Young professionals are rapidly becoming one of Illinois’ top exports according to new data from SmartAsset, which ranks Illinois among the top states losing millennials to more tax-friendly states.

The report ranked states based on how many young households earning $200,000 or more left in 2022. Illinois came in second, with 1,323 households between the ages of 26 and 35 choosing to move to more tax-friendly states.

Illinois’ high tax burden has long been cited as a major factor in driving residents out of state and compounding Illinois’ outmigration problem. Just this spring, Governor Pritzker signed nearly $1 billion in new taxes into law, primarily to fund spending on the migrant crisis he invited to the state.

Senate Republicans say that as long as the Governor and his allies continue pushing their misplaced priorities at the expense of working families, residents will continue to seek genuine relief elsewhere. They stress that state leaders need to recognize these trends and do more to protect families working daily just to make ends meet.