Do you know what Illinois' average housing rent price is?

The cost of rent and house payments can be a major factor in how many residents are moving to or from a state. How do Illinois and its Midwestern neighbors rank in terms of average cost? Let’s turn to Truth in Accounting’s State Data Lab to find out.

According to Zillow’s rent index, a data source found in the State Data Lab, Illinois far surpasses the nearby states’ rent costs. All midwestern states report an average rent cost just around a thousand dollars a month, except for Minnesota ($1,361/month) and Illinois ($1,431/month). Considering that the national average rate is $1,366.98 according to Zillow, the midwest is generally less expensive than renting nationwide. However, Illinois defies this trend, and its rental rates are higher than the national average, and significantly higher than average Midwestern rates.

Illinois ranks high on the list of states that are losing its residents the fastest. It’s only beaten out by New Jersey and New York as you can see here. Are high rent prices driving out Illinois residents or is it something else entirely at work?

Visit State Data Lab to see other factors that might be affecting the number of people leaving Illinois.