Staggering IRS Data Shows 262,000 People Fled Illinois in 1 Year

I'm no math genius, but this is a stunning number of people who said goodbye to Illinois in just one calendar year. New data just shared by the IRS reveals more than a quarter million residents left the Land of Lincoln recently.

I saw this story today by Wirepoint which referenced new migration data from the IRS. They say "the great exodus continues" and they're not kidding. These new Illinois numbers are hidden in a rather boring looking spreadsheet from the IRS entitled "SOI Tax Stats - Migration Data 2021–2022". But inside is a stunning revelation that confirms what many have been reporting about Illinois over the past few years. People are leaving in droves.

Here are the raw numbers:

• In 2022, 262,000 residents left Illinois
• In 2022, 175,000 residents moved into Illinois
• That's a net loss of 87,000 residents

Life happens and a change or transfer in your career can take you elsewhere. I've had it happen so many times I've lost track. However, this is a trend that is unmistakable in Illinois. I'd be interested in all of those 262,000 people being asked why they left. Was it because they were fleeing big taxes or something else? I've learned never to assume based on narratives presented by others.

Make of it what you will, but this new IRS data shows that Illinois has some challenges in keeping its people. Years like this consecutively are not a good look for a state that should be growing and not shrinking.