Sandy Starr Administrative Assistant | Official Website
Sandy Starr Administrative Assistant | Official Website
Illinois has been ranked 46th out of 50 states for economic competitiveness, as reported by the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC). This marks a slight improvement from 2024 when the state was ranked 48th.
The report aligns with an earlier study by Moody's for the Illinois Commission on Government Forecasting and Accountability (CGFA), which predicted that “Illinois will underperform the region and the U.S. in 2025, with gross state product, employment, and income increasing less than elsewhere.”
The American Legislative Exchange Council's 18th edition of Rich States, Poor States: ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index evaluates 15 variables, including tax policy, public debt, legal systems, labor laws, and public employment.
The top-ranking states in terms of economic competitiveness were Utah, Tennessee, Indiana, North Carolina, and North Dakota. Conversely, the states with the lowest rankings were Illinois, California, New Jersey, Vermont, and New York.
As of February 2025, Illinois is one of the five states with the highest unemployment rates in the nation, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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