Cook County, metro area populations dip, according to new Census figures

Of the nation’s counties with the most residents, Cook County — along with counties in the Los Angeles and New York City areas — saw its estimated population decline, according to the latest Census population estimates.

In July 2017, the county had 5,204,502 residents, according to new Census data released Thursday. By July 2018, it had fallen to 5,180,493.

That current figure also shows Cook County’s population dip below the April 2010 tally, when there were 5,195,026 residents.

Los Angeles County, at 10,118,759 in 2017, dropped to 10,105,518 by 2018. In New York, Kings County, which encompasses Brooklyn, saw its population fall to 2,582,830 in 2018, from 2,596,385.

Chicago and the surrounding suburbs held its rank as third in the nation’s Top 10 most populous metro areas, with 9,498,716 residents. However, the region lost 22,068 residents since July 2017, dropping from 9,520,784 residents, the data show. The New York and Los Angeles regions are the top two most populous metropolitan areas, respectively, though both areas shrank in population also.

Growth from mid-2017 to mid-2018 propelled Metro Orlando and the Tampa area into the top tier of the nation’s fastest growing metro areas last year, according to the Census figures. Only Texas grew by more people than Florida last year, the data show.

Contributing: Associated Press