Most neighboring states are gaining residents from people moving across state lines. Even of the states losing people, Illinois is losing at a significantly faster rate.
Published Jan. 28, 2025 Illinois Policy Institute Center for Poverty Solutions, in partnership with the Archbridge Institute By Joshua Bandoch, Ph.D., head of policy, Illinois Policy Institute and Justin Callais, Ph.D., chief economist, Archbridge Institute EXECUTIVE SUMMARY A low-income person’s ability to move up in society is worse in Illinois than in any other Midwestern...
A massive influx of 112,955 international migrants boosted Illinois population in 2024, new Census Bureau data shows. Buses from Texas likely grew Illinois’ population.
Student literacy is in trouble nationally, which is why Illinois is one of 35 states where just 1 in 3 – or fewer – of its fourth graders met reading standards in 2022.
Published July 9, 2024 America is facing a housing affordability crisis. According to a 2022 survey, 73% of Americans said the average person could not afford a home in their area, and 69% were worried about their children and grandchildren being able to afford a home. That’s unfair. Everyone deserves a good roof over their...
Illinois lost 83,839 residents who moved to other states, one of the highest rates in the U.S. and driving a 10th consecutive year of population decline. It ranks near the bottom on multiple other population measures, too.
Occupational licensing is more burdensome in Illinois than in neighboring states for many professions. Those barriers are unreasonably keeping poor Illinoisans and Chicagoans from finding work.
Illinoisans will notice more expensive food July 1 when Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s election-year suspension of the grocery tax expires. Only Illinois and 12 other states will tax groceries then.
Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s temporary tax relief expires July 1 when Illinois reinstates the grocery tax instead of joining the 37 states that don’t tax groceries at all.
Occupational licensing requirements present one of the steepest barriers to low-income Illinoisans starting careers in beauty services. Illinois requires anyone seeking to become a barber, cosmetologist, nail technician or hair braider to obtain a state license, essentially a permission slip to work. Unlike 45 other states, Illinois offers only one pathway to licensure for each...