Report: More people continue leaving Illinois than arriving

By Glenn Minnis | The Center Square contributor
The Center Square

(The Center Square) – Illinois state Rep. Martin McLaughlin argues lawmakers in Springfield only look in the mirror to come face to face with the source of the state’s dwindling appeal.

A new Atlas Van Lines report details how Illinois’ outbound migration levels in 2025 again topped the number of new move-ins to the state, marking the 17th straight year that trend has festered.

While this year’s ratio reflects the smallest gap between new move-ins and those leaving the state since 2008, staffers nonetheless found 54% of the company’s clients last year were on the move out of Illinois.

“Even the Chicago Bears are finding Illinois less appealing and can’t get a deal,” McLaughlin, R-Barrington Hills, told The Center Square. “It’s the policy climate that is about taxing businesses and individuals first and delivering services last. We are the highest taxed state in the nation and what do we get for that? What we’re getting is more corruption, more political payoffs, particularly the public sector unions are the ones that are getting paid off.”

U.S. Census Bureau data showing Illinois has lost around 420,000 residents since 2020. Recent polling found almost half of all voters insist they would leave the state if they had the chance. Updated annual Census estimates for Illinois and other states are expected later this month.

McLaughlin said the time for voters to take a stand is now.

“We have over 82-line items in our state tax code, the Illinois Department of Revenue, and people in Springfield just keep looking to add more,” he said. “It has gone beyond what our founders intended and the only way to do this is to have a revolution at the ballot box.”

Previous Atlas studies highlight outmigration peaked across the state in 2023 with 63% of all movers heading for new confines. More recently, pollsters found residents point to high taxes as the state’s top issue.