A new study using existing trends from over the past 20 years predicted population decline in thousands of American cities over the next 80 years.

Researchers at the University of Illinois Chicago used population projections to find that, by the year 2100, almost half of nearly 30,000 cities in the U.S. will experience a population decline.

The population decline would represent 12%–23% of the population of these cities, the study states. The aftermath of such a decline will bring “unprecedented challenges,” the study explains further.

These cities could face a loss in basic services like transit, clean water, electricity and internet access. Furthermore, an issue depopulation poses is a “dwindling tax base” that would certainly impact basic city services.

On the other hand, blue states like California and New York saw an exodus of residents to the Southern red states post-COVID-19 pandemic. The phenomenon, called “Sun Belt migration,” was driven by high costs of living and steep taxes, FOX Business previously reported.

Fox Business’ Megan Henney contributed to this report.

Joshua Q. Nelson is a reporter for Fox News Digital.

Joshua focuses on politics, education policy ranging from the local to the federal level, and the parental uprising in education.

Joining Fox News Digital in 2019, he previously graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in Political Science and is an alum of the National Journalism Center and the Heritage Foundation’s Young Leaders Program. 

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