Between 2010 and 2020, Latinos continued to be the largest driver of population growth in the Chicago region, particularly in the suburbs. All but a few municipalities saw Latino population increases. Growth rates were also higher in places where Latinos accounted for lower shares of the total population. Although, overall, Latinos made progress on a number socioeconomic indicators, gaps between Latinos and non-Latinos remain stubbornly high.
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Suburban places
MPC partnered with the Latino Policy Forum and UIC's Great Cities Institute for an in-depth study of Latino population trends that have occurred in the region over the past decade. The report sheds more light on what has been a trend in the Chicago region for the past several decades--that is, the Latino population has been growing faster than any group, that growth is higher in the suburbs, and without Latinos, the region would be losing population. The full report is available for download here.
On the one hand, the region's Latino population witnessed positive changes on a number of socioeconomic indicators over the past decade.
On the other hand, gaps between Latino and non-Latino population on these and other indicators remain.
The report provides insight into many of these trends, and documents some of the paradoxes of growing Latino suburbanization. While suburban locations may offer many families increased access to affordable housing, for example, it can also be accompanied by challenges in transportation affordability and commute times. It concludes with a call for regional coordination to develop a comprehensive policy approach to ensure that Latinos, a crucial contributor to the region's health and vitality, improve their quality of life in the Chicago region.