What states do you consider to be part of the Midwest?

listen everybody, i did the best i could on this map

i'm open to feedback but let's keep it constructive

after 2 years, the washington post study we commissioned is finally done! here are the results:

https://i.imgur.com/tht9XVl.png

https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2022/07/29/airbnb-the-most-midwestern-things/

additionally, the team at the post was able to come up with the definitive list, so there should be no need for any more disagreement on this subject until new states are added or subtracted to the united states

Note: The 12 Midwestern states are Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, North Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Missouri, Illinois, Minnesota, Michigan, Ohio and South Dakota

Finally, all of these states have been ranked by midwesterness. sorry South Dakota, you have been relegated, and Ohio you are *this* close to getting the boot:

https://i.imgur.com/6h0NjG3.png

that's right

I question the methodology of that last list. Notice that it’s the states with bigger cities that place nearer the bottom of the list. Maybe if you’re listing an Airbnb in a place like Detroit or Chicago or Cleveland you don’t have to add the descriptor “Midwest” bc everyone knows what those places are like. Also the Midwesternness of those areas is not in question, whereas a more borderline case like some town in Iowa, which is not obviously Midwestern, would call for “Midwest” in the listing to sort of suggest to renters what they’re getting into.

You'll never convince me that Iowa's Midwestern status is a "borderline case."

https://i.imgur.com/FKkonnE.png

xp I would make the same case, Josefa. Nobody in even southern Minnesota is going to post about Midwestern ambience, it'll be about lakes, fishing, or proximity to Minneapolis. And the vast majority in Illinois are in Chicago and they'd mention local amenities

also Iowa is insanely midwestern, what are you talking about

I've previously mentioned my corn index for Midwesterness (you can argue historical standards and the midwesterness of the rust belt as alternatives) but imo the more corn planted, the more midwestern. So you get Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, eastern Nebraska, etc etc

not-xp: corn sweat is real, 38% humidity today and 100 degrees outside

Pretty sure these points are made in the article itself iirc

38% humidity today

OH POOR YOU.

In my state, the humidity is so high that the air smells like corn sweat ... and we don't have any corn.

More like soybean sweat.

the humidity wasn't terrible, the 100 degrees on top of it was a bit more irritating