Nearly 350K people moved to Illinois & Missouri in 2023. Where are they coming from?

Migrants from other states are helping to sustain the ever-growing populations of Illinois and Missouri, according to new U.S. Census data.

Overall, Illinois gained an estimated 203,758 new residents from other states in 2023, according to recently published Census data, while Missouri added about 143,688 people. But where are the most new Illinois and Missouri residents coming from?

Nearby states like Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana and Michigan sent thousands of new residents to the Land of Lincoln and the Show-Me State last year, but many more came from as far as Oklahoma, California and Florida. Illinois, the sixth-most populated state in the country, gained at least 10,000 new residents from seven different states, while Missouri gained at least 5,000 new residents from nine unique states.

Here’s what you need to know about Illinois and Missouri’s recent interstate migration totals, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Illinois gained the most new residents from these states in 2023

Here’s a look at the states from which Illinois, home to about 12.8 million people, drew the most new residents last year, according to recently published Census migration data:

1. Florida: 19,100 new Illinois residents
2. California: 16,460 new Illinois residents
3. Texas: 15,227 new Illinois residents
4. Missouri: 14,982 new Illinois residents
5. Wisconsin: 14,135 new Illinois residents
6. Indiana: 11,555 new Illinois residents
7. Michigan: 10,345 new Illinois residents
8. New York: 8,394 new Illinois residents
9. Iowa: 8,326 new Illinois residents
10. Colorado: 6,827 new Illinois residents

Roughly 97,862 people moved to Illinois from outside the 50 U.S. states, the Census Bureau reports. Most arrived from foreign countries, while a few migrated from Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories.

Last year’s Census estimates reported Illinois’ 203,758 new residents with a margin of error of about 11,393 people, according to the figures. The relative margin of error varies for each state and territory.

Missouri gained the most new residents from these states in 2023

Missouri, home to roughly 6.2 million people, attracted the most new residents from these states last year, according to new Census migration data for 2023:

1. Kansas: 20,692 new Missouri residents
2. Illinois: 15,326 new Missouri residents
3. Texas: 9,322 new Missouri residents
4. California: 8,146 new Missouri residents
5. Arkansas: 7,548 new Missouri residents
6. Colorado: 5,846 new Missouri residents
7. Arizona: 5,699 new Missouri residents
8. Georgia: 5,555 new Missouri residents
9. Florida: 5,471 new Missouri residents
10. Oklahoma: 4,633 new Missouri residents

Roughly 23,901 people moved to Missouri from outside the 50 U.S. states, the Census Bureau reports. Nearly all of them came from foreign countries, while a few migrated from Puerto Rico and other U.S. territories.

Last year’s Census estimates reported Missouri’s 143,688 new residents with a margin of error of about 8,831 people, according to the figures.

Why did people migrate to Illinois and Missouri?

In a 2023 study, long-distance moving company United Van Lines estimated the largest portion of new Illinois residents (34.2%) moved to the Land of Lincoln for family reasons, while about 33% moved for work. Meanwhile, the largest chunk of Missouri’s new residents (31.4%) moved for their job.

Roughly 47.7% of Missouri’s new residents had household incomes exceeding $150,000, the study claims, while about 51% of new Illinois residents can say the same. Roughly 18.9% and 21.5% of new residents in Illinois and Missouri, respectively, have annual household incomes of between $100,000 and $149,999.

United Van Lines’ percentage estimates may not completely line up with demographic data or equal 100%, the company notes, because each respondent can skip survey questions or select more than one answer for a given prompt.

You can browse the latest Census migration figures yourself by visiting census.gov/data/tables/time-series/demo/geographic-mobility/state-to-state-migration.html.

Matt DiSanto

Centre Daily Times

814-231-4616

Matt is a 2022 Penn State graduate. Before arriving at the Centre Daily Times, he served as Onward State’s managing editor and a general assignment reporter at StateCollege.com. Support my work with a digital subscription