Downstate Illinois refers to all of Illinois south of the Chicago metropolitan area. This term is flexible, but because it is generally meant to refer to everything outside the Chicago area; some cities in Northern Illinois, such as Rockford (which is north of Chicago), are considered to be "downstate". Prior to the issuance of 2000 Census results, when it became part of the Chicago metropolitan area, even DeKalb (located 65 miles west of Chicago) was often considered to be "downstate".