The Midwest: one region or two?

[iheartthed]

The Midwest, as defined by the census, isn't a singular region with strong historical ties, it's just a census designation.

[Docere]

And yet I would think a majority of people who live in every state in the Census region of the Midwest would understand what is meant by the concept and identify with it. And that's from popular culture, politics etc. - not from a study of the classification of regions.

But the Michigan resident may wonder what they have to do with Kansas and vice-versa.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by Docere

And yet I would think a majority of people who live in every state in the Census region of the Midwest would understand what is meant by the concept and identify with it. And that's from popular culture, politics etc. - not from a study of the classification of regions.

But the Michigan resident may wonder what they have to do with Kansas and vice-versa.

Yeah, because they are two very different places that just happen to use the same name as an identity. It's the most catchall region in the country, IMO. Northeast state groupings are pretty obvious. Southeast state groupings are also pretty obvious. Great Lakes states minus NY and PA were all Northwest Territory, and are more analogous to the Northeast or Southeast as a regional grouping. Plains states are mostly from the Louisiana Purchase and also have a fairly close history with each other that is completely distinct from the Northwest Territory.

[pj3000]

This map clearly shows that the Midwest is two regions, as designated by regions 3 & 5.

And fuck you, Iowa an Missouri -- you're not in the club anymore.

[Klippenstein]

How is Kentucky in the NE though? These are based on watersheds according to the DOI's website.

[Steely Dan]

Emerson poll of 11,000 people across 22 states on whether they consider themselves to live in he Midwest or not.

If your state is over 90%, then you're definitely "Midwest" whether you like it or not.


Source: https://news.wttw.com/2023/10/20/whi...ne-divided-and


Oklahoma was a little eye opening for me; I didn't know it had so many people who are wrong.

[202_Cyclist]

1/4 of the people from Idaho consider themselves in the Midwest? Idaho is thoroughly a mountain west state.

[Docere]

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist

1/4 of the people from Idaho consider themselves in the Midwest? Idaho is thoroughly a mountain west state.

I'm sure a lot of people spend little time thinking about the question. If asked, do you live in the Midwest - it may be as simple as "I live in the west, but it's not the west coast, so I guess it is mid-west.

[pj3000]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

If your state is over 90%, then you're definitely "Midwest" whether you like it or not.

I just wanna know who the 3.3% of Iowans are who don't think they live in the midwest.

[Six Corners]

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

Emerson poll of 11,000 people across 22 states on whether they consider themselves to live in he Midwest or not.

If your state is over 90%, then you're definitely "Midwest" whether you like it or not.

Oklahoma was a little eye opening for me; I didn't know it had so many people who are wrong.

Ohio is surprising to me. Almost a quarter don't agree they're midwestern. Is this Cincinnatians identifying more with the south? Appalachians considering themselves to be in their own Appalachian region (or also the south)?

[TWAK]

I like the belt system better, but shouldn't some of the Midwest just be called "Mid"? That would be cool on a shirt and y'all know it.

[IrishIllini]

How about the "Midwest" has two halves.
-Half #1 = the Mideast (east of Mississippi River)
-Half #2 = the Midwest (west of the Mississippi River)

and within those two halves exists the Great Lakes & Great Plaines regions, and Mississippi, Ohio, and Missouri River Valleys.

In a modern context, it should be called the Mideast. Even Iowa isn't very west.

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Six Corners

Ohio is surprising to me. Almost a quarter don't agree they're midwestern. Is this Cincinnatians identifying more with the south? Appalachians considering themselves to be in their own Appalachian region (or also the south)?

Some in Ohio and Michigan bristle at being lumped in with the "Midwest".

From what I've learned on this forum, apparently it's because they were the last states to generally fall under the umbrella of the term, so they don't have as much history with the identity as the states to their west do.

We're chicagoans, so that may not make much sense from our perspective, but it is what it is.



And lord help you if you ever happen to mistakenly refer to rustbelt cousins like Buffalo and Pittsburgh as "Midwest".

It can be a really triggering word.

[JManc]

What part of the country do Ohioans believe they are in?

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by JManc

What part of the country do Ohioans believe they are in?

78.2% of them believe they live in the Midwest.

There's just a few holdouts left, I guess.

[Docere]

Even in semi-southern Missouri there seems to be a consensus.

[PhillyRising]

Logically to me as a Northeasterner....the west really starts at the Mississippi River and that would mean the Midwest would be like the Rocky Mountain region.

Ohio is considered "Mid West" when it close to the East.

Great Lakes Region is really more accurate for the area than "Midwest"

[Steely Dan]

Originally Posted by Docere

Even in semi-southern Missouri there seems to be a consensus.

Yeah, 10 of the 12 states the CB includes in its "Midwest" region are over 90% on self-identification.

Then, Michigan is very close at 85.5%, and last is Ohio at 78.2%.

Pretty strong numbers across the board, especially the first 10.



And then there's Oklahoma at 66.2%, which is just strange.

It's like they don't even know that ""Oklahoma" is an ancient Comanche word that means "North Texas".

[TWAK]

Originally Posted by pj3000

This map clearly shows that the Midwest is two regions, as designated by regions 3 & 5.

And fuck you, Iowa an Missouri -- you're not in the club anymore.

Nashville-Davidson
I'm thinking "The Midwest" was coined when the actual west was still territory, except CA?

[mhays]

The Census Bureau doesn't really "define states as the Midwest."

Rather, it includes states in its Midwest statistical district.

This is a crucial distinction.