Does any US state match the Irish standard of living? I strongly doubt it.
Ignorance.
Kansas.
Ireland's stereotypical image is one of being a nation of potato growers. Kansas is about as agrarian as it comes.
Peter I like you, but epic fail.
Mass, NY, etc are too "Irish" (inverted commas important) to be truly Irish, no-one truly Irish - that is living in Ireland - could ever be that "Irish" (or "Oirish"), of course I'm completely depending on a stereotype much replayed in the media (or meeja) here for my argument. The South doesn't make much sense, neither does New England - other than perhaps Rhode Island, saying that out loud I'll go with Rhode Island.