Over the next 75 years, the U.S. population will grow by more than 30 million people.
An increasing shift in population from rural areas to fast-growing metros in the South and West will create some population winners, and some losers.
Some counties are forecast to shed more than 250,000 residents — some more than half of their population.
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The U.S. population is undergoing a massive shift. As the country adds tens of millions of new residents in the coming 75 years, a larger share of Americans will live in urban areas where infrastructure, services, and economic opportunities will in turn be increasingly concentrated. While the transition is supercharging growth in key metro areas like Austin, Phoenix, and Atlanta, domestic migration patterns will also create huge population declines in other parts of the country.
New research from NASA’s Socioeconomic Data and Applications Center projects county-level population change through 2100. The dataset shows dozens of counties in the South and Midwest forecast to add more than 1 million new residents over the next 75 years, while others — mostly in the Midwest — will lose more than 250,000 residents. Some are set to lose more than half of their populations as aging populations and low birth rates spur natural decline and infrastructural declines lead to outbound migration. A closer look at the data reveals the counties that will shrink the most by 2100.
To identify the counties expected to have the largest population increases over the next 75 years, 24/7 Wall St. analyzed data from NASA’s SEDAC U.S. County-Level Population Projections. Counties were ranked based on projected raw population decline from 2025 to 2100. Population projections are based on SSP2 in the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways system, a “middle-of-the-road” scenario in which historical demographic trends largely continue. Supplemental data on median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2023 American Community Survey. Economic sector data is from the Bureau of Economic Analysis and reflects each county’s largest industry by GDP share.
Projected population decline, 2025-2100: -189,153 residents
Projected population, 2100: 516,215 residents
Current population, 2025: 705,368 residents
Median household income: $107,799
Largest industry: Manufacturing (16.6% of GDP)
Largest cities: Joliet, Bolingbrook, Plainfield, Romeoville, New Lenox, Lockport, Homer Glen
11. Jefferson County, AL
Projected population decline, 2025-2100: -194,427 residents
Projected population, 2100: 474,758 residents
Current population, 2025: 669,185 residents
Median household income: $64,589
Largest industry: Government and government enterprises (12.4% of GDP)
Largest cities: Birmingham, Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Homewood, Bessemer, Trussville, Mountain Brook
10. Monroe County, NY
Projected population decline, 2025-2100: -212,376 residents
Projected population, 2100: 547,084 residents
Current population, 2025: 759,460 residents
Median household income: $74,409
Largest industry: Real estate and rental and leasing (14.8% of GDP)
Largest cities: Rochester, Irondequoit, Brighton, Greece, North Gates, Brockport, East Rochester
9. Erie County, NY
Projected population decline, 2025-2100: -225,004 residents
Projected population, 2100: 708,033 residents
Current population, 2025: 933,037 residents
Median household income: $71,175
Largest industry: Real estate and rental and leasing (14.4% of GDP)
Largest cities: Buffalo, Cheektowaga, West Seneca, Lackawanna, Kenmore, Depew, Tonawanda
8. Ocean County, NJ
Projected population decline, 2025-2100: -236,694 residents
Projected population, 2100: 350,297 residents
Current population, 2025: 586,991 residents
Median household income: $86,411
Largest industry: Real estate and rental and leasing (27.3% of GDP)
Largest cities: Toms River, Lakewood, Point Pleasant, Ocean Acres, Holiday City-Berkeley, Beachwood, Pine Lake Park
7. Monmouth County, NJ
Projected population decline, 2025-2100: -238,774 residents
Projected population, 2100: 381,534 residents
Current population, 2025: 620,308 residents
Median household income: $122,727
Largest industry: Real estate and rental and leasing (20.7% of GDP)
Largest cities: Long Branch, Tinton Falls, Asbury Park, West Freehold, Eatontown, Red Bank, Robertsville
6. Lake County, IL
Projected population decline, 2025-2100: -242,502 residents
Projected population, 2100: 457,715 residents
Current population, 2025: 700,217 residents
Median household income: $108,917
Largest industry: Manufacturing (26.7% of GDP)
Largest cities: Waukegan, Buffalo Grove, Mundelein, North Chicago, Gurnee, Highland Park, Round Lake Beach
5. Genesee County, MI
Projected population decline, 2025-2100: -253,194 residents
Projected population, 2100: 128,118 residents
Current population, 2025: 381,312 residents
Median household income: $60,673
Largest industry: Retail trade (13.6% of GDP)
Largest cities: Flint, Burton, Fenton, Beecher, Flushing, Grand Blanc, Lake Fenton
4. Cuyahoga County, OH
Projected population decline, 2025-2100: -265,634 residents
Projected population, 2100: 978,987 residents
Current population, 2025: 1,244,621 residents
Median household income: $62,823
Largest industry: Finance and insurance (17.0% of GDP)
Largest cities: Cleveland, Parma, Lakewood, Euclid, Strongsville, Cleveland Heights, Westlake
3. Suffolk County, NY
Projected population decline, 2025-2100: -287,542 residents
Projected population, 2100: 1,217,720 residents
Current population, 2025: 1,505,262 residents
Median household income: $128,329
Largest industry: Government and government enterprises (12.3% of GDP)
Largest cities: Brentwood, West Babylon, Coram, Central Islip, Commack, Huntington Station, Centereach
2. Wayne County, MI
Projected population decline, 2025-2100: -794,080 residents
Projected population, 2100: 881,193 residents
Current population, 2025: 1,675,273 residents
Median household income: $59,521
Largest industry: Manufacturing (15.9% of GDP)
Largest cities: Detroit, Dearborn, Livonia, Westland, Taylor, Dearborn Heights, Lincoln Park
1. Cook County, IL
Projected population decline, 2025-2100: -1,158,683 residents
Projected population, 2100: 4,188,836 residents
Current population, 2025: 5,347,519 residents
Median household income: $81,797
Largest industry: Real estate and rental and leasing (14.2% of GDP)
Largest cities: Chicago, Cicero, Schaumburg, Evanston, Arlington Heights, Palatine, Skokie
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