09/01/2026
Governor Pritzker is celebrating another credit rating upgrade and an upgrade is certainly better than a downgrade.
But here’s the part you probably won’t see in the victory lap: even after the upgrade, Illinois still has the lowest Moody’s credit rating in the nation.
And while our neighboring states are growing, Illinois continues to struggle.
Since 2018, Illinois has lost a net 168,000 residents and ranks 48th out of 50 states in population growth. Meanwhile, the rest of the Midwest GREW by 2.1%.
A credit upgrade is something, but it doesn’t erase the bigger warning signs.
Illinois families are still dealing with high taxes, affordability concerns, and people continuing to leave for other states.
We shouldn't be satisfied with moving up from the bottom. Our goal should be making Illinois a place people want to move TO not FROM.
That means a more affordable, safe, and prosperous Illinois.