Immigration has kept Iowa’s population from shrinking, the Quad-City Times reported. Illinois lost 22,194 residents between July 1, 2014, and July 1, 2015, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, while Iowa gained 14,418 in the same period. Illinois lost 105,000 residents due to people moving out, but Iowa gained more than it lost due to immigration, according to Iowa State University economist Liesl Eathington. Iowa’s population growth has been slow and steady since the 2010 census, at just under half a percentage point per year. As of July 1, Iowa’s population stood at 3,123,899, ranking 30th among the states.