Population

Is population growing or shrinking?

Updated annually
It shrank by 164 between 2023 and 2024. Changes in population reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. Mercer County, IL’s 1.1% annual decrease was primarily driven by people moving to other states.
In the decade between 2014 and 2024, Mercer County, IL’s population shrank by 3.8%.

-164

population change (2023 to 2024)

-1.1%

percent change in population (2023 to 2024)
Since 2000, Mercer County, IL’s population increased 4 out of 24 years. The largest increase occurred between 2009 and 2010, when Mercer County, IL gained 210 residents. Its largest decline occurred between 2008 and 2009 when there were 228 fewer residents.

Mercer County, IL lost 164 residents between 2023 and 2024.

Annual population change

A county’s population is influenced by three factors:
  • Natural population change: If births outnumber deaths in a given year, natural population growth is positive. If deaths exceed births, it is negative. Between 2023 and 2024 natural population change was negative in Mercer County, IL, with deaths exceeding births by 50.
  • Immigration: international migration directly into or out of a county: If more people move in than move out, population change from immigration is positive. If more people move out than move in, it’s negative. Between 2023 to 2024, Mercer County, IL’s population change from immigration was positive with about two more people coming from another country directly to Mercer County, IL than leaving.
  • Domestic migration, moving between counties: Between 2023 to 2024, Mercer County, IL’s population change from domestic migration was negative with about 117 more people moving to any other county in the US.

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Between 2023 and 2024, domestic migration was the primary driver of population decline in Mercer County, IL.

Components of population change

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Methodology

USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.

The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.

Page sources

USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.