DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – The city of Decatur is fighting to keep its residents, and according to a new report by the United States Census Bureau, there is some good news after years of loss.
Recently release data finds Decatur is the third fastest shrinking city with a population loss every year over the last ten-years; however, the number of people leaving town has decreased each year.
"While trends in Decatur and the county are persistently down the rate of that decline itself is actually declining,” Nicole Bateman, the Executive Director of the Decatur Economic Development Corporation said. "A handful of years ago, 6-7 years ago, when we were losing 1,100 people and now, we are losing 495 people, I think that is a positive. We are turning that ship around."
The 2019 population estimates found 7.1% of Decatur’s population has left town since the 2010 census. In 1980, Decatur’s population was at a high of 94,000. Now it is 71,000.
"Decatur is not alone in this process,” David Wilson, a professor of Geography and Urban Planning at the University of Illinois, said.” A lot of communities across America's rust belt are shrinking."
Wilson believes there are four main factors for Decatur’s population loss. The biggest issue for the city, according to Wilson, is the loss of manufacturing.
"The economic reality for people is not as desirable as it used to be,” Wilson said.
Without high quality manufacturing jobs, Wilson says there is a trickle-down effect. He believes the jobs replacing the manufacturing jobs are service industry jobs and, in many ways, do not provide a living wage.
"Services jobs don't pay well and often time they don't provide healthcare and medical benefits,” Wilson said.
Bateman said the city is working to bring in new jobs. According to Bateman, last month 800 new jobs were posted in a database. She credits recent marketing campaigns for helping get new business into Decatur. She said the city is currently getting interest from domestic and global businesses considering setting up shop, but that could be an issue, according to Wilson, who says high taxes are another factor driving people out of town.
"The tax rates has had to go up to subsidize things that are important to the city,” he said. “Taxes rates have gone up really because of reduced federal aid.”
The look, and safety of a community is another factor in population reduction, according to Wilson.
"I think crime is an issue in Decatur as it is in many rust belt cities in America,” Wilson said.
To turn the decline around, Wilson said it is time for cities like Decatur to look at relationships with the feds.
"When people are hurt, people look for possibility of opportunities elsewhere,” Wilson said. “I think that is what Decatur has seen this year and else."
Bateman said the city is working to secure company investment to bring in more businesses but believes working with established businesses will help the most in turning around the declining population.
"Any population loss is not what we want to see,” she said.
According to the Census Report, Danville, is among the fastest shrinking metro area when population beyond city limits are taken into consideration. The city of Rockford is considered the 15th fastest shrinking community in the country.
Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York are considered the most populous cities.
