What are the fastest-growing metro areas in Illinois?
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL (+1.7%), Champaign-Urbana, IL (+1.5%) and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (−0.0%) grew fastest among Illinois metro areas between 2020 and 2025.
Data as of 2025 · updated
All 9 ranked Illinois metro areas
| Rank | Metro area | Change 2020–25 | People added | Residents 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | +1.7% | +1,676 | 99,215 |
| 2 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | +1.5% | +3,550 | 239,979 |
| 3 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | −0.0% | −1,848 | 9,434,123 |
| 4 | St. Louis, MO-IL | −0.2% | −5,390 | 2,814,421 |
| 5 | Rockford, IL | −0.3% | −1,041 | 337,242 |
| 6 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | −0.9% | −3,315 | 380,452 |
| 7 | Paducah, KY-IL | −1.2% | −1,195 | 102,259 |
| 8 | Springfield, IL | −1.2% | −2,442 | 206,033 |
| 9 | Peoria, IL | −1.3% | −4,800 | 363,505 |
How this is ranked
The percentage change in the Census Bureau's July 1 resident population estimates between 2020 and 2025, with the number of people added. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. Areas without a figure for the same period as the others are not ranked. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025). Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built.
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Questions
Which metro area in Illinois is growing fastest?
Cape Girardeau, MO-IL: +1.7%, ahead of Champaign-Urbana, IL (+1.5%) and Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (−0.0%), of 9 Illinois metro areas ranked.
How is this ranking calculated?
The percentage change in the Census Bureau's July 1 resident population estimates between 2020 and 2025, with the number of people added. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. Areas without a figure for the same period as the others are not ranked. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states.