Last week’s overwhelming electoral win for Democrats to grow their control of all governing branches of Illinois would make outsiders think that things were great in the solidly, deep, dark blue state.
However, Forbes’ new list of the top 10 states people are leaving ranks Illinois – yes, the Land of Lincoln – as the #1 State from which people are moving. More than #2 New Jersey and #3 New York:
Total Moves: 8,157
Percentage Moving Out: 63.4%
Population: 12,802,000
Median Household Income: $62,881
Job Growth (2018): 0.9%
Illinois is home to 69 of the 1,000 biggest companies in the U.S. by revenue—fourth most among states. They include Boeing, Abbott Labs, Caterpillar and Kraft Foods. However, the net migration rate out of the state remains high, and projected population growth is negative.