There are a lot of reasons why a state would grow over time. Better jobs, people seeking a more comfortable climate and housing costs. For some reason, fewer people looking for those things are choosing Illinois as it is now officially ranked as one of the slowest growing states in America.

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There are a bunch of metrics spanning more than a decade that Homesnacks baked into their new ranking of the fastest (and in reverse slowest) growing states in America. The data used according to the methodology shared goes all the way back to 2010 and continues through the end of 2022. So, it's very recent but also deep.

Here's the map they shared showing the fastest growing states. Spoiler Alert - You won't see Illinois anywhere near the top.

Infographic, Homesnacks
Infographic, Homesnacks
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Only measly West Virginia (no offense coal miners) has a slower rate of growth than Illinois. As a matter of fact, Illinois is now rated as the #2 state residents are leaving the most.

Let's look at the bigger picture though. In general, the Midwestern states are seeing the least growth and that carries over to some southern states like Louisiana. The real growth trends are showing people moving to the western states like Idaho while Texas and Florida are also popular relocation destinations.

Deciding to move across the country is a big decision that is almost never made based on politics alone. There are so many quality of life issues that everyone must decide for themselves. It is interesting (and a bit sad) that fewer are deciding that Illinois is where they want to be.

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