A survey of data from the public and private sector, including the U.S. Census Bureau, indicates that approximately 141,656 former Illinois residents moved to other states in 2022. The great majority of them picked a state with a tax structure that is more economically-friendly than Illinois. The list of leading states with 2022 outmigration was headed by California, with 343,000 emigrants, New York, with 300,000 persons leaving, and Illinois.
The list of states with net gains was heading by the two largest U.S. states without a state income tax, Florida (up 319,000) and Texas (up 231,000). Other major net gains were enjoyed by North Carolina (up 100,000), Tennessee (up 82,000) and Georgia (up 81,000). Almost all of the migration patterning showed movement from the U.S. North to the U.S. South and the U.S. West (except California), with Rocky Mountain states joining the South as focuses of net U.S. migration. Former Illinoisans are continuing to leave Illinois for other states with more jobs and lower tax burdens.