Which state is quintessential United States? (unemployment rate, DMV, live)

[nep321]

Quintessential, meaning most representative and typical of the U.S.

I am going to have to vote for Illinois.

[DinsdalePirahna]

Ohio is mini-america

[Ebrehm]

I would say some of the more moderate states, such as Ohio, Maine, Florida, Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana.

[DANNYY]

Illinois.

80% of America lives in urban centers. Illinois is a reflection of that. The demographics of the state and country are nearly identical. Chicagoland mirrors the national economy by 95% almost, and even has the same unemployment rate (or near it) as the country. There are hundreds of other parallels, but I'll stop it there for now.

Illinois is called the All American State, and I believe it.

[Ebrehm]

Originally Posted by DANNYY

Illinois.

80% of America lives in urban centers. Illinois is a reflection of that. The demographics of the state and country are nearly identical. Chicagoland mirrors the national economy by 95% almost, and even has the same unemployment rate (or near it) as the country. There are hundreds of other parallels, but I'll stop it there for now.

Illinois is called the All American State, and I believe it.

I believe the suburbs around New York reflect America as well.

[DANNYY]

Originally Posted by Ebrehm

I believe the suburbs around New York reflect America as well.

I think Chicagoland is actually a microcosm of America, also DMV feels like a microcosm of America as well.

I think Tri-State Area (New York-NNJ-CT) is more of a microcosm of the world rather than America. The Tri-State Area covers extensively the cultures as depicted around the world, the ethnicities, the background, the languages, the food, the education, the traditions, & nearly every aspect of a cultural drive in the world has found itself some corner in the Tri-State Area.

[Thomas R.]

Not sure any state fits that.

Politically Ohio might be the most typical. The states "Partisan Vote Index" is about average, albeit a tad more Republican than average, and the Presidential candidate who carries Ohio usually wins the Presidency. (Nixon won Ohio in 1960, but lost to JFK overall. In 1944 Dewey beat FDR in Ohio)

Demographically Illinois might be the most typical. It's a bit more black, and less Hispanic, than average but as close to average as I found. Interestingly Florida also came out close to average in demographics, although it's somewhat less white than average. Florida is politically more "average" than Illinois as it's a swing state whereas Illinois is fairly Democratic do to Chicago. Although Florida I think is more polarized than America as a whole. The idea of Florida as a possibility for "typically American" sounds a bit odd to me, but maybe America's changed enough it fits. A polarized state with a large Hispanic population sounds potentially like what's going to be "typically American."

Economically Washington State looks to have a rate of unemployment at the US average. Alabama, Illinois, Missouri, and New Jersey were only .1% off from average. Ohio was .3% off, but Florida was hit way worse by the recession than average.

So I guess Illinois is a good choice. Ohio could also make sense.

[DANNYY]

Originally Posted by Thomas R.

So I guess Illinois is a good choice. Ohio could also make sense.

I normally agree with your posts but I think Ohio is way to decentralized of a state and also the most balanced state to be like America in many regards.

For example, Ohio economically has 3 Metropolitan Areas that fall under the same range of influence (91 Billion-101 Billion in Economic Output (GDP)) and also has three Metropolitan Areas that are located in the North (Northeast), Central (Dead Center), & South (Southwest) ends of its respective state, with fairly same ball park on population for all of their metropolitan areas (1.8 Million to 2.3 Million). The Metropolitan Areas I'm referring to being Cincinnati, Cleveland, & Columbus.

America as a whole is pretty centralized more now than it ever has been before with its population centers being scattered and also different levels of power and influence as a whole to be considered uniform to the same train of thought.

Just my perspective though.

[j_cat]

Ohio's a bit too far from the West, so I vote Illinois.

[slengel]

missouri. no state mixes north/south, east/west, urban/rural, democrat/republican as well as the show-me state. it also sits geographically in the center of the country.