Midwest
Illinois' population is aging 'faster' than the rest of the country, editorial warns
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Illinois’ population of young people is dwindling, an editorial from the Chicago Tribune warned.
“A dwindling youth population means shrinking potential — not just economically, but in civic energy, creativity and community life. That’s bad news for a state that depends on young people to power its workforce and its future,” the editorial stated.
he Tribune’s editorial board described the conditions of an aging population in Illinois, adding that the Prairie State is “aging faster than the rest of the country.”
The editorial board of The Chicago Tribune urged Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker to take action on the issue, citing that the state “desperately” needs to “retain and attract young people.” (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
The board urged Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, D., to take action on the issue, citing that the state “desperately” needs to “retain and attract young people.” Pritzker signed legislation making college more accessible and affordable. The move came after Pritzker cited the Illinois Board of Higher Education’s research showing that nearly half of the state’s high school graduates were fleeing to colleges outside the state and not returning.
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“There is a 70% likelihood that when they get to whatever that university is outside of Illinois, they’re not coming back,” Pritzker said at a news conference in March. “That’s a real problem, so we want to keep our best and brightest in the state.”
Other factors are driving the state’s aging population.
Illinois’ retiree population is growing. Currently, the median age is 39.4, five years older than in 2000, according to the editorial.
That is “rising steadily,” the board added. However, the state was younger than the rest of the country, on average, 25 years ago.
(Illinois’ population of young people is dwindling, an editorial from the Chicago Tribune warned. Beata Zawrzel/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
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The number of “prime-age working adults” declined in Illinois by 1% from 2020 to 2024, while the rest of the country increased by 2%.
The board detailed the cause of the declining population of young people is due to population loss, “outmigration,” and low birth-rates.
Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker signed a slate of legislation aiming to make college more affordable and accessible as young people flee the state and likely never return.
“Illinois faces a demographic double bind. Not only are fewer women of childbearing age remaining in the state because of persistent outmigration, but those who stay are having fewer children than their counterparts elsewhere. Our birth rate already lags behind most states — particularly those in the South and West — and the gap is growing,” the Tribune wrote. “The long-term implications for our workforce, tax base and economic vitality are hard to ignore.”
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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A firefighter for the Indianapolis Fire Department was sent to the hospital Wednesday after battling a fire at a vacant house.
According to a Facebook post made by IFD, the fire happened around 10:15 a.m. at a house on Bluff Rd. IFD says that there were several complications, including limited access to fire hydrants and “interior hoarder conditions” that IFD says was due to squatters.
The injured firefighter received “slight injury,” the Facebook post said.
It took over an hour and a half to get the fire under control, according to IFD, and another hour to put out all the remaining hot spots in the building.
According to IFD, the cause of the fire is currently unknown. Their Fire Investigations Unit is working on figuring out what caused the fire.
While most of the focus for the Iowa State Cyclones will be on the football program for the next couple of months, the basketball program will also be getting set soon for a new campaign. Coming off a strong season, expectations for them will be high.
The 2025-26 season will go down as a memorable one for the Cyclones. This was a team that exceeded most expectations and ended up being one of the best teams in the country.
Iowa State started out the campaign with a 16-0 record, and the group looked like a real contender. While there were some hiccups during a challenging conference schedule, the Cyclones were one of the best teams in the country.
In March Madness, Iowa State was a number two seed, proving to be one of the top eight teams in the country. As they get set for next season, their goal will undoubtedly be to be ranked highly again. However, they may have to prove themselves a bit.
Joe Lunardi of ESPN recently updated his very early bracketology report for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign for the Cyclones. After being a number two seed last year in the NCAA Tournament, he currently has them on the five line.
Iowa State Has Work To Do
While being a five seed in the NCAA Tournament would indicate a Top 25 season for the Cyclones, expectations for the program are higher than that at this point.
Iowa State has become one of the more consistent programs in the country over the last several years, and they will undoubtedly want to take a step forward this coming season.
Due to a lot of production leaving, it is understandable that how they are viewed now could be very different from how they are perceived come March. Due to all of the new players that are coming in, it is going to take time for them to gel.
The Cyclones have a few key returning players led by Killyan Toure, Jamarion Batemon, and Blake Buchanan. Both Toure and Buchanan were starters for the team last season, and that should remain the same this year. However, Batemon also played a significant role coming off the bench, and his scoring ability might put him next to Toure in the starting lineup this coming year.
Overall, while the team did lose a lot of production, they have a good amount of depth with the new players coming in and some key freshmen returning. If things go right and the team gels quickly, they should be better than a five seed.
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