New Census data: Illinoisans continue to flee, but not

only to Florida. Many are moving just over the border –

Wirepoints
wirepoints.org/new-census-data-illinoisans-continue-to-flee-but-not-only-to-florida-many-are-moving-just-over-the-
border-wirepoints/

June 12, 2023

By: John Klingner and Ted Dabrowski

Gov. J.B. Pritzker continuously denies Illinois is losing population, but sources from U-
Haul to the IRS to the US Census Bureau all keep pointing in the same direction – people
are leaving Illinois for other states in record numbers. More than 146,000 net Illinoisans
left for other states in 2021, according to state-to-state migration data released last week
by the U.S. Census Bureau. And now, thanks to that data, we now know where they
moved to.

The latest data debunks many out-migration myths that Gov. J.B. Pritzker and others
promote. Here are the big three:

Myth #1. Illinois isn’t losing people to other states. U.S. Census data shows Illinois
was a net loser of residents to 40 different states between 2020 and 2021, resulting in a
net out-migration of 150,000 residents to those 40 states. On the flip side, Illinois was a
net winner of residents from just nine states. The net in-migration from those nine states
totaled just 4,000 residents.

In all, Illinois netted a loss of 146,000 residents in 2021.

The only two other states that lost more residents to out-
migration in 2021 than Illinois did were New York and California.
See appendix.

Myth #2. Illinois is only losing retirees to sunny states. Yes,

the Census data shows the favorite destination for Illinoisans
wanting a new home continues to be Florida. The Sunshine
State gained a net 23,414 residents from Illinois.

But destinations number 2, 3 and 4 aren’t booming southern states or retiree-friendly

havens like Arizona or the Carolinas. Instead, Illinoisans are simply moving just over the
border. Illinoisans’ number two destination in 2021 was Indiana, which gained a net
19,000 Illinoisans, followed by Wisconsin (net 17,000 Illinoisans gained) and Missouri (net
15,000 Illinoisans gained).

Myth #3. It’s the same with our neighbors.

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Illinois’ situation is largely unique when it comes to our
neighbors. While Illinois lost a net 146,000 people due to out-
migration, most of its neighbors continued to gain residents
overall. Missouri experienced the largest net influx of more than
18,000 residents, but Kentucky, Indiana, Wisconsin and Iowa
also received a positive number of net in-migrants as well. Only
Michigan suffered net out-migration, but not nearly to the extent
of Illinois’ losses.

Conclusion

As we wrote regarding the 2019-2020 IRS migration data

released a few months ago, this data shows for yet another
year Americans chose better managed, less expensive areas
over larger, government-centric, high-cost cities and states. And
it provides a glimpse of a demographic future in which states that prioritize an affordable,
less intrusive government will dominate those that over-tax and over-regulate the lives
and businesses of their residents.

Appendix.

Illinois’ total 2021 migration losses were the 3rd-highest decline behind only California
(-404,000) and New York (-280,000). The big winners, as always, were Florida with a gain
of 205,000 people and Texas with a gain of 144,000.

As a share of population, Illinois’ 1.2 percent decline was the

nation’s 4th-worst loss. Alaska (-1.5 percent), New York (-1.4
percent) and Wyoming (-1.4 percent) all lost a greater share of
their populations.

Read more from Wirepoints:

No, it’s not just retirees leaving Illinois. Residents in every

age and income group are fleeing.
State of denial: Gov. Pritzker says IRS migration data isn’t
‘migration data’
New IRS migration data: New York, California, Illinois are the nation’s big losers of
people and their wealth, Florida, Texas the big winners

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