Why Illinois is The Top Outbound State For 9 Years In A Row

The 2022 Moving Migration report looks very similar to those in the state of Illinois.  Because for the 9th straight year, more people are leaving Illinois than any other state in the country.

While 4 of the 5 top states on the list are all in the north/northeast there are other factors they have in common that have people looking for a new place to call home.

Been A Tough Streak For Illinois

Illinois has led the nation for the last 9 years with more people moving out of the state than to the Land of Lincoln.  Illinois joins New Jersey and Pennsylvania as long-running states on the list of states people are leaving.  They have both been near the top of the list for the past decade.

Not only is Illinois the state people are leaving the most.  It's also the 4th straight year leading the way with the largest percentage of individuals moving out of the state.

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On the "positive side" the 65% move-out, 35% move-in rate for Illinois is actually the best percentage since 2013 when 62% moved out and 32% moved in.

The worst year in the past decade was 2019 when 70% of moves were leaving the state with 30% only moving in.

Other takeaways from the Migration Report

The full report, posted on northamerican.com, shows the number of people moving in 2022 was down compared to previous years.

And people continue to move south with South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Arizona, and Florida being top move-in destinations.

What about other northern states like Iowa and Wisconsin?

These states are cold as well.  And while they are not hot destinations for people to move to, they aren't losing out like Illinois.

In 2022 Iowa 52% moved out, and 48% moved in.  The last time more people moved into Iowa was in 2017.

In Wisconsin, things stayed even at 50/50.  Wisconsin hasn't had a higher move-out rate since 2015.  So it's not just about the cold.

So what are the reasons people are leaving Illinois?

One reason is the cold.  The map, and just knowledge of living in the midwest, show us that.  But other cold weather states are not seeing that many outbound residents.  So what else is there?

Quality of life was the top concern for movers in 2022.  This includes getting out of the large city (aka Chicago) and moving to a small community where people can still do the same work.  Many workers are now able to work remotely which allows workers to choose a location where they can get more bang for their buck.

It's coming down to money.

The top 3 outbound states all have something in common.  High cost of living, and a high tax burden.  Illinois, California, and New Jersey are all in the top 10 for tax burden in the U.S. and are the top 3 states people are moving out of.

Residents are having to pay more to live, eat, and be entertained.  These residents then have to pay more to the government in taxes and fees.  This is why they are no longer residents in states like Illinois.

Will the streak continue for Illinois or will a new state take the mantle in 2023?  With no major changes on the horizon, Illinois could see a decade straight of more people seeing that "Welcome to Illinois" sign in their rearview mirror.