Illinois was among the hardest hit states by the COVID-19 pandemic, posting among the higher GDP declines and job losses in 2020. While the state real GDP grew at a 6.8% annualized rate in the second quarter of 2021, among the highest growths, unemployment remained high, ranking eighth highest in August.
All this can perhaps help explain why the Midwestern state has been among the top outbound locations in 2020, but not why it was one in recent years, according to United Van Lines’ National Migration Study.
While the state has had high unemployment earlier in the decade, unemployment has improved in recent years. Indeed, according to United Van Lines, around 50%, sometimes 60%, of people who moved out of the state did so for job reasons earlier in the decade. In 2019, that figure dropped to nearly 41%, and it was even lower, 34%, in 2020.
So where do people from the Prairie State move to the most? To determine this, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed state-to-state migration flows from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey, specifically the number of people living in other states (or Washington D.C.) in 2019 who had lived in Illinois the previous year. (All data on the list are from the ACS and rankings are out of a universe of 49 states and the District of Columbia.)
It turns out that nearly 12% of people moving out of Illinois end up just across state lines, in Indiana — the top destination for those leaving the state. Another 20% move to three other neighboring states and nearby Michigan in the top 10 destinations for people from Illinois. (Speaking of Michigan, find out where people from Michigan are moving to the most.)
Of course, several sunnier and warmer states are also among the top 10, as has been the national trend in recent years. Florida, California, Texas, Georgia, and Arizona have together attracted over 31% of people relocating from the Midwestern state. (Find out where people from Florida are moving to the most.)
Click here to see where people from Illinois are moving to the most
50. Wyoming
> People from Illinois who moved to Wyoming in 2019: 49 (0.02% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 30,247 (0.2% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 572,884
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49. Idaho
> People from Illinois who moved to Idaho in 2019: 268 (0.09% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 78,730 (0.3% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 1,764,327
48. West Virginia
> People from Illinois who moved to West Virginia in 2019: 380 (0.12% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 39,548 (1.0% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 1,773,280
47. New Hampshire
> People from Illinois who moved to New Hampshire in 2019: 390 (0.13% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 50,288 (0.8% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 1,350,155
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46. Maine
> People from Illinois who moved to Maine in 2019: 436 (0.14% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 36,129 (1.2% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 1,331,656
45. North Dakota
> People from Illinois who moved to North Dakota in 2019: 451 (0.15% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 36,668 (1.2% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 750,501
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44. Delaware
> People from Illinois who moved to Delaware in 2019: 562 (0.18% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 38,014 (1.5% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 964,817
43. Hawaii
> People from Illinois who moved to Hawaii in 2019: 568 (0.18% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 49,708 (1.1% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 1,396,819
42. Rhode Island
> People from Illinois who moved to Rhode Island in 2019: 624 (0.20% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 34,984 (1.8% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 1,050,602
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41. Vermont
> People from Illinois who moved to Vermont in 2019: 670 (0.22% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 21,212 (3.2% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 617,560
40. Louisiana
> People from Illinois who moved to Louisiana in 2019: 712 (0.23% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 67,640 (1.1% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 4,595,111
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39. New Mexico
> People from Illinois who moved to New Mexico in 2019: 836 (0.27% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 55,545 (1.5% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 2,073,628
38. Alaska
> People from Illinois who moved to Alaska in 2019: 952 (0.31% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 34,031 (2.8% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 722,063
37. Montana
> People from Illinois who moved to Montana in 2019: 1,045 (0.34% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 40,862 (2.6% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 1,056,994
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36. Nebraska
> People from Illinois who moved to Nebraska in 2019: 1,158 (0.38% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 46,064 (2.5% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 1,910,711
35. South Dakota
> People from Illinois who moved to South Dakota in 2019: 1,300 (0.42% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 26,934 (4.8% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 872,708
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34. Arkansas
> People from Illinois who moved to Arkansas in 2019: 1,308 (0.42% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 59,723 (2.2% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 2,989,054
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33. District of Columbia
> People from Illinois who moved to District of Columbia in 2019: 1,361 (0.44% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 58,879 (2.3% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 697,556
32. Connecticut
> People from Illinois who moved to Connecticut in 2019: 1,389 (0.45% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 90,044 (1.5% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 3,531,986
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31. Oregon
> People from Illinois who moved to Oregon in 2019: 1,602 (0.52% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 129,921 (1.2% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 4,178,578
30. New Jersey
> People from Illinois who moved to New Jersey in 2019: 1,854 (0.60% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 149,260 (1.2% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 8,791,672
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29. Maryland
> People from Illinois who moved to Maryland in 2019: 1,929 (0.63% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 141,766 (1.4% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 5,979,602
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28. Alabama
> People from Illinois who moved to Alabama in 2019: 1,962 (0.64% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 104,780 (1.9% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 4,849,509
27. Oklahoma
> People from Illinois who moved to Oklahoma in 2019: 2,401 (0.78% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 101,844 (2.4% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 3,907,258
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26. Kansas
> People from Illinois who moved to Kansas in 2019: 2,449 (0.79% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 94,648 (2.6% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 2,879,518
25. Mississippi
> People from Illinois who moved to Mississippi in 2019: 3,133 (1.02% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 61,683 (5.1% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 2,943,737
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24. Washington
> People from Illinois who moved to Washington in 2019: 3,829 (1.24% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 231,956 (1.7% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 7,527,366
23. Pennsylvania
> People from Illinois who moved to Pennsylvania in 2019: 3,996 (1.30% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 267,465 (1.5% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 12,670,245
22. Massachusetts
> People from Illinois who moved to Massachusetts in 2019: 4,050 (1.31% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 144,079 (2.8% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 6,828,110
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21. South Carolina
> People from Illinois who moved to South Carolina in 2019: 4,210 (1.37% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 176,008 (2.4% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 5,092,727
20. Utah
> People from Illinois who moved to Utah in 2019: 4,238 (1.38% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 95,608 (4.4% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 3,162,102
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19. Nevada
> People from Illinois who moved to Nevada in 2019: 4,239 (1.38% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 132,950 (3.2% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 3,048,602
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18. Kentucky
> People from Illinois who moved to Kentucky in 2019: 4,843 (1.57% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 100,057 (4.8% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 4,421,512
17. New York
> People from Illinois who moved to New York in 2019: 6,447 (2.09% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 254,806 (2.5% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 19,240,920
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16. North Carolina
> People from Illinois who moved to North Carolina in 2019: 6,527 (2.12% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 315,215 (2.1% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 10,371,906
15. Virginia
> People from Illinois who moved to Virginia in 2019: 6,562 (2.13% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 264,855 (2.5% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 8,439,982
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14. Ohio
> People from Illinois who moved to Ohio in 2019: 7,615 (2.47% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 205,542 (3.7% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 11,556,037
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13. Minnesota
> People from Illinois who moved to Minnesota in 2019: 8,348 (2.71% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 106,920 (7.8% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 5,575,235
12. Tennessee
> People from Illinois who moved to Tennessee in 2019: 8,607 (2.79% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 196,765 (4.4% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 6,754,461
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11. Colorado
> People from Illinois who moved to Colorado in 2019: 10,153 (3.29% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 240,600 (4.2% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 5,701,658
10. Michigan
> People from Illinois who moved to Michigan in 2019: 10,177 (3.30% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 132,008 (7.7% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 9,880,758
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9. Iowa
> People from Illinois who moved to Iowa in 2019: 10,843 (3.52% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 72,651 (14.9% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 3,121,385
8. Arizona
> People from Illinois who moved to Arizona in 2019: 10,915 (3.54% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 253,295 (4.3% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 7,200,620
7. Georgia
> People from Illinois who moved to Georgia in 2019: 14,438 (4.68% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 284,541 (5.1% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 10,499,808
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6. Missouri
> People from Illinois who moved to Missouri in 2019: 17,366 (5.64% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 152,345 (11.4% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 6,069,697
5. Wisconsin
> People from Illinois who moved to Wisconsin in 2019: 22,402 (7.27% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 107,973 (20.7% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 5,760,481
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4. Texas
> People from Illinois who moved to Texas in 2019: 23,747 (7.71% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 559,661 (4.2% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 28,642,658
3. California
> People from Illinois who moved to California in 2019: 24,085 (7.82% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 480,204 (5.0% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 39,084,048
2. Florida
> People from Illinois who moved to Florida in 2019: 24,425 (7.93% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 601,611 (4.1% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 21,269,409
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1. Indiana
> People from Illinois who moved to Indiana in 2019: 36,328 (11.79% of all outbound Illinois residents)
> Total new residents from out of state: 151,443 (24.0% from Illinois)
> Population, age 1 and up: 6,656,971
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