And my general idea when dividing up the states as a whole
Blue = "lakes"
Green = "plains"
It is my experience that when people from around where I grew up (IL, WI, IN, etc) refer to "midwest," they are referring to the blue states. It is likely the same vice versa.
And my family in Kansas City, MO would say they live in a Midwestern state as would my friends in St Louis. You have the bulk of the population of MO in one of your five Midwestern regions, but not the state as a whole.
Yes, I am well aware of Missouri's status. I refuse to consider it a Midwestern state, but I do recognize that StL and the northern portion fit the bill. It's a personal issue.
It's really quite strange that you would have less than a quarter of the state's population dictate your feeling about it. But I guess it isn't any different than those who rate MD as southern because of the Eastern Shore and its 19th century history.
People who call MD southern are usually just going by the US Census definition, and the US Census just does it that way because it always has.
