Open thread: Do you plan on leaving Chicago?

New numbers unveiled this week by the United States Census shows that the situation in Chicago and Illinois is unlike anything happening in the rest of the country. While other major metro regions have gained new residents over the last couple of years, Cook County and the State of Illinois have been witnessing the opposite.

The numbers suggest that the Chicago metro area witnessed a net loss of nearly 20,000 residents last year while Illinois as a whole lost 37,500 people. While the numbers aren’t staggering, the trend of seeing population decline over two consecutive years is a very real issue. And there’s a chance that we may be seeing just the beginning of the trend.

In a previous open thread from last August, readers detailed their experiences moving to Chicago, with many praising the cost of living and quality of life that can be had in the Windy City. However, in the comments section from yesterday’s post about the county and state’s population decline, a handful of readers explained why they left Chicago. Some cite the ever-increasing taxes while others said that Chicago just doesn’t feel as dynamic as other cities.

Are you planning on leaving Chicago? Why? Where will you be moving to? Do you ever see yourself coming back to the Windy City or are you leaving for good?

• Chicago metro area sees second straight year of population loss [Curbed Chicago]
• Open thread: How did moving to Chicago work out for you? [Curbed Chicago]