United Van Lines: Illinois 2nd in nation for residents leaving

Illinois saw the second-highest rate of residents moving out in the nation based on a survey by United Van Lines. Illinois has experienced 10 straight years of population loss.

Illinois ranked second in the nation for the rate of residents moving out and finding a new state in 2023, according to a survey by moving company United Van Lines.

Resident exodus in Illinois made up 61.3% of total migration, and only 38.7% of those moving were inbound. New Jersey took the nation’s top spot for outbound percentage at 64.9%.

Illinois has had 10 years of population loss – the second-longest streak in the nation, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates.

The No. 1 reason United Van Lines was given for people leaving Illinois was jobs, with more than one-quarter of respondents listing it as a primary reason ahead of family and retirement. Housing and employment opportunities have both been made worse by poor public policy in Illinois.

Over half of outbound Illinoisans in the survey made $150,000 or more. Wealthier residents have the fewest barriers to moving.

That leaves lower-income Illinoisans to pay Illinois’ tax burden, including the second-highest property taxes in the nation.

United Van Lines also compiled data on the top 50, most-populated metropolitan areas. Chicago had the second-highest outbound rate at 62.8% behind only Detroit.

For more permanent solutions to stop Illinoisans from leaving, state leaders need to offer property tax and state tax reform. Those begin with controls on the growth of the state’s $142.3 billion pension deficit.