MURPHYSBORO, IL – New estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show Illinois continues to lose residents to other states at one of the highest rates in the nation.
Illinois State Senator Terri Bryant says in a recent posting on her web site: “Between mid-2024 and mid-2025, more than 40,000 Illinois residents moved to other states, ranking Illinois third-worst nationally for domestic population loss, behind only California and New York.”
While Illinois posted a modest overall population increase, Census data show that growth was driven almost entirely by international migration. Without that influx, Illinois would have continued to lose population, as the state saw only a small increase from births while thousands of residents chose to leave.
Experts and past surveys point to high taxes as a major reason Illinoisans are moving elsewhere. Census and IRS data consistently show that the vast majority of residents who leave Illinois relocate to states with lower tax burdens. Illinois continues to rank among the highest in the nation for overall state and local tax burden.
Senator Bryant says the numbers confirm what families have been saying for years. She says Illinois must address affordability, rein in taxes, and adopt policies that make it easier for residents to stay, work, and raise families here instead of watching more people leave every year.