CHICAGO | General Discussions

[sentinel]

Originally Posted by Klippenstein

Oh! I just thought of something else. Could Chicago become a "megacity" by 2030? Possibly.

If my math is right Chicago MSA would need to grow by just under 4% in the next decade to reach that distinction. Seems possible especially since that was basically the growth rate between 2000-2010.

As sprawl continues west and south in Chicagoland, I can foresee the greater Rockford MSA being engulfed as part of the greater Chicago MSA. There's 330,000 people in that area, that's enough to put Chicagoland over 10 Million. Right now, the eastern part of Rockford/Belvidere is only 30 minutes/35 miles from Huntley, and even 10 minutes/10 miles less to Marengo. It's not out of the realm of possibilities...especially with additional growth after the next Reverse Migration back north when climate change engulfs most of the Gulf coast and FL, and the 135F average degree days make Phoenix unlivable, both in 2036

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by sentinel

As sprawl continues west and south in Chicagoland, I can foresee the greater Rockford MSA being engulfed as part of the greater Chicago MSA.

Except that sprawl to the west and northwest (the general direction to Rockford) largely ground to a halt last decade.

McHenry county only grew by +0.5%.

Kane county only grew by +0.2%.

And Dekalb and Boone counties actually LOST people, -4.5% and -1.3%, respectively.

On balance, that 4 county area between Chicagoland and Rockford lost a total of ~2,500 people!


Kendall county is the only exurban county that you could say saw moderate growth at +14.5%, but that's the wrong direction to get to Rockford.