Blue state populations are declining fast. New Jersey, Illinois, New York, and California are among the top states losing population. In fact, most of the states losing people are predominantly blue-leaning.
Certainly, there are various reasons why individuals relocate to another state. Some may relocate due to milder weather, although that doesn’t entirely explain why states like California are experiencing a population decline. On the other hand, some colder states like Montana and Utah have also gained people, indicating that climate isn’t the sole determining factor.
There are links between poor economic freedom and population decline, too. In states with stricter laws, people generally have less freedom to get ahead, leading to stagnating wages and eventual migration. Because these blue states tend to have more economic regulation, they may inadvertently push people out.
Either way, almost all blue-state cities are experiencing a decline. Here are some of the cities with the fastest declining population:
1. Los Angeles
Currently, many apartments are being left incomplete in L.A. due to the quickly declining population.
- Population Decline Rate: 2% from 2020 to 2023
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2023: 76,529
- Current Population: 3.82 million
- Area: 501.89 km²
2. San Diego
San Diego is another Californian city with a declining population.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.4% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 5,798
- Current Population: 1.42 million
- Area: 1,223 km²
3. San Jose
San Jose was once a thriving cultural center, but now the city is declining.
- Population Decline Rate: 4.1% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 41,988
- Current Population: 1.03 million
- Area: 460.5 km²
4. San Francisco
San Francisco may have many unique features, but it is currently declining.
- Population Decline Rate: 7.5% from 2021 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2021 to 2022: 65,522
- Current Population: 873,965
- Area: 121.4 km²
5. El Monte
California is known for its long beaches, but many people are leaving despite the great views.
- Population Decline Rate: 3.8% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 4,125
- Current Population: 105,312
- Area: 274.2 km²
6. Pasadena
- Population Decline Rate: 3.3% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 4,508
- Current Population: 134,211
- Area: 259.3 km²
7. Long Beach
Long Beach is best known for its beaches, but it’s also home to the Walter Pyramid.
- Population Decline Rate: 3.3% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 15,468
- Current Population: 451,307
- Area: 130.8 km²
8. Oakland
Oakland may not be as big as L.A., but it is still a sizable city.
- Population Decline Rate: 2.3% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 10,107
- Current Population: 440,647
- Area: 202.5 km²
9. California City
This “quint” city is home to nearly 380,000 people but is declining like much of the state.
- Population Decline Rate: 1.1% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 6,864
- Population: 379,540
- Area: 341.1 km²
10. Anaheim
Anaheim isn’t a huge city in California, but it is still declining.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.07% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 2,364
- Current Population: 346,824
- Area: 138.1 km²
11. Honolulu
While this city is known for being a tropical paradise, it’s experiencing a decline of around 0.75%.
- Population Decline Rate: 2.1% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 20,868
- Population: 995,638
- Area: 305 km²
12. Hilo
Hilo, Hawaii, may not seem that large. However, compared to other areas of Hawaii, it is.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.44% from 2020 to 2021
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2021: 824
- Current Population: 44,108
- Area: 51 km²
13. Kalihiwai
Hawaii is a beautiful place, but it has a very high cost of living.
- Population Decline Rate: 57.32% since 2000
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2023: 550
- Population: 306
- Area: 2.65 sq mi
14. Kaneohe
Like much of Hawaii, this small town is also decreasing in size.
- Population Decline Rate: 4.1% since 2000
- Population Loss, 2000 to 2023: 493
- Current Population: 11,342
- Area: 51 km²
15. Omao
Largely due to the cost of living, this small town is also decreasing in population.
- Population Decline Rate: 3.03% since 2000
- Population Loss, 2000 to 2023: 41
- Current Population: 1,184
- Area: 1.27 sq mi
16. Chicago
Chicago is a massive city, but its population has decreased for years.
- Population Decline Rate: 3% from 2020 to 2023
- Population Lose, 2020 to 2023: 81,313
- Population: 2,746,388
- Area: 277.1 km²
17. Aurora
While much smaller than Chicago, this city has also been decreasing in population for years.
- Population Decline Rate: 10% from 2017 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2017 to 2022: 19,789
- Current Population: 197,899
- Area: 89.5 km²
18. Naperville
Naperville may not be nearly as famous as Chicago, but it is a sizable town.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.001% since 2017
- Population Loss, 2017 to 2023: 80
- Current Population: 149,540
- Area: 129.5 km²
19. Joliet
With a population of over 140,000, this sizable down has also been decreasing.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.2% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 341
- Current Population: 148,405
- Area: 66.4 km²
20. Rockford
Rockford is one of the smaller cities in Illinois, but it has also been experiencing population decline.
- Population Decline Rate: 1.3% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 1,949
- Current Population: 95,840
- Area: 148.8 km²
21. New York City
New York is a historic city, but it has been declining for decades.
- Population Decline Rate: 5.3% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 468,297
- Population: 8,804,397
- Area: 833 km²
22. Buffalo
Buffalo is much smaller than New York City, but it is also experiencing population decline.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.7% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 1,815
- Current Population: 278,349
- Area: 422.8 km²
23. Rochester
Smaller still is Rochester. This city will likely get even smaller over the next few years.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.9% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 1,969
- Population: 211,088
- Area: 106.7 km²
24. Yonkers
Yonkers is a lesser-known city in New York.
- Population Decline Rate: 1.6% from 2020 to 2023
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2023: 3,464
- Population: 201,000
- Area: 18 km²
25. Syracuse
Syracuse may not be as large as other cities on this list, but it is going to get even smaller over the next decade.
- Population Decline Rate: 2.8% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 4,157
- Current Population: 145,170
- Area: 61.0 km²
26. Portland
As one of the bluest cities around, Portland is decreasing in population very quickly.
- Population Decline Rate: 2.7% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 17,451
- Current Population: 654,762
- Area: 376.6 km²
27. Union County
Union County has experienced quite the huge decline that Portland has, but it is stagnating in population.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.1% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 20
- Current Population: 26,177
- Area: 105.4 mi²
28. Pendleton
Pendleton is a quaint town that is declining despite the state’s slight rebound in 2023.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.8% from 2022 to 2023
- Population Loss, 2022 to 2023: 134
- Current Population: 16,785
- Area: 98.9 km²
29. Gresham
Gresham is home to many natural areas.
- Population Decline Rate: 2.3% from 2020 to 2023
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2023: 2,634
- Current Population: 111,621
- Area: 50.6 km²
30. Beaverton
Beaverton isn’t nearly as well-known as some of the other cities on this list, but it is home to its famous farmers’ market.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.5% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 480
- Current Population: 96,121
- Area: 54.6 km²
31. Philadelphia
While this city is historic, Covid-19 had a huge impact on its population.
- Population Decline Rate: 2.3% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 36,541
- Current Population: 1,567,442
- Area: 349.9 km²
32. Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh is absolutely a city, but its population is surprisingly small and stagnated.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.01% from 2020 to 2023
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2023: 200
- Current Population: 302,898
- Area: 88.0 km²
33. Allentown
Allentown is a quaint city, and it will likely remain that way for some time.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.6% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 764
- Current Population: 73,037
- Area: 46.5 km²
34. Erie
Pennsylvania is experiencing an overall population decline, which is affecting many of its cities.
- Population Decline Rate: 1.4% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 1,338
- Current Population: 96,894
- Area: 99.2 km²
35. Reading
Reading is declining at a slower rate than in other cities, but it is still declining.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.3% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 242
- Current Population: 95,092
- Area: 21.3 km²
36. Detroit
Detroit may only be marginally left-leaning, but its population is dropping faster than most.
- Population Decline Rate: 2.9% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 18,739
- Population: 620,376
- Area: 142.9 mi²
37. Saratoga Springs
Saratoga Springs is a beautiful town that draws many tourists, but the town is losing people like the rest of New York.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.38% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 150
- Current Population: 28,375
- Area: 66.3 km²
38. Cooperstown
Cooperstown is home to the National Baseball Museum.
- Population Decline Rate: 1.08% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 20
- Current Population: 1,834
- Area: 21.3 km²
39. Astoria
Astoria is declining at a slightly lower rate than other cities.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.1% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 20
- Current Population: 10,182
- Area: 33.5 km²
40. McMinnville
Despite being lesser-known than other cities, McMinnville is declining pretty quickly.
- Population Decline Rate: 1% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 346
- Population:34,120
- Area: 29.7 km²
41. Gettysburg
This historic town is declining like much of the state.
- Population Decline Rate: 3.4% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 261
- Current Population: 7,423
- Area: 8.0 km²
42. Lancaster
Lancaster is pretty large these days, but its population has stagnated and started to decline.
- Population Decline Rate: 2.17% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 1,287
- Current Population: 58,034
- Area: 20.7 km²
43. Providence
Providence typically has population growth. However, the last few years have seen a steep decline.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.07% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 1,369
- Current Population:189,563
- Area: 53.1 km²
44. Warwick
Warwick is the second-largest city in Rhode Island and is also declining (though not at the same rate).
- Population Decline Rate: 0.01% from 2020 to 2021
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2021: 146
- Current Population: 82,783
- Area: 98.7 km²
45. Cranston
Cranston has a large Italian-American community, but it has been in decline for several years.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.22% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 757
- Population: 82,691
- Area: 58.1 km²
46. Pawtucket
Pawtucket used to be very large. However, it has declined sharply since its glory days.
- Population Decline Rate: 1.11% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 836
- Current Population: 75,176
- Area: 24.5 km²
47. East Providence
East Providence is technically different from Providence, but it is also declining in population.
- Population Decline Rate: 0.9% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 442
- Current Population: 46,691
- Area: 35.5 km²
48. Baltimore
Baltimore has been declining almost every year for the last two decades, with some declines reaching almost 2% – and growths being much smaller.
- Population Decline Rate: 2.7% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 15,762
- Current Population: 569,931
- Area: 501.89 km²
49. Columbia
Columbia may be known for its organized, planned nature. However, its population has been decreasing over the last few years.
- Decline Rate: 0.309% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 326
- Current Population: 105,086
- Area: 140.7 km²
50. Santa Ana
- Population Decline Rate: 0.8% from 2020 to 2022
- Population Loss, 2020 to 2022: 2,366
- Current Population: 308,189
- Area: 90.4 km²
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