VERMILION COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) — Population is dropping for most of Central Illinois, and one county hit the hardest is giving insights into why.

Between 2020 and 2024 — Shelby, Christian, Macon, and Sangamon counties saw losses ranging from 1% to upwards of 3%.

Vermilion County has lost about 4.2% of their population over that time frame. It’s the biggest drop among county’s in Central Illinois.

“Of course it’s not a good trend and it is alarming.” said Mike Marron, CEO of Vermilion Advantage.

“These are patterns often observed throughout rural America, especially in rural parts of Illinois, and it’s an issue we need to address,” Marron stated.

Census figures indicated a decline over the four years from 2020 to 2024. Among the areas experiencing a downturn: Sangamon County saw a decrease of about 1%, Shelby and Christian Counties each fell by approximately 2%, and Macon County experienced a 3% reduction. However, the steepest decline was in Vermilion County, which saw a population reduction of 4.2% over the period.

“When people leave, we see a reduction in taxpayers, which presents the initial challenge,” Marron explained. “Moreover, the availability of a skilled workforce is a hurdle. We have several reputable employers who find it difficult to hire qualified individuals.”

Ed Butler is a Danville alderman.

“We have so many people –they came in here from other cities and they come and go,” Butler said.

He said that’s because of a lack of things keeping people in areas like Danville.

“Nothing here in Danville, and so we as a city are trying to get the powers to bring more things here in Danville so that we can get the people back here in Danville,” Butler added,

Marron said planning initiatives currently underway are the key to the future and reversing this trend. This includes blight demolition programs throughout the county and the investments in downtown Danville.

“We really need to create that environment that’s going to attract people to come to our community because it is a wonderful community,” Marron said. “But we do have some work to do to make it more attractive.”

Of the counties listed, one that saw an increase was Champaign. The city saw growth of about 2.9% during the same time frame.