing difficult public policies. State Representative Dan Swanson is proposing HB1501, a bill targeting one major barrier for young Illinoisans: access to farmland. The legislation would offer tax credits to those selling or renting agricultural assets to beginner farmers. Swanson says soaring land prices—now exceeding $20,000 an acre—make farming unattainable without family inheritance.