People constantly come and go, but new estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show that Illinois lost more than 263,000 residents, or 2.1% of its population, from 2020 to 2023. Chicago lost 81,900 people, or 3% of its population, during the same time frame. The city’s population as of July 1, 2023, was estimated at 2,664,452, with changes calculated from the estimated base of April 1, 2020. Despite the decline, Chicago retained its position as the nation’s third most populous city, after New York and Los Angeles, in 2023.