These Are Illinois’ Ten Largest Cities, According To The Census

In 2000, these were Illinois' top ten largest cities in order, according to the US Census:

1. Chicago: 2,896,016
2. Rockford: 150,115
3. Aurora: 142,990
4. Joliet: 106,221
5. Naperville: 128,358
6. Peoria: 112,936
7. Springfield: 116,250
8. Elgin: 89,442
9. Waukegan: 87,901
10. Champaign: 67,518

Let's go back 35 years to 1990 and take a look at the order and populations of what the US Census determined to be Illinois' ten largest cities at that time:

1. Chicago: 2,783,726
2. Rockford: 139,436
3. Peoria: 113,505
4. Springfield: 105,227
5. Aurora: 99,581
6. Naperville: 85,351
7. Joliet: 76,832
8. Elgin: 69,359
9. Waukegan: 67,659
10. Champaign: 63,502

Ten years before that, in 1980, these were the cities and populations that made up Illinois' ten largest (you'll notice that there are 3 cities on the 1980 top ten list that didn't make the list ten years later in 1990):

1. Chicago: 3,005,072
2. Rockford: 139,712
3. Peoria: 124,160
4. Springfield: 100,054
5. Decatur: 94,088
6. Aurora: 81,293
7. East St. Louis: 70,040
8. Joliet: 77,956
9. Champaign: 58,137
10. Evanston: 73,706

Now, let's return the calendar back to the current day, and see how many Illinois cities are still on the list, and if they are, how their positions have changed.

Newly-Released Census Bureau Estimates Say That Illinois Has A Different 3rd Largest City After One Chicago Suburb Takes The Spot Of Another Suburb

It happens. As a Rockford resident, I remember when Rockford claimed the title of Illinois' second city by dethroning Peoria back in the middle 60s, and even held onto the number-two spot for a good chunk of time before being knocked out of that spot by Aurora over a decade ago.

So, where do things stand now? It's quite doubtful that Illinois's largest city, Chicago, will ever lost their standing as the largest, but there's quite a bit of population jockeying when you look at numbers two through ten.

According to the latest estimates by the US Census, here's Illinois' current pecking order:

1. Chicago: 2,721,308
2. Aurora: 180,710
3. Naperville: 153,124
4. Joliet: 151,837
5. Rockford: 147,486
6. Elgin: 114,701
7. Springfield: 112,949
8. Peoria: 111,696
9. Champaign: 91,961
10. Waukegan: 88,570