Census: Chicago loses population for 3rd consecutive year

CHICAGO (AP) - New Census figures show Chicago has lost population for the third consecutive year as other major U.S. cities gained population.

Population estimates released Thursday find that Chicago lost 8,638 residents between 2015 and 2016. However, the city remains the nation's third-largest city with 2.7 million residents. Chicago trails behind New York with 8.5 million residents and Los Angeles, which has 4 million residents.

Demographers have cited many reasons for the shifts from dwindling immigration and fertility rates to families' concerns about city violence and cash-strapped schools.

Experts have also noted an overall trend with cities in the South continuing to grow at a faster rate than other U.S. regions. Census figures show 10 of the 15 fastest-growing cities with populations of 50,000 or more were spread across the South.