For over a decade, Illinois has annually been an “outbound” state where migration is concerned. But according to the national moving company Atlas Van Lines, the state broke that pattern by becoming a “balanced” state in 2025.
The moving company released its 2025 Migration Patterns Study this week that explained where people are and are not moving. The data shows Illinois continued to lose more residents than it gained, with 54% of its migrations being outbound compared to 46% inbound migrations. Atlas’ criteria for inbound and outbound states is 55% of shipments. Illinois joined California and New York as the three states that were “outbound” in 2024 and qualified as “balanced” this year.
Affordability has become a key issue nationwide, and it is a major factor pushing residents out of Illinois. Illinois’ 2025 average home value is $279,761, a 3.9% increase over 2024. At $1,322 per month, the state’s median rent costs are below the national average of $1,487. Illinois homeowners also carry the second-highest property tax burden in the nation, with an effective tax rate of 2.07%. New Jersey claimed the country’s highest property tax rate at 2.23%.
Atlas’ 2025 Migration Patterns Study showed southeastern states like Alabama, Arkansas, North Carolina, and Tennessee in the top 10 for inbound migration. Arkansas led the country with a 68% inbound migration rate. However, Louisiana was the most popular state to move out of this year, with an outbound migration rate of 66%. After being the nation’s leading inbound state in 2024, West Virginia saw the nation’s second-highest 2025 outbound migration rate at 61%.
In the Great Plains, Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming saw some of the highest rates of outbound moves, while North Dakota and Iowa were among the leading inbound states.
What states do people move out of the most?
What states do people move into the most?
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Fewer people moved out of Illinois in 2025. Here are the numbers
Reporting by Mike Kramer, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
