State desk
Ranks 37th of 50 on the Liberty Index.
Where Illinois stands on 12 policies, sourced from our 50-state trackers, with the latest headlines from 24 Illinois outlets.
12 policies · each strip is all 50 states, grouped by rule · Illinois in red. Free to cite with attribution.
A concealed-carry license is required; state police must issue it to applicants meeting training and eligibility rules.
Illinois is 1 of 15 states with this rule
29 · Constitutional (Permitless) Carry6 · Restrictive: Permit Required
Illinois taxes individual income at a single flat rate of 4.95 percent, ranking 23 of 41 among the states that tax income. Fifteen states use a single-rate structure.
Illinois is 1 of 15 states with this rule
8 · No Income Tax1 · Capital Gains Only26 · Graduated Brackets
Illinois charges 70.40 cents per gallon in state tax, ranking 2 of 50, which is among the highest in the country. With the federal 18.40 cents added, a driver pays 88.80 cents per gallon in tax. Diesel is taxed at 77.90 cents.
Illinois is 1 of 17 states with this rule
16 · Near the Middle17 · Among the Lowest
Abolished in 2011.
Illinois is 1 of 23 states with this rule
23 · Retains the death penalty4 · Retains it, executions paused
Not right-to-work; a 2022 constitutional amendment bars any future right-to-work law.
Illinois is 1 of 24 states with this rule
26 · Right-to-Work
State minimum wage is $15.00, above the federal $7.25 floor.
Illinois is 1 of 30 states with this rule
12 · Matches the Federal Floor3 · Below Federal, So Federal Applies5 · No State Minimum Wage Law
No ID is required; voters confirm identity by signature or personal information matched against the registration rolls.
Illinois is 1 of 14 states with this rule
10 · Strict Photo ID14 · Photo ID Requested4 · Strict Non-Photo ID8 · ID Requested (No Photo)
Invest in Kids tax-credit scholarship expired January 2024 and was not renewed; no active program.
Illinois is 1 of 17 states with this rule
17 · Universal / Near-Universal16 · Limited Program
Illinois permits the use of deadly force in self-defense through judicial decisions or jury instructions rather than a stand-your-ground statute. Self-defense law here also shields a person from civil suit for damages.
Illinois is 1 of 7 states with this rule
31 · No Duty to Retreat12 · Not Listed by NCSL
Any registered voter may request a vote-by-mail ballot without providing a reason.
Illinois is 1 of 29 states with this rule
8 · All-Mail13 · Excuse Required
Illinois's unemployment rate was 4.6% in September 2026, seasonally adjusted, down 0.1 percentage points from 4.7% in August. It ranks 40th lowest of 51 (the 50 states and D.C.). A year earlier, in September 2025, it was 4.5%. The U.S. rate was 4.2%.
Data retrieved from the BLS public API on October 30, 2026. BLS.gov cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from BLS.gov.
Elected statewide to a four-year term.
Illinois is 1 of 43 states with this rule
5 · Appointed by the governor1 · Chosen by the legislature1 · Appointed by the state supreme court