Are you living in the Midwest? You might be surprised to hear that the boundaries of the Midwest extend much farther than you think. According to a recent Emerson College Polling and Middle West Review study, the majority of people living in 14 states consider themselves to live in the Midwest – and that includes states beyond the traditional ones you may expect.
The study, which surveyed 11,000 people across 22 states, including traditional Midwest states like Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, also included states like North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Arkansas, West Virginia, Colorado, Oklahoma, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky, Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.
The results of the poll show that those living in Iowa, Minnesota and Missouri have the strongest sense of Midwest identity, with more than 95 percent of respondents from those states claiming to have a Midwest identity. Residents in Wyoming, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Nebraska and Kansas also identified strongly with the Midwest, with over 90 percent of respondents from those states claiming to have a Midwest identity.
93.8 percent of respondents in Illinois identified as Midwest. This number is mirrored in North Dakota, with 93.8 percent of respondents from that state also claiming to have a Midwest identity. Even more surprisingly, 25 percent of people in Idaho identified as living in the Midwest, while 42 percent of Coloradans, 30 percent of Montanans and 26 percent of Arkansans did the same. On the other hand, only 9 percent of Pennsylvania respondents said they live in the Midwest.
The editor of the Middle West Review, John Lauck, said in a statement that “these intriguing results underscore the strength of Midwestern identity, despite what some have claimed, and further justify the efforts being made to study the Midwest and its history.”
These results show how much people living in the Midwest identify with the region, and also expand the boundaries of what we traditionally consider the Midwest. If you’re living in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Arkansas, West Virginia, Colorado, Oklahoma, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky, Idaho, Wyoming or Montana, chances are you call the Midwest home.
Take a look at the full report to see the results for yourself. If you live in the Midwest, come join the conversation about what it means to be a Midwesterner and share your stories with the rest of us.
