Illinois’ population grew by 16,108 in 2025 thanks to an influx of people migrating from other countries. But Illinoisans moving away offset most of that gain.


The information sector remains a bright spot in an otherwise challenging Illinois job market, but unemployment has pulled even with the national rate.

As housing prices continue to soar out of reach for more Americans, an impulse from policy makers across the country has been to attempt to mandate “affordable” prices through legislation. One common idea is rent control, which limits how much landlords can increase rents on residents. A related one is inclusionary zoning, which forces developers...