Real-world outcomes for Illinoisans have dropped since Gov. J.B. Pritzker took office. The nation’s Democrats need to see where he’s taken Illinois before following his lead.
By Bryce Hill | Illinois Policy Institute
Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker was in the running to become Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, but his record in Illinois might have been why he became an also-ran.
Analysis of outcomes in Illinois under his leadership shows a laggard economy, worsening tax climate and declining educational outcomes since Pritzker took office in January 2019.
Economy
Many Illinoisans care most about economic trends and what these trends mean for them and their families. On virtually every economic metric, Pritzker has failed, particularly compared to other states.
Illinois economy anemic under Gov. J.B. Pritzker
Economic changes 2018-present, ranked in U.S.
Starting with the most basic of measures: Illinois’ population is in decline, and all this decline has been the result of domestic outmigration – Illinoisans fleeing the state. Illinois’ population has declined by 338,957 residents since mid-2018, the last estimate by the Census Bureau prior to Pritzker assuming office. Only New York has shrunk at a faster rate. This is essentially a vote of no confidence on the part of 338,957 people who used to live in Illinois.
Relative to other states, the number of new jobs created in Illinois is low – and this could be one of the reasons prime working-age people and their families are leaving. Illinois’ current 5% unemployment rate is the third highest in the nation. It is higher than the 4.6% unemployment rate Pritzker inherited when he took office. The growth in payroll jobs has been among the worst in the nation, ranking 43rd in total and even worse at 44th in the nation when it comes to growth in private-sector jobs.
Even for those Illinoisans who can find work, wages have been sluggish compared to their peers in other states. Wage growth in Illinois has been the fourth slowest in the nation since December 2018: only workers in Maryland, Virginia and Connecticut have seen their hourly pay grow slower. While it is often claimed Illinois is a high-income state, the data shows that is no longer true. Average wages in Illinois are $33.63 per hour, now in the bottom half of all states and ranking 28th in the nation. Before Pritzker took office, Illinois wages were 12th highest in the nation when adjusting for the cost of living in each state.
In other words, it is harder for Illinoisans to find a job than it is for residents in almost any other state in the country. When they do find jobs, they’re often lower-paying and offer slower wage growth than what their peers receive in other states. With results like that, it’s clear why so many Illinoisans are fleeing.
Taxes
Illinois’ business tax climate has also become increasingly hostile under Pritzker’s administration. Illinois’ business tax climate ranking has fallen eight places since 2018, and currently ranks 37th in the nation – worst among all neighboring states. Many neighboring states have improved their tax climates significantly in recent years. Indiana was the only other neighboring state to see their ranking decline since 2018, but it was a slight drop from a high ranking: from ninth place in 2018 to 10th place in 2024.
A major reason for Kentucky’s improved rankings were changes made to the state’s income tax in recent years. Kentucky approved a major overhaul of their individual income tax system in 2018, voting to replace their progressive income tax structure with a flat rate of 5%. Legislators also approved a plan to gradually lower the state’s income tax rate provided certain fiscal targets were met and the rate has since declined to a flat 4%. This is in direct contrast to Pritzker’s tax plans, which included a failed attempt to implement a progressive income tax like the one Kentucky overturned.
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