Illinois continues to lose residents to other states. Another Illinoisan left every 9 minutes and 21 seconds from July 2023 to June 2024.

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.

Illinois ability to keep its residents is third from the bottom. Only California and New York have more people moving to other states.

Illinois and other states with sanctuary cities saw large influxes of international migrants in recent years. But historical data shows the new arrivals may soon move out for the same reasons other residents have.

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.

Nearly 100,000 Chicago-area residents are out of work, and at 6.2% the Chicago metro area has the highest unemployment rate of the nation’s 50 largest metro areas. Illinois as a whole isn’t doing much better, with a 6.1% unemployment rate.