Shannon Adcock, founder of Awake Illinois, said that soaring property taxes are driving young people out of the state and will severely impact Illinois’s political future. The statement was made on X.
“Illinois has THE highest property taxes in America,” said Shannon M Adcock. “Gov. Pritzker will never be President. Kids are graduating high school and leaving Illinois for redder pastures, never to return. This is unsustainable.”
According to My Journal Courier, Illinois lawmakers have proposed several measures to address rising property taxes. Among these is Senate Bill 2246, which would cap annual increases in home valuations to the inflation rate. Another proposal involves creating a first-time homebuyer savings account with tax incentives aimed at making housing more affordable. These efforts arise amid criticism that high property taxes are prompting residents to leave the state and increasing pressure on local governments to find alternative revenue sources.
A March 2025 report by the Illinois Policy Institute indicates that Illinois now ranks first in the nation for highest effective property tax rates, with homeowners paying 2.07% of their property’s value annually. This results in an average property tax bill of $6,285, more than double the national average of $2,969. The burden has increased despite efforts to stabilize local budgets and improve tax equity.
As noted by Reddit users and supported by data from the Illinois Policy Institute, Illinois has experienced ten consecutive years of population decline, with Cook County alone losing over 58,000 residents in 2023. This outmigration, driven by high taxes and cost-of-living concerns, has eroded the local tax base and placed additional strain on remaining property owners. Younger residents have been among the most likely to leave the state.
According to Awake IL’s official website, Adcock is the founder and president of the organization launched in 2021 in Naperville to advocate for parental rights and education transparency. A graduate of the University of Illinois, she previously served in local PTA leadership and gained statewide recognition for organizing around curriculum and school board issues. Adcock has publicly opposed what she terms ideological agendas in schools and supports property tax reforms that reduce burdens on families.
