Out of the 50 states, Illinois ranks 48th in economic performance.  According to the ALEC-Laffer State Competitiveness Index, Illinois is doing better than only two states: Michigan and Ohio.

According to this report, as well as government data, Illinois also ranks:

•    44th in economic outlook.  Neighboring Indiana and Missouri rank well ahead in terms of future  
     opportunity, at 12th and 17th respectively.

•    44th in GDP growth, averaging only 3.83% over the last decade. Illinois GDP growth has declined since
     1977 at a rate from 7.6% to 5.9%.

•    46th in debt burden.  Illinois continues to spend government revenue growth on government expansion rather
     than funding past debt obligations, including pensions.

•    44th in personal income growth over the past decade, averaging at 3.83% while the U.S. average is 4.19%.

•    48th in employment growth from 1977 till 2006, ranking ahead of only Michigan, Ohio and Louisiana.

•    37th in improving its standard of living, growing at only 1.13% per year over the past decade. While Illinois 
      ranks relatively high in standard of living (18th), the state continues to fall farther down the ranks.

•    48th in net migration, with over 727,150 people having left the state from 1997-2006.

•    7th highest in median property taxes paid. 

•    14th highest overall tax burden in the nation.  

•    11th highest in property tax burden. 

•    4th highest gas tax burden (approximately 40 cents per gallon).

•    1st in sales tax burden (Chicago & Cook County).

•    Illinois is shrinking in wealth, once ranking as high as 6th in per capita personal income and dropping to 12th
      today.

•    The growth of the Illinois economy has lagged the rest of the country for each of the last three decades.