People REALLY Don’t Want To Live In Illinois Lately

It's been a big year for Illinois. In the last two months alone, we've celebrated the state's bicentennial, and learned that the Quad Cities are some of the most affordable places to live, regardless of age. And yet, despite that fact, people are moving away from the state more than ever.

According to the latest census numbers, 114,154 people moved out of Illinois in the 12 months ending in July. In total, Illinois’ population dropped to 12,741,080, a decrease of 45,116 people from last year.

This makes the fifth consecutive year that Illinois has seen a shrinking population and it's the largest drop in population in more than a decade, according to the Illinois News Network.

The reason for the drop isn't distinctly defined; Illinois saw an increase in jobs, but that's not always enough. It could be the weather – could you really fault someone for that one? – or the cost of living in Chicago, or plenty of other things.

Given the chance, would you leave Illinois?