(The Center Square) – Migration data from a moving company shows Illinois is near the top of the list for states with the most outbound moves.
The 2024 North American Van Lines Annual Migration Report shows Illinois was second in the country for outbound moves behind only California. In Illinois, 60% of moves were outbound while 40% were inbound. It is the first time in 10 years Illinois didn’t lead the country in outbound moves.
The company said it examined several metrics, including researching population reports and getting input from top companies in the moving industry to gain insider knowledge.
Marketing director Ryan Cox said ever since Gov. J.B. Pritzker locked down Illinois with COVID-19 restrictions in 2020, Illinoisans have been flocking to one specific area of the country.
“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,” said Cox.
Cox said high taxes and cost of living prompts people to move, especially when it comes to housing.
“I think quality of life is one of the top concerns for people moving,” said Cox. “With household prices skyrocketing in Illinois, they are finding more reasonable, affordable housing.”
Property taxes are a main driver to prompt people to pack up and leave. Illinois has the second highest property taxes in the country. According to Rocket Mortgage, at 2.08% of the home’s value each year, the owner of a median priced home in Illinois of $432,500 will pay just over $9,000 a year. In comparison, a homeowner in South Carolina pays 0.57% for a median priced home of $383,900. That comes out to $2,175 per year.
According to the report, the top inbound cities were Greenville, South Carolina, Charlotte, North Carolina, and Nashville, Tennessee.
The most popular day to move in 2024 was Friday, and the most popular month was August.