Illinois once again ranked near the bottom nationally for economic competitiveness, underscoring what Senate Republicans say is a troubling trajectory for the state’s future. According to the 2026 ALEC-Laffer State Economic Competitiveness Index, Illinois ranked 49th in economic performance, based on state GDP growth, non-farm payroll employment growth, and domestic migration.
Senate Republicans say the report debunks the continued rhetoric coming from the Pritzker Administration. While Gov. J.B. Pritzker has repeatedly touted increases in the state’s population and economic growth, The data tells a different story. Illinois families and businesses continue to leave the state in search of greater opportunity, lower costs, and more relief, and pretending otherwise will not solve the problem.
Meanwhile, the report also found Illinois ranked 45th in economic outlook, a forward-looking forecast based on 15 state policy variables, including tax burdens and other measures tied to competitiveness.
None of this should come as a surprise. With state spending at record highs and taxpayers still burdened by some of the highest costs in the country, Democrats are making it harder year-after-year for families to stay, businesses to grow, and employers to invest.
The state’s economic outlook ranking has remained in the bottom half in recent editions of the report, reinforcing Republican concerns that Illinois is not simply facing a temporary slowdown, but a long-standing problem with how this state is being run.
The longer Gov. Pritzker and Democratic lawmakers ignore the facts, the harder it will be to turn the state around and put Illinois back on track.
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