Lincoln Poll: Illinoisans cite high taxes and the economy as biggest concerns
More than half of Illinois voters said they would flee the state if they could

CHICAGO (June 22, 2026) — Gov. J.B. Pritzker leaves Illinois on the hook for more than $800 million in new taxes. That’s the exact opposite of Illinoisans’ main concerns of taxes and the economy.

The Illinois Policy Institute’s newest Lincoln Poll found that more than half of Illinois voters selected high taxes as a top one or top-two issue facing the state. Next-highest was the economy, selected by 41% of respondents.

The concern about the economy is up 8 percentage points from just last year, while the tax concern continues to sit around 50%. This shows that fiscal issues continue to be at the forefront of Illinoisans minds.

“This budget puts the state’s spending addiction onto the very businesses and taxpayers that generate its revenue,” said Bryce Hill, director of fiscal and economic analysis at the Illinois Policy Institute. “It’s clear from the polling that the average Illinois voter is more than fed up with these policies and may even look to other states for a better fiscal climate.”

Illinois voters aren’t just disappointed with these measures, though —they are considering moving out. In the poll, just over 51% of respondents said they would leave the state if they had the opportunity.

Among that 51%, almost 69% cited high taxes as a top-two reason for wanting to flee the state.

“It’s no wonder more and more Illinoisans are leaving the state,” Hill said. “They want to go somewhere where they will see more of their paycheck, and better benefits from their high taxes. It’s clear that Illinoisans have had enough of unfair tax burdens and may be looking for greener grass sometime soon.”

With over 40,000 residents leaving Illinois for other states from 2024 to 2025, Pritzker and the General Assembly face a major challenge.

An overview of Illinois’ taxes: 

• The latest taxes are to come from a mix of revenue sources, including online fantasy sports, corporate tax hikes, social media fees and a tax on cryptocurrency transfers.
• The median Illinois household is taxed at a combined state and local rate of 17%, the highest in the country.
• Property taxes are more than double the national average, at an effective rate of 1.88%.
• Illinois households paid  40% more than the national median last year in state and local taxes, good for fourth-highest in the country.

The poll of 517 likely Illinois voters was taken May 9 to 11 by M3 Strategies for the Illinois Policy Institute, with respondents chosen randomly from 2024 general election voters. The margin of error is 4.13 percentage points.

To read more of the latest Lincoln Poll findings, visit illin.is/IPI-poll.

For bookings or interviews, contact media@illinoispolicy.org or (312) 607-4977.