Every 6 minutes, 16 seconds, Illinois loses another resident
People choosing to move out of state again drove Illinois’ population to decline from July 2022-July 2023. Another one left every 6 minutes and 16 seconds.
Illinois loses a resident every 6 minutes and 16 seconds to another state, according to estimates released Dec. 19 by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Illinois’ total population declined by 32,826 residents from July 2022-July 2023, the Census Bureau estimated.
While there were 10,453 more births than deaths in Illinois, and 40,492 net migrants gained from abroad, the state lost 83,839 residents who moved to other states.
Domestic outmigration has been the sole driver of Illinois’ population decline for 10 consecutive years. The only state that’s population has been in decline longer, West Virginia, currently is suffering its 11th consecutive year of population decline.
When taxes were not a response option, surveys of those who have left the state showed the major reasons were for better housing and employment opportunities. Both have been made worse by poor public policy in Illinois.
Among surveys where taxes were a permitted response, high taxes have consistently been the No. 1 reason Illinoisans considered leaving the state. Polling from NPR Illinois and the University of Illinois found 61% of Illinoisans thought about moving out of state in 2019, and the No. 1 reason was taxes. The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute found 47% of Illinoisans wanted to leave the state in 2016. It also found “taxes are the single biggest reason people want to leave,” with 27% citing that motive. More recent polling conducted by Echelon Insights in 2023 substantiated these sentiments.
A 10th year of population decline, especially when driven by residents choosing to leave Illinois, should be a wake-up call to the state’s leaders. Politicians need to listen when people reject what they are offering. If they ease the tax burden and reduce arduous business regulations, they can make it easier for Illinoisans to stay.