MIDWEST, U.S. (KELO) — A recent poll by Emerson College (main campus in Boston) sought to answer the question of what exactly constitutes the Midwest. Their study surveyed people in 22 states, comprised of those most commonly associated with the Midwest, as well as some of those surrounding.
The survey asked those in these states whether they consider themselves to live in the Midwest.
The states with the highest percent of respondents saying yes, we do live in the Midwest, were Iowa, with 96.7%, and Minnesota, with 96.5%.
Here’s the whole list of states and their responses:
- Iowa: 96.7%
- Minnesota: 96.5%
- Missouri: 95.3%
- Illinois: 93.8%
- North Dakota: 93.8%
- Wisconsin: 93.6%
- Nebraska: 92.8%
- South Dakota: 92.2%
- Indiana: 91.6%
- Kansas: 91.2%
- Michigan: 85.5%
- Ohio: 78.2%
- Oklahoma: 66.2%
- Wyoming: 53.5%
- Colorado: 42.1%
- Kentucky: 30.8%
- Montana: 30.1%
- Arkansas: 26.6%
- Idaho: 25.2%
- West Virginia: 13%
- Tennessee: 9.7%
- Pennsylvania: 9.4%
We took to the sidewalks of downtown Sioux Falls to ask people their thoughts.
Brandon H.
- Iowa: A hesitant yes
- Minnesota: Yes
- Missouri: Yes
- Illinois: Bordering Midwest
- North Dakota: Pretty far north, but yes
- Wisconsin: A hesitant yes
- Nebraska: Yes
- South Dakota: Yes
- Indiana: No no no
- Kansas: Yes
- Michigan: No
- Ohio: No
- Oklahoma: No
- Wyoming: A hesitant yes
- Colorado: Partially
- Kentucky: No
- Montana: Yes
- Arkansas: Yes
- Idaho: “When I think of Midwestern people, I think of of Idaho for sure.”
- West Virginia: No
- Tennessee: No
- Pennsylvania: No
We asked Brandon to define the region of the Midwest in his own terms. “Everything from between the Rockies to like, Illinois, and north and south of Illinois,” he explained.
Cisco Eagle Feather-Pigney
- Iowa: Yes
- Minnesota: Yes
- Missouri: Yes
- Illinois: Yes
- North Dakota: Yes
- Wisconsin: Yes
- Nebraska: Yes
- South Dakota: Yes
- Indiana: Yes
- Kansas: Yes
- Michigan: A hesitant yes
- Ohio: Yes
- Oklahoma: Yes
- Wyoming: A hesitant yes
- Colorado: Yes
- Kentucky: “Iffy, but it may be East/Southeast Coast.”
- Montana: Yes
- Arkansas: “No, South.”
- Idaho: Yes
- West Virginia: No, east coast
- Tennessee: East coast
- Pennsylvania: “East coast, let’s go Philadelphia Eagles!”
Asking Pigney if he thought the difference was more cultural or geographical, he told us the thought it was mainly based on belief. “If you believe that it is [Midwest], it is,” he concluded.”
Nathan Mallard
- Iowa: Yes
- Minnesota: Yes
- Missouri: Yes
- Illinois: “That’s easy, yes.”
- North Dakota: Yes
- Wisconsin: “Maybe… Yes.”
- Nebraska: Yes
- South Dakota: Yes
- Indiana: “Nah, that’s silly.”
- Kansas: Yes
- Michigan: Nope
- Ohio: Nope
- Oklahoma: Nope
- Wyoming: Maybe
- Colorado: “A little bit of yes. The eastern half.”
- Kentucky: “Yes, of course.”
- Montana: Yes
- Arkansas: Yep
- Idaho: Yes
- West Virginia: Yes
- Tennessee: “300% yes.”
- Pennsylvania: Yes
Mallard told us a little bit about how he feels about the region of the Midwest. “The Midwest is a very very special place,” he said. “It’s not only the heart of the nation, but the heart of our own America.”
Jeanie Rasche
- Iowa: Yes
- Minnesota: Yes
- Missouri: Yes
- Illinois: Yes
- North Dakota: Yes
- Wisconsin: Yes
- Nebraska: Yes
- South Dakota: Yes
- Indiana: Yes
- Kansas: Yes
- Michigan: “Mmm, yeah.”
- Ohio: “Mmm…not so much”
- Oklahoma: “No, it’s too far south.”
- Wyoming: NO!
- Colorado: No
- Kentucky: No
- Montana: No
- Arkansas: No
- Idaho: No
- West Virginia: “Definitely not.”
- Tennessee: No
- Pennsylvania: No
Rasche said she feels that the difference in what makes a place Midwest is largely cultural. “I think there’s an underlying feeling to the Midwest. I think that people are generally more friendly,” she said.
Asked which state is most Midwest, Rasche answered immediately. “Minnesota!”
Iowa, she said, was a close 2nd.
The KELOLAND Newsroom also weighed in on the debate, with eight of our own giving us their takes on what constitutes the Midwest. Check them out here:
You can find the full Emerson College survey here.
