A new migration report reveals that Illinois continues to see an exodus of residents, ranking second in the nation for outbound moves in 2024, behind only California. The North American Van Lines Annual Migration Report found that 60% of moves in Illinois were outbound, with just 40% inbound, continuing a long-term trend of population decline in the state.
Marketing director Ryan Cox noted that Illinoisans are primarily relocating to North and South Carolina, along with Idaho, Tennessee, and Georgia. The surge in outbound moves is linked to high taxes, rising housing costs, and concerns over quality of life.
“The top inbound states are North and South Carolina, Idaho, Tennessee, and Georgia, and a lot of people from Illinois are actually moving to the Carolinas,” Cox explained.
Illinois’ high property taxes are a major factor driving residents away. The state has the second-highest property tax rate in the country, at 2.08% of a home’s value annually. A homeowner with a median-priced home of $432,500 in Illinois pays over $9,000 per year in property taxes.
In comparison, South Carolina’s property tax rate is just 0.57%, meaning a homeowner with a median-priced home of $383,900 only pays $2,175 per year—less than a quarter of Illinois’ tax burden.
The top inbound cities in 2024 were:
- Greenville, South Carolina
- Charlotte, North Carolina
- Nashville, Tennessee
The report also found that Friday was the most popular day to move in 2024, and August was the busiest month for relocations.
