Data from a moving website shows the outmigration from Illinois has continued this year.
According to the moving website moveBuddha, data for state-to-state moves shows that for every 42 moves into Illinois there are 100 moving out, the third highest outbound interest in the country this year, behind New York and California.
The website gathers data of not only where people are moving, but the reasons behind the move.
“It looks like the property taxes are a huge factor for people wanting to move, because Illinois has the second highest property taxes behind New Jersey,” said marketing specialist Mercedes Martinez.
Illinois also has the 10th largest tax burden nationally, with the combined impact of personal income tax, property, sales and business taxes comparatively high.
The report notes that when Illinoisans leave the state, they take high incomes with them. The IRS estimates more than $16 million in tax dollars left Illinois from 2019 to 2020 as residents moved away.
The top states where Illinoisans have been moving to include Florida, Texas and California. The top three cities for those exiting the state in 2022 are Ocala, Florida; Seattle, Washington; and Austin, Texas.
The biggest losing large city is Rockford which has lost over 5% of its population, while the small community of Nevada, Illinois has lost an incredible 84% of its residents.
According to moveBuddha, the top most internet searched route this year has been Downers Grove to Ocala, Florida.
“Population decreasing has been going on for a couple years now, and it’s not getting any better unfortunately for Illinois,” said Martinez.
***Courtesy of the Illinois Radio Network***
