DECATUR - The Decatur area population continues to go down as well as the rest of the state of Illinois.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the Decatur metro area lost 827 people. The population has declined in all but one year since 1997. Currently the population is 106,550.  

In December, the census bureau also reported Illinois had the steepest population decline in the country. The state lost more than 114,000 people between July 2015 and July 2016.

Springfield saw a small increase of about 30 people during the time period.