A sluggish economy, a not seasonally adjusted Illinois unemployment rate (5.8%) that lags behind the national average (4.8%) – according to the most recent state analysis – and a consistent top ranking for out-migration, are telltale signs Illinois needs reforms to turn around its economic prospects.
United Van Lines, the nation’s largest moving company, recently released its annual National Movers Study of customer state-to-state moves over the past year. Like last year’s report on 2014 moves, Illinois ranks third highest among the 50 states for 2015. According to the St. Louis-based company, Illinois ranked in the top five for out-migration – more people moving out of Illinois than are moving into the state – for the last seven years. Only New Jersey and New York fared worse than Illinois for 2015.