Which states (and/or DC) are in the Midwest?

[Figueira]

This will be a seven day poll. When it's done, I'll make a map coloring the states based on how many people consider them to be part of the Midwest. I'll do others for other regions.

[Crumpets]

This is basically how I understand the term. States in red are in the Midwest, states in green have portions in the Midwest but not the whole state. Only the eastern portions of the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas and only the portions of West Virginia and Kentucky along the Ohio River are in the Midwest. On the poll, I included the Western group of green states, but not the Eastern two.

[dead0man]

Only the states in red on Crumpets map.

[The Mikado]

I think you could make a case for the western portions of Pennsylvania and New York State (only the far western portions of the latter).

[VPH]

[Goldwater]

Red are states I consider Midwestern, green are states that I don't normally consider part of the Midwest but have areas that seem kind of Midwestern.

[Kaine for Senate '18]

[Хahar 🤔]

My definition is basically hydrological. I'd define it as the portion of the United States draining to the Great Lakes (with the possible exception of the Lake Ontario drainage basin), all of the Ohio River valley north of the Ohio or east of the Guyandotte, all of the Mississippi valley north of the Ohio, and all of the American portion of the Missouri valley contained in the Central Time Zone, along with the portions of Minnesota and the Dakotas within the Central Time Zone that are not otherwise included in this definition.

Green: Entirely included
Blue: Partially included
Red: Very small portion included

[TDAS04]

Benconstatine's map.

[RINO Tom]

This is basically how I understand the term. States in red are in the Midwest, states in green have portions in the Midwest but not the whole state. Only the eastern portions of the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas and only the portions of West Virginia and Kentucky along the Ohio River are in the Midwest. On the poll, I included the Western group of green states, but not the Eastern two.

This for me, except I'd put Missouri as green, too.  Only St. Louis is truly culturally Midwestern, and you can even tell a greater Southern/Western influence there than you can in Illinois.

EDIT: WV is in no way, shape or form part of the Midwest, IMO.

[Mr. Illini]

This is it.

The Dakotas/Nebraska/Oklahoma are Great Plaines, which is culturally distinct. Missouri is southern, although I understand southerners consider them Midwestern. They are a confused state.

[Wake Me Up When The Hard Border Ends]

MN, IA, WI, IL, MI, IN and OH:

[Lexii, harbinger of chaos and sexual anarchy]

This is basically how I understand the term. States in red are in the Midwest, states in green have portions in the Midwest but not the whole state. Only the eastern portions of the Dakotas, Nebraska and Kansas and only the portions of West Virginia and Kentucky along the Ohio River are in the Midwest. On the poll, I included the Western group of green states, but not the Eastern two.

This for me, except I'd put Missouri as green, too.  Only St. Louis is truly culturally Midwestern, and you can even tell a greater Southern/Western influence there than you can in Illinois.

EDIT: WV is in no way, shape or form part of the Midwest, IMO.

[/]

I consider the red fully Midwestern and the pink partially Midwestern.

EDIT: I just noticed that this map is the exact same as Thinking Crumpet's Crumpet's one!

[muon2]

I think that the Midwest has two parts: the Great Lakes and the Great Plains with the Mississippi as the natural divide between them. Both parts are agricultural, but the Great Lakes has more reliance on heavy industry and the Ohio river is the natural southern boundary. The states of the Great Plains have states that overlap other regions, so I look to the areas of the most population in a state. I find that Omaha, KC and OKC are all easily classified as Great Plains cities. Southern MO and SE OK are more southern, but the main population is in the Plains. The Black Hills and Badlands can put the western Dakotas in the West, but again the main population is in the center and east.

[Frodo]

There are the givens (MN, WI, IA, IL, IN, MI, OH) and there is Missouri which I consider belonging both to the Midwest and the South. 

[they don't love you like i love you]

This is it.

The Dakotas/Nebraska/Oklahoma are Great Plaines, which is culturally distinct. Missouri is southern, although I understand southerners consider them Midwestern. They are a confused state.

Even if you want to argue that, there's no way one can argue that Fargo, Grand Forks and Sioux Falls are Great Plains and not Midwestern. I actually grew up in a rather "confused" city, Bismarck at times feels like the Midwest and at times like the Great Plains. Personally I consider the Bismarck-Mandan metro to be where the Midwest ends, but the influence otherwise is undeniable, Bismarck does unquestionably have a different "feel" than Fargo or St. Cloud. Even Minot I'd put in the same category, but I'd be willing to concede Dickinson. And for South Dakota, Rapid City.

My map is the same plus Missouri, and the string running for the Dakotas to Kansas.

[muon2]

There are the givens (MN, WI, IA, IL, IN, MI, OH) and there is Missouri which I consider belonging both to the Midwest and the South.  

Neither the St Louis metro (1.897 M in MO in 2010) nor the Kansas City metro (1.085 M in MO) are southern cities. Together they make up half of state's population (49.8% in 2010). Add in the northern rural areas and it's more than half. The southern region of MO is probably no more than a third.

Lots of states have part of their population in a different region. If one must place a state it seems most reasonable to place it in the region where the majority of its population resides.

[they don't love you like i love you]

Here's a quote from John Steinbeck by the way:

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As someone who grew up there I can say that is 100% correct. So splitting the regions between Bismarck and Mandan actually makes sense. Mandan even has the city motto "Where the west begins".

Actually this is very visible even on Google streetview. Go look at a random spot on I-94 east of Bismarck and then look at a random spot west of Mandan.

[Clark Kent]

Maybe parts of Northern Texas, too.

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

Yes, at least one organisation considers Newfoundland part of the Midwest.

[Goldwater]

Yes, at least one organisation considers Newfoundland part of the Midwest.

Same with New Jersey, Delaware, North Carolina, Georgia and even part of Florida, apparently.

[CountyTy90]

Yes, at least one organisation considers Newfoundland part of the Midwest.

So it seems Illinois is the most Midwsetern state, huh? Illinois FTW!

[Torie]

I take it there is no category for "border states." I might put MO, KY and WV in that category. And is Oklahoma a plains state or a southern state?

[angus]

Midwest:



Tornado Alley:



Great Plains: