CHICAGO (AP) – The last straw that convinced Chicago native Marissa Marshall it was time to move away was hearing dangerously close gunfire in the rough neighborhood where she found affordable housing.
The 29-year-old, who’s pregnant with her fifth child, relocated about three years ago to a St. Louis suburb where she more easily found jobs and a home where she felt it was safe to send the kids outside.
“I have boys and I didn’t want to raise them in that environment,” Marshall said. “It is easier to go outside of Chicago to get help than stay in Chicago.”
New census data released Thursday shows she’s not alone, with the Chicago area losing more residents than any other U.S. metropolitan area.
The continuing decline coincided with other Midwestern areas, including St. Louis and Cleveland, as the South and Southwest regions of the country saw gains. Two Texas metropolitan areas – Dallas and Houston – reported the biggest numeric increases between July 2015 and July 2016, adding more than 100,000 residents each.