(Steve Lasker/Chicago Tribune)

More people moved out of Illinois than moved to the state during 2010 as the Great Lakes states saw the greatest exodus of any region in the country, according to a study by United Van Lines that tracks migration patterns.

Western states like Nevada that had long served as a destination for those leaving the Rust Belt saw their traffic level off, according to United Van Lines’ 34th annual migration study.

The most popular destination in the nation was the District of Columbia, which held that distinction for the third consecutive year. Oregon finished second in the study, followed by North Carolina and Idaho.

The migration patterns in the study aren’t comprehensive because they are based only on the 146,837 interstate household moves handled by United Van Lines among the lower 48 states and District of Columbia. Get the full story »