Some have accused me, a native son of our prairies, of being anti-Illinois. They say columns over the years have waxed poetically about Wisconsin, while denigrating our great state.
They say I have likened our neighbor to the north to a bucolic utopia, yet overlook the Badger State’s faults. They say I dwell on the negative when writing about Illinois.
On occasion, perhaps they’re right when griping about our state. With Lake County being but miles south of Wisconsin, at times everything does seem better in America’s Dairyland. They have little public corruption, the roads are nicer, gasoline is cheaper and energy costs overall are lower. The brandy old-fashioned is the state cocktail.
The people are pleasant enough as long as we Flatlanders don’t play up loyalty to the Chicago Bears. Or make fun of Bucky Badger or Bernie Brewer.
Wisconsinites don’t have an 8% sales tax, and taxes upon taxes. There is not a heavy tax burden on businesses such as is in Illinois. Property taxes are comparatively lower in Wisconsin.
Unemployment is lower in Wisconsin, one reason being the state continues to lure Illinois companies to set up business over the border. The state’s politicians don’t look at business owners as unlimited ATM machines to pay for all sorts of programs and policies, but instead partners in moving Wisconsin forward.
The state’s budgets are so flush, legislators often don’t know what to do with all the money burning holes in their pockets. Certainly, a lot of Illinois vacation dollars make Wisconsin green.
The population of Illinois has either lost population or has remained stagnant. From 2020 to 2023, the state lost an estimated 263,780 residents or about 2% of the population, according to census data. Lake County, too, has seen its population decline, about 5,500 people last year.
Wisconsin does have its drawbacks, including lower salaries for many public employees and teachers. It also is home to the Green Bay Packers.
Another minus for the state: It’s not normal.
Unlike Illinois.
That’s because we have been crowned the state that is most representative of the U.S. It’s hard to believe, but Illinois is the most “ultra-normal” state in the nation.
A recent account in the Washington Post detailed Illinois’ rise to normalcy. I don’t subscribe to the Beltway Bible, so a devoted reader gifted me the story from the newspaper.
Being the “most normal” certainly doesn’t imply we’re an unexciting bunch. Normal, according to the WaPo story, means Illinois checks all the boxes for mirroring U.S. demographics.
The Post’s “Department of Data” dug into census numbers comparing every state to one another to give us the “normal” title. Illinois’ population splits between urban and rural; our racial makeup overall resembles the nation as a whole, as does our income levels, veterans populations and age.
Out of some 30 factors the Post delved into, including religion, Illinois was most similar to the rest of the nation. Surprisingly, Florida was just behind us in the top 10.
The Sunshine State, a growing home to Illinois retirees, was followed by Pennsylvania, Connecticut and Michigan to round out the top five. The others from six to 10 were Ohio, Indiana, Missouri, Oregon and Rhode Island.
“By mixing metropolis with corn palace, Illinois reigns as the most demographically ‘normal’ state in America,” the Post story proclaimed. The paper even tried to get a comment about the state’s normalcy from officials in downstate Normal, home to the Illinois State University Cardinals. The burghers in Normal didn’t bite.
It’s good to know Illinois isn’t abnormal. Being an abnormal state might cause increased triggering by the populace. It could cause more of our neighbors to seek normal places to put down roots after their exodus from Illinois.
Knowing we are now normal, my complaints about the faults found in Illinois will now be assuaged. Seems we’re more commonplace than most according to one East Coast publication, which sits far from the corn and bean fields that cover much of Illinois in this growing season.
In a way it’s comforting to find we’re just a bunch of cogs in a run-of-the-mill state known for its correct balance of farms, factories, cities and suburbs. Albeit a state with high taxes and a political class known for federal corruption convictions.
And where did Wisconsin end up in the Post metrics? Not even close to normal.
Charles Selle is a former News-Sun reporter, political editor and editor.
sellenews@gmail.com
X @sellenews
