This Is The Worst Thing About Illinois: Study

Illinois: It's the 21st state, and it's getting ready to celebrate its bicentennial. It's the home state of one president — Ronald Reagan — and closely associated with two others, Abraham Lincoln and Barack Obama. It's home to the world's largest ketchup (or catsup, as they spell it) bottle. And it was recently named among the best states to take a "staycation." But what about Illinois' woes?

It's no secret that Illinois has a history of incarcerated governors (four of our last seven have wound up behind bars) and the state's financial problems go back quite a ways.

According to Insider.com, which recently compiled the worst thing about living in all 50 states, the worst thing about living in the Prairie State is that we've got the highest tax burden in the nation.

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Insider.com cites a WalletHub report noting that the average household in Illinois pays $8,162 in state and local taxes annually. According to that study, Illinois comes in at No. 51 when it comes to taxes, ranking behind the other 49 states and Washington, D.C.

But it could be worse. The study found that Alabama is home to the worst poverty in the developed world, California has low water and air quality, and students in New Hampshire graduate with the highest debt burden.

And on the bright side, Illinois is home to one of the best beers in America and one of the best chefs in the nation.

Find the full list of "worst things" here.

Patch photo by Dennis Robaugh