Since 2014, the state of Illinois has been the top state for outbound moves, according to the Moving Migration Report. For the fifth year in a row, Illinois had the greatest percentage of individuals leaving the state versus moving in, according to a study by North American Moving Services.
According to the study, 63% of all moves in Illinois in 2023 were people leaving the state rather than moving into the state. The high outbound rates from states like Illinois and California suggest ongoing challenges related to economic factors, according to the Allied U.S. Migration Report.
While this study presents the number to be a staggering figure, the state’s total population did not drastically decline.
Illinois’s estimated population in July 2023 was 12,548,689 compared to 12,582,515 in July of 2022, a difference of roughly 33,000 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. In 2010, the state’s population was 12,830,632.
California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota and Washington rounded out the top five of states with the highest percentage of people moving out.