Union County vs. Illinois
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Population Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Union County vs. Illinois
Union County:
2022 Population = 16,767
2022 Percent of State = 0.13%
Illinois:
2022 Population = 12,582,032
2022 Percent of U.S. = 3.78%
Attracting and retaining people to live, work, raise a family, and retire underlies the economic vitality of any region. Population growth is both a cause--and a consequence--of economic growth. Patterns of population growth and change reflect differences among regions to attract and retain people both as producers and consumers in their economy.
The following graphs offer a broad overview of trends in the pattern of population growth and change of Union County with comparisons to Illinois and the nation at large. This analysis features alternative approaches toward discussing, diagnosing and comparing Union County vs. Illinois' population growth over 1969-2022. The data used are those compiled by the Regional Income and Product Divisions of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 1.
Figure 1 traces Union County's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Union County's population rose from 16,279 in 1969 to 16,767 in 2022, for a net gain of 488, or 3.00%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Illinois' annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Illinois' population rose from 11,039,000 in 1969 to 12,582,032 in 2022, for a net gain of 1,543,032, or 13.98%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 shows Union County's population growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Illinois, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's population in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the populations in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in population growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Union County's overall population growth was 3.00% over 1969-2022 trailed Illinois' increase of 13.98%, and fell below the United States' increase of 65.57%.
Population as a Percent of the Illinois Total: 1969-2022
Population as a Percent of the Illinois Total: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Another interesting and insightful way of contrasting the population growth of Union County is to compare its individual percentage contributions to Illinois' statewide population over time, as shown in Figure 4. A rising share means a region's population grew faster, or declined less, than Illinois' population, while a declining share shows it grew more slowly.
In 1969, Union County's population totaled 0.15% of Illinois' population, while in 2022 it totaled 0.13% thereby yielding a -0.01% share-shift.
   
 
Population Share-Shift
2022 vs. 1969
 
Share-
Shift*
 
2022
vs.
1969
-0.01%
=
0.13%
-
0.15%
 
   
Union County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Union County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 highlights the short-run pattern of Union County's population growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also illustrated on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, Union County's population grew at an annual rate of 0.06% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 1980 (5.84%) and recorded its lowest growth in 2021 (-1.43%). In 2022, Union County's population declined by -1.00%
Union County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Union County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again shows the annual percent change in Union County's population since 1970, but this time they are displayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Union County's annual population growth rate averaged 0.37%. It averaged 0.57% during the 1980s, 0.29% in the 1990s, -0.24% throughout the 2000s, -0.33% during the 2010s, -1.07% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Union County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Illinois and the nation. As the chart reveals, Union County's average annual population growth exceeded Illinois' average in the 1970s (0.37% vs. 0.34%), topped Illinois' average throughout the 1980s (0.57% vs. -0.01%), amounted to less than Illinois' average in the 1990s (0.29% vs. 0.80%), fell below Illinois' average in the 2000s (-0.24% vs. 0.35%), recorded under Illinois' average during the 2010s (-0.33% vs. 0.04%), and trailed Illinois' average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (-1.07% vs. -0.70%).
Finally, relative to nationwide population growth trends, Union County trailed the nation throughout the 1970s (0.37% vs. 1.10%), lagged the nation over the 1980s (0.57% vs. 0.95%), trailed the nation throughout the 1990s (0.29% vs. 1.23%), lagged the nation in the 2000s (-0.24% vs. 0.95%), lagged the nation during the 2010s (-0.33% vs. 0.74%), and recorded underneath the nation over 2020-2022 (-1.07% vs. 0.31%).
   
 
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
0.06
0.37
0.57
0.29
-0.24
-0.33
-1.07
-1.00
 
0.25
0.34
-0.01
0.80
0.35
0.04
-0.70
-0.82
 
0.96
1.10
0.95
1.23
0.95
0.74
0.31
0.38
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Union County:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
16,279
100.0
N
0.15
1970
 
16,154
99.2
-0.77
0.15
1971
 
16,489
101.3
2.07
0.15
1972
 
16,440
101.0
-0.30
0.15
1973
 
16,438
101.0
-0.01
0.15
1974
 
16,234
99.7
-1.24
0.14
1975
 
16,250
99.8
0.10
0.14
1976
 
16,630
102.2
2.34
0.15
1977
 
16,862
103.6
1.40
0.15
1978
 
16,767
103.0
-0.56
0.15
1979
 
16,872
103.6
0.63
0.15
1980
 
17,857
109.7
5.84
0.16
1981
 
18,196
111.8
1.90
0.16
1982
 
18,043
110.8
-0.84
0.16
1983
 
18,277
112.3
1.30
0.16
1984
 
18,266
112.2
-0.06
0.16
1985
 
18,265
112.2
-0.01
0.16
1986
 
18,302
112.4
0.20
0.16
1987
 
18,180
111.7
-0.67
0.16
1988
 
18,074
111.0
-0.58
0.16
1989
 
17,825
109.5
-1.38
0.16
1990
 
17,609
108.2
-1.21
0.15
1991
 
17,699
108.7
0.51
0.15
1992
 
17,924
110.1
1.27
0.15
1993
 
18,020
110.7
0.54
0.15
1994
 
18,034
110.8
0.08
0.15
1995
 
18,151
111.5
0.65
0.15
1996
 
18,281
112.3
0.72
0.15
1997
 
18,307
112.5
0.14
0.15
1998
 
18,272
112.2
-0.19
0.15
1999
 
18,353
112.7
0.44
0.15
2000
 
18,267
112.2
-0.47
0.15
2001
 
18,116
111.3
-0.83
0.15
2002
 
18,092
111.1
-0.13
0.14
2003
 
18,116
111.3
0.13
0.14
2004
 
18,048
110.9
-0.38
0.14
2005
 
18,071
111.0
0.13
0.14
2006
 
18,082
111.1
0.06
0.14
2007
 
18,066
111.0
-0.09
0.14
2008
 
17,965
110.4
-0.56
0.14
2009
 
17,909
110.0
-0.31
0.14
2010
 
17,746
109.0
-0.91
0.14
2011
 
17,778
109.2
0.18
0.14
2012
 
17,768
109.1
-0.06
0.14
2013
 
17,769
109.2
0.01
0.14
2014
 
17,701
108.7
-0.38
0.14
2015
 
17,650
108.4
-0.29
0.14
2016
 
17,552
107.8
-0.56
0.14
2017
 
17,479
107.4
-0.42
0.14
2018
 
17,416
107.0
-0.36
0.14
2019
 
17,318
106.4
-0.56
0.13
2020
 
17,182
105.5
-0.79
0.13
2021
 
16,937
104.0
-1.43
0.13
2022
 
16,767
103.0
-1.00
0.13
Source: Calculations by the Illinois Regional Economic Analysis Project (IL-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Illinois:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
11,039,000
100.0
N
5.48
1970
 
11,124,681
100.8
0.78
5.46
1971
 
11,205,816
101.5
0.73
5.42
1972
 
11,258,111
102.0
0.47
5.38
1973
 
11,260,248
102.0
0.02
5.33
1974
 
11,273,745
102.1
0.12
5.28
1975
 
11,306,351
102.4
0.29
5.25
1976
 
11,360,274
102.9
0.48
5.22
1977
 
11,406,312
103.3
0.41
5.19
1978
 
11,434,421
103.6
0.25
5.15
1979
 
11,422,782
103.5
-0.10
5.09
1980
 
11,434,702
103.6
0.10
5.03
1981
 
11,443,461
103.7
0.08
4.99
1982
 
11,423,413
103.5
-0.18
4.93
1983
 
11,408,817
103.4
-0.13
4.88
1984
 
11,412,128
103.4
0.03
4.84
1985
 
11,399,803
103.3
-0.11
4.79
1986
 
11,387,256
103.2
-0.11
4.74
1987
 
11,391,176
103.2
0.03
4.70
1988
 
11,390,186
103.2
-0.01
4.66
1989
 
11,409,782
103.4
0.17
4.62
1990
 
11,453,316
103.8
0.38
4.59
1991
 
11,568,964
104.8
1.01
4.57
1992
 
11,694,184
105.9
1.08
4.56
1993
 
11,809,579
107.0
0.99
4.54
1994
 
11,912,585
107.9
0.87
4.53
1995
 
12,008,437
108.8
0.80
4.51
1996
 
12,101,997
109.6
0.78
4.49
1997
 
12,185,715
110.4
0.69
4.47
1998
 
12,271,847
111.2
0.71
4.45
1999
 
12,359,020
112.0
0.71
4.43
2000
 
12,434,161
112.6
0.61
4.41
2001
 
12,488,445
113.1
0.44
4.38
2002
 
12,525,556
113.5
0.30
4.35
2003
 
12,556,006
113.7
0.24
4.33
2004
 
12,589,773
114.0
0.27
4.30
2005
 
12,609,903
114.2
0.16
4.27
2006
 
12,643,955
114.5
0.27
4.24
2007
 
12,695,866
115.0
0.41
4.21
2008
 
12,747,038
115.5
0.40
4.19
2009
 
12,796,778
115.9
0.39
4.17
2010
 
12,845,511
116.4
0.38
4.15
2011
 
12,892,740
116.8
0.37
4.13
2012
 
12,928,106
117.1
0.27
4.11
2013
 
12,960,987
117.4
0.25
4.09
2014
 
12,970,348
117.5
0.07
4.06
2015
 
12,964,764
117.4
-0.04
4.03
2016
 
12,946,698
117.3
-0.14
3.99
2017
 
12,924,504
117.1
-0.17
3.96
2018
 
12,888,646
116.8
-0.28
3.92
2019
 
12,850,150
116.4
-0.30
3.89
2020
 
12,786,580
115.8
-0.49
3.86
2021
 
12,686,469
114.9
-0.78
3.82
2022
 
12,582,032
114.0
-0.82
3.78
Source: Calculations by the Illinois Regional Economic Analysis Project (IL-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
201,298,000
100.0
N
1970
 
203,798,722
101.2
1.24
1971
 
206,817,509
102.7
1.48
1972
 
209,274,882
104.0
1.19
1973
 
211,349,205
105.0
0.99
1974
 
213,333,635
106.0
0.94
1975
 
215,456,585
107.0
1.00
1976
 
217,553,859
108.1
0.97
1977
 
219,760,875
109.2
1.01
1978
 
222,098,244
110.3
1.06
1979
 
224,568,579
111.6
1.11
1980
 
227,224,719
112.9
1.18
1981
 
229,465,744
114.0
0.99
1982
 
231,664,432
115.1
0.96
1983
 
233,792,014
116.1
0.92
1984
 
235,824,907
117.2
0.87
1985
 
237,923,734
118.2
0.89
1986
 
240,132,831
119.3
0.93
1987
 
242,288,936
120.4
0.90
1988
 
244,499,004
121.5
0.91
1989
 
246,819,222
122.6
0.95
1990
 
249,622,814
124.0
1.14
1991
 
252,980,941
125.7
1.35
1992
 
256,514,224
127.4
1.40
1993
 
259,918,588
129.1
1.33
1994
 
263,125,821
130.7
1.23
1995
 
266,278,393
132.3
1.20
1996
 
269,394,284
133.8
1.17
1997
 
272,646,925
135.4
1.21
1998
 
275,854,104
137.0
1.18
1999
 
279,040,168
138.6
1.15
2000
 
282,162,411
140.2
1.12
2001
 
284,968,955
141.6
0.99
2002
 
287,625,193
142.9
0.93
2003
 
290,107,933
144.1
0.86
2004
 
292,805,298
145.5
0.93
2005
 
295,516,599
146.8
0.93
2006
 
298,379,912
148.2
0.97
2007
 
301,231,207
149.6
0.96
2008
 
304,093,966
151.1
0.95
2009
 
306,771,529
152.4
0.88
2010
 
309,378,433
153.7
0.85
2011
 
311,841,632
154.9
0.80
2012
 
314,344,331
156.2
0.80
2013
 
316,735,375
157.3
0.76
2014
 
319,270,047
158.6
0.80
2015
 
321,829,327
159.9
0.80
2016
 
324,367,742
161.1
0.79
2017
 
326,623,063
162.3
0.70
2018
 
328,542,157
163.2
0.59
2019
 
330,233,102
164.1
0.51
2020
 
331,511,512
164.7
0.39
2021
 
332,031,554
164.9
0.16
2022
 
333,287,557
165.6
0.38
Source: Calculations by the Illinois Regional Economic Analysis Project (IL-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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