By Bryce Hill | Illinois Policy Institute
Illinois lost a larger share of income from outmigration than any other state in 2023, according to IRS data.
Federal tax returns show that Illinois lost a net of nearly 56,000 residents and more than $6 billion in income in 2023, the latest data available. When adjusting for total income per state, Illinois’ losses to net outmigration are the worst in the country — more than $11 for every $1,000 previously earned in the state.
While California ($13 billion) and New York ($10.6 billion) lost more income from outmigration, Illinois lost the largest share of a state total.
Meanwhile, South Carolina and Florida, two of the top three states adding the most total income from people moving in, also added the most as a share of their total income.
Part of why Illinois sees so much wealth flight is that high-income Illinoisans are leaving at twice the rate of other groups. People in all income brackets are moving out of the state, but those earning more than $200,000 a year have been leaving the fastest.
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