Illinois Exodus - Reasons People Are Leaving Illinois

[@terryspradling7453]

Born & raised in Chicago.....move to burbs for work and raise my family....but could not afford to retire in my area so since I had to move south I went all the way to Florida.....taxes was the main reason. If you come to Florida embrace the red way of life

[@charlesshelton7989]

Come to Texas

[@thesquad827]

come to az

[@nick8243]

Florida is backwards af

[@Purchaser.]

​@@nick8243how?

[@jess97724]

​​@@charlesshelton7989No taxes are high there too.

[@sody2000]

I was born in 1970 and all the small towns in Illinois were still full of life. Now it is depressing. It is hard to raise kids here because we are lacking in activity and culture.

[@rmacster]

Steve! I couldn't agree more. Up til the 70s, small towns were the best place to raise a family. Now they're the worst. Most have fallen into disrepair and have serious drug (meth) issues. Their downtowns are just sad. Southern illinois was a great getaway location. Now those counties (especially along the Ohio river) are like third world countries. The optimism and hope we had in the 70s is completely gone. It's just terribly sad. And to think that it could have been so different.

[@scottgebert7933]

Left Illinois 5 years ago after 47 years.Taxes were the main reason.Moved to Utah and love it

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

What's your favorite thing about Utah (besides lower taxes)?

[@shootpse88]

@@StuckInTheKernfield probably clean air!!!!!

[@masterfrank7607]

@@shootpse88 Clean air? I am from Illinois, and the closest I have been to UT would be AZ. The thing is that's not the point, the point I am trying to make is that in the summer, it gets kinda polluted.

[@Shaojeemy]

Has cost of living dropped a lot or a little? I’m planning on leaving a year

[@MaggieClarkSLC]

@@masterfrank7607 I lived in UT most of my life. I LOVED it, but the pollution can be bad. Take a drive up to Park City to get above the inversions. We went to NV for even lower taxes and no snow or yard.

[@miketheyunggod2534]

Moved to Arizona. Every day is like a vacation.

[@arizonahighways7287]

I feel that way about AZ too, since 1981! I have views from my house that look like an AZ postcard!

[@riverviewgamer1991]

Movies to Florida in 2017. Same as well also feels like everyday is a vacation.

[@thesquad827]

@@riverviewgamer1991 ugjh I am 13 I am not even gonna do college at 18 imma just move I am tired of il cuz is cold not cuz taxes

[@sohailalikhan7003]

You must not like water or education

[@haldriver1378]

I'm leaving to retire in Kentucky. Property taxes are LESS THAN HALF there. It's crazy to pay punitive rents on a property you own. Sales tax is better too. Florida would be an even better monetary escape plan, but I'm from Kentucky. I guess the only down side is waiting in line at the gas station because of all Illinois folks that cross the river for cheaper gas.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

True. You can live like a king in some of the southern states.

[@haldriver1378]

@@StuckInTheKernfield you too can escape, but you need to hurry before the roads completely crumble and become reclaimed by nature. It's REALLY EXPENSIVE to call a helicopter!!!

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

You make a really good point! LOL

[@allendean9807]

I’m in Kentucky, and just went to Marion, and makanda looking at houses to buy... Illinois in 2021 can best be described as post apocalyptic... on the way to makanda, there is this huge complex of abandoned apartment buildings that look like something near Chernobyl.... I’m gonna go ahead and stay in Kentucky...... this was yesterday......

[@qx4n9e1xp]

I'm basically stuck here because I have already started a career here, and have tons of family here. Hopefully in the future, if it gets REALLY bad, I have an escape plan and can more to another state with my family, and be able to score a new job. I'm still gaining expirience atm, so I have to wait, plus I'd still miss my family, that's holding me back.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

I understand. My entire family is in IL, so I'll have to travel back and forth to see them if I leave. It complicates things.

[@jasoncarr5379]

Family too sucks

[@alfredmartin2891]

Love your videos. I've lived most of my life in Illinois (over 40 yrs.). I came here from Tennessee to take my ideal job. There are many things I like about where I live (Naperville), but the two things I really hate are the ridiculous taxes and the weather. (If the taxes weren't so extreme, I could tolerate the winters.) Anyway, keep up the good work.

[@RabbitReturn]

I moved to Tennessee 2 years ago after I retired and after I had lived in Illinois for almost my entire professional career (46 years). We chose eastern Tennessee because it is simply a beautiful area with 4 seasons but relatively mild compared to the mid-west. The biggest change we noticed is that people here are friendly and they are not spoiled by the cynicism that has infected so many in Illinois. Decades of corrupt government wasting your tax dollars will do that to you. It's not perfect here, but there is a positive spirit and people aren't waiting for a government program to fix their lives.

[@alfredmartin2891]

I like your comment. I moved to Illinois from Knoxville to take my ideal job. I love the job, just hate the Illinois taxes and weather. But if I didn't have family ties here, I would move back to east Tennessee now that I'm retired. (Go Vols!)

[@jamesbryan8189]

Moved from IL to IN. So much better here. It's pretty bad when even legalizing recreational marijuana doesn't keep people there. By the way... WHERE IS THE MONEY FROM THE WEED GOING???

[@shootpse88]

You're always welcome in Indiana!!!!!

[@justthinking_6513]

Broke my heart when I had to make the decision not to retire in my home state of Illinois. No way I could consider it.

[@DookieCakes]

I just came back after 22 years in Arizona. Grew up here. Decided to start again in life, but if it's no longer possible, I'll move on to the next state. I'm in central Illinios which still has some manufacturing for now. The gun laws are awful, which I knew, but I do get a kick out of all the "Pritzker Sucks!" Signs I see.

[@adambenedict6155]

Hello. Lifelong Illinoisan here (Joliet, Kankakee, Peoria, Bloomington-Normal, etc. ). I am 46, raised three children - now they are adults. Like you, I stay mainly because of aging parents. ( I work remotely - so I can go almost anywhere). Eyes set on Tennessee. Have one daughter in college in Nashville. She said, “ Dad, I am not coming back.” So....Why Tennessee? Lower cost of living, lower taxes, well managed government and diversified economy, beautiful landscape, very mild winters, 6 1/2 hours drive from the Gulf Coast (weekend trips). My only concern will be selling my house for a decent profit as the number of buyers in IL is thinning out drastically!

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

At this point, I'm concerned that I won't be able to break even when I sell mine. The housing market is so depressed in my area. I don't know...it might be worth the loss to get out of the state. But first, I need to settle on an area to move to. Every time I go somewhere new, I'm like, "This is nice. Maybe I can just stay here."

[@adambenedict6155]

@@StuckInTheKernfield Renting to family or trusted people has crossed my mind if I cannot sell. Yep... ideas flow every time I hit the road too. Stay positive! Hope matters work out for you! BTW, great KZbin vignettes on IL. I will be commenting here and there.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Thank you! I appreciate that.

[@glennso47]

I am an aging parent. The only reason I and my wife stay here is our grandkids. We also had the city of Rockford help us with fixing our house and we owe them a second mortgage for fixing the leaking roof.

[@adambenedict6155]

@@glennso47, Yes. I suspect that you are not the only grandparents who stay for their grandchildren. I suspect my thinking may change a little when grandchildren start arriving on the scene.

[@knittermom07]

We moved from illinois years ago, around 16 years ago. There was no opportunity in our town and the taxes were just going to get worse. We couldn’t get out quickly enough. We moved to South Carolina, then Kentucky and now Florida.

[@lyleberzin2577]

I've lived in Illinois my whole life and every day I see fewer reasons to stay. There's just nothing for me here. Friends I never get to see. Family I barely see. Single. The weather sucks. Taxes suck. I want out, but I don't know where or when yet. Some place out west I think. I wanna see mountains and landscapes. Idaho, Colorado, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, and Arizona are looking like good options.

[@masterfrank7607]

Same, but I am a teenager.

[@sarahshowalter9539]

The roads in Illinois look like someone called in an"ARC LIGHT" air strike,especially around the Quincy thru Pittsfield area.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

That's a pretty good description. It always amazes me when I get out of the state, and other places have decent roads. :)

[@aaronclover3906]

Try perry Jackson and williamson counties looks exactly like an artillery strike was called in

[@jamesbryan8189]

I'm from Quincy and have family in Barry and Pittsfield. You're def right. It's all over the state though. Everyone in the state suffers because of Chicago.

[@erikb89]

Unfortunately, in that rural area you’ll never get that section of road fixed. The road doesn’t make any money for the state of Illinois.

[@joeblow1115]

Oppressive government, highway fees, high taxes, high prices.....

[@randymathewson7939]

I grew up and live in a downstate farm community. We have a nice area. But we are controlled by Chicago and corrupt politics. I'm gonna move across the river to Missouri. Besides taxes, it's just the politics. Don't wanta be offensive, but the 10 worst state economies with a similar population exodus are all run by democrats. Their tax and spend policies don't work

[@jhaychylla]

I noticed that too...I'm leaving too.

[@spuwho]

I left Illinois for love. But paying no income tax, less property tax and less gas taxes has made it a great deal. My old towns in Illinois have been ravaged by the loss in small manufacturing to Mexico, the downtowns ruined by WalMart, the school's ruined by the state reimbursements running 2 to 3 years behind as well as health care with Illinois over 3 years behind in Medicare reimbursements. The years of the state taking pay day loans on future real estate taxes just to prop up over paid pensions has got to stop.

[@markg2885]

I left years ago and never looked back.

[@paullarsen2998]

I left Illinois in 1995 or 1996. Most of my family is from the Seattle area and that was a good place at the time. Since then, I've also lived in Texas and Arizona. In both places I constantly heard the super recognizable Chicago accent. I mean like a couple of times a week, just randomly. When I was in Texas, 66k people moved to my county in one year. People from Illinois and California! I'm really sad about what has happened to Illinois.

[@TenFalconsMusic]

Paying a lot more in taxes and getting a lot less in benefits? I can't believe people would want to move away from this. I'm so happy I had the opportunity to live in Chicago before it turned into Somalia.

[@582tird]

Can't afford to leave, because I'm from here. It's like a trap...Is that the sound of a toilet flushing I hear or just the sound of the state in general.

[@p3nissplatt547]

They trap ppl there too by putting ppl on brobation for dumb reasons.

[@bobbiefraga8162]

Leaving for Tennessee.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Good luck with the move!

[@kevinlerch5354]

The Illinois government keeps wanting to take away freedoms, property taxes, payroll taxes and the city of Chicago. If Chicago would be a state of its’ own, I would stay. Hoping to move soon.

[@brendacather5648]

I agree. I am moving out of Illinois and I am looking forward to it! Illinois is hard state to live in. Chicago has ruined the rest of the state! Very sad!

[@kylewhitlock8923]

I left Danville Illinois. Was a messed up life I left behind, I moved to crawfordsville Indiana everything is so nice I'm still getting use to it.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Congratulations on getting out of Danville! That city is horrible.

[@rmacster]

Wow! The differences between Crawfordsville and Danville are staggering! I'll bet you really are having to adjust. Good luck to you.

[@lindadillingham6737]

Moved to FL from IL last Oct. dropped real estate tax from $12,000 to $2,000. Dropped my pharmacy bill, glad to be gone from snow and the Chicago area tornadoes. $150 car registration isn’t great. Went up from $100 to $150 just before I left.

[@cop39fl]

i left in 1982, tired of always being laid off, having to know someone to get a 50c above min wage job, i went to florida, community college and all ya have to do is pick your vocation and you will get a decent job in that field with oppertunity to go up the ladder of success.

[@richardearl305]

Sure is interesting that the terrible crime wasn't mentioned! WHY???

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Because the video is about the entire state, and not all areas have a crime problem.

[@kicnbac]

I plan on leaving in a few yrs. I haven't decided between WI, FL, TN, or KY. The reason, taxes. I live 25 miles west of Rockford. Right now, its -5 not counting windchill. This sucks.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Yes, yes it does. :)

[@wesleymcjunkin687]

Hey,Barry. Southeast Tennessee is great. Lately our summers have been cooler and our winters have been warmer. Also I don't see any racism either. 7-16-2021

[@jess97724]

It's the high property taxes that's why.

[@stepheneggert7388]

I left in 2016. With my family.. from crook county.. property tax...1. and fee.s..gas tax's....u name it..and income taxes..sold my home moved to Tampa FL.area..im glad I left....poor Lincoln..I was a low level cook county worker.. after 31yrs of service..I seen it all getting worse ..in il crook county.. no more stress..in tax's...now I'm working pt... fishing.. traveling..with money in my pocket and piggy bank...who would want to pay so much...when your down south..sunny days..every day..my health is better..now..ty

[@korriworden4001]

Taxes Taxes and more Taxes It’s now 2023 and my husband and I are really considering out of the Chicago burbs and moving to Wisconsin

[@MrJ567]

Definitely see a lot of folks from Illinois, particularly Chicagoans, showing up in Indiana lately. Even all the way over in Fort Wayne I see a lot of Illinois plates around.

[@elizabethmelkonian8828]

I too planning on leaving, have a plan in progress, born and raised in Chicago but between taxes, and crime I've had enough

[@johnniezimmerman6015]

I lived in Rockford and Freeport for many years and moved to Ohio about 10 years ago to get away from the high taxes. Our taxes here in Ohio aren't the best but they are considerably lower than Illinois. I can renew my car plates for around 50.00 a year and if I go to a restaurant and carry it out I pay no taxes on it. Food from the grocery store isn't tax either. Gas is lower due to less gas tax and just about everything is cheaper here. I had thought about going back to Illinois when I retired and now that I am retired I just can't see paying all the high taxes in Illinois. For those considering moving out of Illinois you really need to consider how much it will cost you elsewhere. This is so much easier now a days using the internet. Keep in mind your situation and not someone else. Indiana isn't to bad with their taxes until you retire then you'll find you will have to pay income taxes on you retirement money which can really add up. Also some states have not only state income taxes but city and or county income taxes on top of that. Also consider housing cost. Illinois houses are cheaper for what you get than in other states. Wyoming Has very low taxes but that $80,000. house in downstate Illinois could easily set you back $250,000 to $400,000. There are so many taxes and fees that each state has that if you never heard of them you won't know what to look for until the bill comes. In Alaska they give the residents around $1000. each year and there is no income tax. The housing there is really high along with everything else like car plates, insurance, property tax and food. Nothing like a $800 to 1,0000. heating bill each month.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

You're right about the IL homes. I like looking at houses in other areas, just to see what's out there, and it blows my mind what it costs in some places. I've seen houses that need to be torn down or completely renovated going for $50,000. I don't get it.

[@yetly5218]

@@StuckInTheKernfield There's houses in the SF Bay Area that needs a complete remodel that goes for over 500k! And they are only 800 square feet on a 5,000 sq ft lot! One big reason why I left and moved to IL.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Jeesh! Too rich for my blood. I could buy a mansion in my area for that price.

[@HandcraftedintheFoothills]

Failed policies and corrupt government is a big reason people are leaving

[@richardvogel6307]

Excellent video as always

[@victorjohnson7512]

92 shot in Chicago over 4th of July weekend. It's a frigging war zone...

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Seems like it.

[@Merdock-yp2xj]

Parents are moving to Florida because of taxes and crime. I will be following them shortly. Our quality of life has gone down. We rarely get out anymore in the city because of the crime. It’s just not worth it.

[@Cyberglyph]

The Pandemic has crushed the area where I live, there are so many empty businesses and its still getting worse. I can't wait to move away! This place is a dumpster fire! I am tired of the taxes and It seems like the state is trying to strangle its citizens with new taxes. I am not sure where I would like to go but somewhere south. Still checking.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Definitely a dumpster fire!

[@bigkw1568]

The plandemic

[@derekrowe9526]

Nothing to do with the pandemic

[@paulleitner8726]

I miss growing up in Southern Illinois. Not so much the leaving.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

That's completely understandable.

[@burymebelowawillowtree9243]

How are the jobs opportunities for blue collars? We want to relocate

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

@@burymebelowawillowtree9243 In Illinois? Not so great. The communities that depended on factories and other blue collar jobs are slowing dying.

[@catt1003]

@@burymebelowawillowtree9243 In Southern IL? Marion is the only somewhat bright spot, but anything there paying a living wage is typically a who you know situation because of high demand regionally. Lots of people live in the very small towns with dirt cheap rent & work in Marion. You need a lot of money to buy a home. Real estate is, as you can imagine, mostly older construction and dirt cheap but the taxes complained about mostly refers to property taxes. Thankfully, rents are even cheaper than real estate...but beware the corporate landlords!

[@mikhailkrasnopolskiy2001]

Moving to CO: After elderly parents passed Join our son who moved out to Springs and started a family there. More picturesque state Nice weather Lower tax climate Lower RE prices Similar salary range ( I am RN). Missing In Illinois Chicago Art institute Chicago Jazz Orchestra Hall Lake Michigan Network of friends. 6:50

[@mitchwinder1204]

I left in 2010 for WI. My auto insurance dropped by half. 😂😂😂

[@darkpaw1522]

Dang that sucks. I'd hate to be stuck for the rest of my life in a place I didn't like.

[@ardi3363]

Excellent video! Thank you!

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Thanks! Glad you liked it!

[@Vincent-ke5zn]

I have no immediate plans to leave Illinois, but maybe when I retire, I would love to live in Lake of the Ozarks, MO. because I driven through that town and it seemed very friendly and quiet

[@p3nissplatt547]

Left Illinois 22 yrs ago. Lived there for the first 20 yrs of my life. Illinois sucks big time. I wish the rest of my family would leave

[@danichicago9140]

I'll be right behind you. As soon as I get this sweet pension and benefits. Look at illinois as a work camp to extract wealth and move on. Why anyone would stay here without living in a high paying area is completely lost on me. You can work for nothing in any right to work state and have much better weather.

[@minervajlalfa]

The first thing Is to thank you for your work and information. Please, your advice about the specific situation of Rockford Illinois. We understand that this city suffer a lot with unemployment, crime, taxes, etc. What do you think about the future of Rockford? How do you imagine it in 10 years?

[@chitoon100]

I got out of Illinois in 2014.....went to Fl....never looked back

[@musclecarfan74]

I was born in Lake county and am 48 and can't wait to move to my mom's home state of Wisconsin. My dad's family is from Montgomery county, they came north in the late 30's.

[@mr.taggpricesretailsalesan8635]

Excellent video!

[@davidburrow4584]

That GOVERNOR is the reason

[@rmacster]

I think the worst issue we have in Illinois right now is the palpable lack of optimism in the state. People are sick of the situation and I don't think anyone really believes it will ever get better. I do think that our last governor was actually making an effort. And while I like Pritzker, I don't think he is doing anything to help the budget crisis at all. I think their plan is to bankrupt the state and (hopefully) the feds will step in and fix things.

[@donpee5204]

Seems like the same thing is happening or been happening for more than 20 years in New York .Here's One example .... new York's license plate for vehicles has been changed 4 time's( vehicle owners responsibility) since 2008 & they even said if you wanted to keep your original plate there would be a fee ??? Say whattttttt 😳

[@lykaojalao2733]

The time of Michael and Pippen I was thinking of moving into Chicago Got stuck here in Minneapolis but turned out it was a good stuck as since the goats left, Chicago went down hell

[@Castleknight]

Do you live in the Chicago metro area, or downstate?

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

I’m from the east central part of the state.

[@Castleknight]

@@StuckInTheKernfield - thanks

[@jhaychylla]

I just finished your video and decided to leave a comment, as you suggested. I am leaving Illinois mainly because of the lock downs and mandates. This State has gone to the dogs, it seems. Here it is Xmas and look at the news of what's next to the baby Jesus, displayed in the rotunda of the State of Illinois. That's a damn shame and indicative of who's in charge here. I will not come back and I'm leaving asap. I have a very good job here and I've been there 15yrs, but I've had it. I am beyond disgusted. I'm going south.

[@smb123211]

Something rarely mentioned - high taxes means more than income tax. Illinois is 2nd highest in property taxes, 3rd highest in gas taxes. Fees are outrageous. Last year they raised taxes on registration fees ($237 for electric vehicles!), gas taxes, health care, business licenses, parking garages, casinos, cigarettes, online sales..... and after the voters reject an income tax boost they went ahead and did it anyway this year. Nut they passed the "teach Asian American bill" though - let's get our priorities straight. I don't get it - states in healthy financial condition tax less and grow. HIgh tax states do the opposite so why continue with the same failed routine?

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

I actually did an entire video on the variety of taxes Illinois imposes. kzbin.info/www/bejne/j6C4dYKbaq-EgLM

[@smb123211]

@@StuckInTheKernfield It's a miracle that anyone manages to save anything!

[@jonathanmercer966]

July 12th I’ll be leaving Illinois for a job transfer to Michigan. It’s a no brainer lower taxes (all across the board), lower crime rates, no unconstitutional gun laws (FOID), lower property values, I could go on and on.

[@unclejune5469]

Illinois is one more Pandemic away from disaster.

[@richardpate4732]

I left at age 18 because of lack of opportunities anywhere. You were either a farmer, truck driver, factory worker ( which were filled by nepotism) or service industry. I thought of returning one day but the politicians are much to authoritarian and I see no reason to return as long as the democrats have a stranglehold on the state. Too bad....its a beautiful place to be from.

[@yetly5218]

I recently moved from California to Naperville, because it's supposed to be a top place in the country to raise a family. I wonder why if there's all of these issues in IL??

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Naperville is one of the nice spots in IL, but the state overall has some hurdles to overcome.

[@DailyRants89]

Naperville is nice. They have a good school system out there. The state as a whole is dumb though. It's been corrupt for a very long time.

[@yetly5218]

@@DailyRants89 I've heard about the corruption in the state. I hope that changes somehow!

[@jimschermerhorn4863]

Can we put a Q on the ballot to Recall Kim Foxx this Spring? Then have a special election for a new State's Attorney for Cook County this Nov.?

[@arizonahighways7287]

We bailed out in 1981, husband couldn't find decent work in Decatur. Best decision we ever made. Arizona was affordable then, it's not anymore. A house will cost you 3X the same house in IL. rents are high, Californians moving here in droves, keeping real estate high. They told you AZ went to Biden- don't believe it-

[@jordanclark1700]

Are you sure the number 1 reason for leaving isn’t the the high likelihood of being murdered?

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Hmm. Well, there are some communities in the state where that might be the case. ;-)

[@arosenweig]

Florida is one of the top states where people are moving to from Illinois. Florida has no state income tax. Florida has lower sales taxes and lower property taxes than Illinois does.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Yep. I did a video on the places where they're all going. kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKakqmSKd8R8eKs

[@djs2356]

Retired Illinois teachers and municipal workers receive big pension checks.....BIG.

[@jeffholloway7974]

Illinois does have some great universities. U. of Chicago is probably up to the standards of the Ivys, and Northwestern thinks they are. However, U of Illinois has one of the greatest computer science programs in the world. Just be sure not to make HAL look bad.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

Absolutely. We get all sorts of talent to come here for school, but then they leave as soon as they graduate. If the state could give people a reason to stick around, maybe we could turn this sinking ship around.

[@saranagh7097]

Good Riddence.

[@goldchannelmusic4466]

Gas is most expensive

[@everett8114]

I would love to leave right now but stuck for now lol

[@mr.p7616]

Chicago is a beautiful city, however the crime, taxes and loss of opportunity has caused it to be less than desirable. Add the cold winter and Chicago is no longer my kind of town… shame.

[@Jhihmoac]

Forget manufacturing! In most of the densely populated areas of Illinois, especially Chicago, manufacturing WAS the largest aspect of employment... In fact, manufacturing practices that once originated in the Windy City used to dictate how everything else got made in the world - not all that long ago! Offshoring in the last 25 years has changed all that! Because Chicago is a major transport hub in the US, logistics and shipping goods made elsewhere in the world across our country have become the mainstay industry in Chicago/Illinois now... However, even with all that, Chicago is fast becoming just another part of the Rust Belt!

[@Justmekatrice25]

How do you think the people are in Illinois.? I have my experiences...

[@sarawauer5968]

So, I have been watching a bunch of your videos today. Thanks for them! I am on the opposite side of the spectrum. I have been looking into moving to Illinois. From all the negativity, I am a bit nervous. I live in Texas, and everyone wants to talk about how great Texas is, til I get my $7000/year tax bill on a moderately priced house, no power for a week, due to failures of the power grid, and various other issues no one likes to really discuss, because you can't say anything bad about Texas. I also have an LGBT daughter about to graduate high school, and Texas hasn't been overly kind to her. I have been looking at the Canton area, as it looks really lovely, with lots of outdoor activities. I like the idea of a smaller mid-west city with a strong sense of community, but Peoria is always dragged in every video, and being close to Peoria, that is another bummer. So, maybe a few people need to look at Illinois as a place for opportunity, and perhaps come and try to be good citizens and try to help better their communities, and make some positive change. So, I guess that is what I will focus on. I will be lucky and be able to buy a small house without a mortgage, and living a quiet simple life is really all I am looking for. But, MAN everyone loves to dump on Illinois so much, it is really discouraging to someone who wants to move there and maybe contribute in their own way to making things a bit better.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

An Illinoisan's favorite thing to do is to complain about Illinois. That's part of why I created the channel. I kept seeing videos from outsiders talking about how bad a place it is, and I thought that if anyone was going to bag on the state, it should be someone from the area. But really, IL is like any other state. There are both pros and cons to living here, and it depends on which area you pick. The state can be broken into thirds. The top third is expensive, but there are more jobs available. The middle third is farmland, with a few decent-sized cities here and there. The southern third has a beautiful landscape, but the people down there have to deal with a lack of job opportunities and high poverty rates. IL has more units of government than any other state, and the legislators are required to spend almost one-third of the state's budget on employee pensions, so there is an issue of paying taxes and not always being able to see where the money is going. However, they do make sure that they plow when it snows, and when the power goes out, it's usually just for a few hours at most. It would be very rare to have it go out for days at a time. IL does have high property taxes, on average, but each county sets their own rates, so some are higher than others, and it depends on the value of the home. If you buy in the middle or bottom third of the state, you'll be able to get more house for your money than if you bought in a community near Chicago. For example, you can get a decent-sized home in my area, in the middle part of the state, for around $85,000 and pay around $1500 in taxes. I took a look at the stats for Canton. They have fairly low crime, and it's been going down, so there's a plus. But they also have a low median household income and a high poverty rate. If you have in-demand skills, you might fare okay there. Have you considered the Champaign area? They're more welcoming to LGBT people than some other small cities in the state. There are small towns all around that area, so you can live quietly, if you want, but you can also go into town and do pretty much whatever you want without it being too much of a hassle.

[@sarawauer5968]

@@StuckInTheKernfield Awe! Thanks for the reply and info!! I totally get the idea of dumping on one's own home state. Maybe I am searching for that freedom, as doing so in Texas is considered a mortal sin! hahaha I will keep an eye out in the Champaign area, for sure. My job is weirdly specialized, and while I currently work overseas, so job hunting is not an issue, I hope to NOT do that much longer, so I need to strategically place myself within an hour to an hour and a half commuting distance from a few cities. Spinning a lot of plates in the air! hahaha I was stationed at Scott AFB for a few years, and I really did like the area, but I want to live far enough away that I never have to chance working there again, as a civilian! hahaha Well, in my particular career field, at least. Thanks again for all the info!! Dig your channel!

[@alicewehrheim8750]

still here cause of parents. taxes are HIGH!!!!!!

[@betsyrapp5712]

Just moved to Taos, New Mexico from that cesspool that they call Illinois. Illinois is fiscally the worst state tied with New Jersey. Chicago is highly taxed, crime ridden, polluted, corrupt, racially divided and in denial. Everyone seems to be walking around in a state of suppressed rage. It is also the most "moved from" state in the nation. New Mexico is gorgeous with friendly people that are conscious of the environment, has a thriving art, music and film community, lots of sun and clean air and is very affordable. The thing I especially don't miss is Chicago's intolerable weather no matter what the season!

[@pitdicted]

HI Betsy...I just moved from Oregon to Galena, Il. I was considering Taos once I retire. What is it like in Taos? I would look at condos.

[@andrewmiller6009]

If I didn’t have friends there I would have nothing to do with Illinois. Yes I was born and raised there and it was good back in the 70’s, now it’s a joke!

[@lrcreamer]

Bought a second home in cookeville tn I want to leave my Illinois home but kids and grand children force me to keep it So live in the cold months in TN and the other six months in Illinois, Property tax in TN and license plates and gas is so much cheaper in TN the problem is Democrats and Chicago and people giving out free money and people not working And they keep electing corrupt democrats

[@jumaisby7971]

i hate illinois because of chicago

[@oaktree1290]

That's going to hurt poor people.

[@donteboone5222]

New York and Cali are gonna collapse as well ...taxes..no jobs...and crime.....

[@lucaspeddie3114]

Utah is awesome!

[@goldchannelmusic4466]

Great taxes are killing us

[@billjenkins2503]

Crime and taxes, bad schools ,why are bad schools the most heavily funded by taxpayers but endanger kids and refuse to prepare kids for post secondary education? In Chicago you will need to send your kids to a private school to keep them safe and allow them potential to succeed after school, spending at the minimum 800.00/month and up to 3000.00/month( Oh and still pay 10--20 thousand per year to dysfunctional public schools in property taxes) . Then pay for their transportation to and from schools(50.00 to 100.00 per day). Workers moving to Chicago need almost 100,000 more per worker to live safely and productively in Chicago.

[@hagadi1]

moving to a republican state

[@jennifercubone2571]

I grew up in IL just left i can say i left cuz the police mess with vulnerable people the poverty levels suck corrupt politicians ive been homeless 4 times (first time at 13) you literally feel like you need to work three jobs they just literally take take take no care and the drug problem like out of five million garbage cans you gotta throw your needles in the open I miss IL especially cook county but we need to do better the foster care systems (out Chicago which i was in) and court systems make shit worse cuz corruption like its not a bad state people just need to do better greed in the government aint working

[@soberpickle8195]

I like the lost jobs because of pandemic. Why don't they just say the truth, jobs lost because of business lockdowns that never acomplished anything. People still went out and were around other people. Small businesses were shut down, you knows stores with 20 or less people in them, but Walmarts with thousands of people were left open. Walmart thrives, but many of the small businesses were forced to shut down forever.

[@dubk7369]

I’m actually moving back because I don’t like Texas 😅

[@adamsjesse4304]

Mike MIKE MADIGEN

[@JohnSmith-it4sv]

GTFO of that place

[@erickingsbury7193]

Taxes....Let Illinois go bankrupt....Say Thank you Demorats

[@Rennyteam359]

Thinking taxes will eventually follow the movers!

[@mildredcampione9236]

I moved Florida less taxes

[@RoosterCogburn2112]

Don't come to Texas, nothing to see here

[@michaelbayliss1794]

Or Wisconsin.

[@justChuka]

So much bad news! What is the good thing then about moving to Illinois? Don't say nothing!

[@marcovaldez5338]

Lake Michigan and hot dogs.

[@acquenetta]

Giordano's & Beggar's pizza, Harold's chicken, magnificent mile, museums, zoos are just about it

[@donteboone5222]

They tactfully didn't mention the crime..lmao

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

The video is about the entire state....not all parts of IL have a crime problem.

[@truediva18]

I visited southern Illinois a few years ago. I went to Red Bud and Mascoutah. It was one of the worst experiences I ever had. The racism was real and very loud.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

I'm sorry to hear that. Sadly, I've heard stories from others who have had the same experience in the southern part of the state. I'll never understand how anyone can treat another human like that.

[@kicnbac]

@@StuckInTheKernfield I had to drive to the southern tip. It seemed the more south I went, the more poor it got.

[@StuckInTheKernfield]

That's pretty much accurate. I really don't know why anyone would stay in that region.

[@DaneRates]

@@StuckInTheKernfield Could you do a follow up report on the economical , political and social cost of living results before and after such a large migration relocation. The pattern seems to show after a relocation of this magnitude by the young & old,working and none working. These new cities may counties and states will encounter the same problems. (Will the people already living in these areas see their cost of living Skyrocket?) Then they can't afford to live there. Also there may not be that many jobs available either.

[@catt1003]

@@StuckInTheKernfield I moved here to be near family 7 years ago. I knew we needed to get out within months, but the low wages here keep many stuck. It takes money to move and many of the people here who have money are either just passing through or are just fine with the way things are because it works for them.

[@patrickmurphy8222]

0:13 I hope you're not moving to Ohio. We don't need your man buns here.