Real response to get some shit started:
Core Midwest: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa
Upper Midwest: Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin
Outer Midwest: ND, SD, Nebraska (parts at least)
I will never recognize: Missouri
Everything else below Nebraska is “Plains” IMO.
South of the Ohio River is upper south.
Western PA and Pittsburgh can be “Midwest” if it wants, but the rest of PA isn’t and the majority of the state doesn’t qualify, so we’d have to balkanize.
Ohio’s often an is or isn’t it inclusion in the Midwest for good reason. We’re kinda split between Appalachia, the Great Lakes/Northeast, the Midwest, and the South. And, with all that the Midwest is probably the dominant bit by landmass, but one of the weaker areas by population.
(Also an original mostly-lurker hexbearite, and probably primarily responsible for midwest.social starting to see our communities. 👋)
one of the weaker areas by population.
aka the midwest
Ouch.