Midwestern vs. Southern values and culture (real estate, live, moving to)

[WestCoDude]

These two parts of the country are generally acknowledged to be the most down-to-earth, bread-and-butter, faith/family/country oriented areas (although, with migration patterns from north to south, that all is changing gradually). But how are they different from one another? What makes the south different from the midwest--religiously, politically, culturally, etc.?

Is southern hospitality different from midwestern hospitality? Is one more friendly than the other? How are attitudes and lifestyles different? What makes each region more attractive than the other?

[K-Luv]

The only difference is that one is located in the southern region of the United States. i can imagine people from the South taking offense to that, but seriously, there is really not much of a difference.

[j33]

I'm not entirely sure about making widespread assumptions about 'values' or 'culture'. I can only speak for the Midwest (as that is where I am from), but assuming one 'Midwest culture' shows very little knowledge of the various regions of the Midwest. The Midwest encompasses such disparate regions of urban Chicago and Detroit, and rural Nebraska and Minnesota you just can't lump Midwestern regions into the same 'values' or 'culture' bucket any more than one could lump urban nyc with rural Connecticut just because they are both on the east-coast.

[radraja]

In my experience, both are friendly, but the south is more outgoing (the midwest tends to be slightly more reserved).

The south is more protestant, the midwest is more Catholic.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

I think they're both about the same. Although the exact values of the people can be different in cities than in rural areas.

[LaMadden]

I was born and lived in southwest Iowa till I was 28 and then moved to the southeast, where I lived for 24 years. I am catholic and the south is big into Baptist. They are very outgoing for their religion and I admire them for that. I am very private when it comes to my faith. I guess there is diverstiy in the big cities of the midwest but there is diversity everywhere in the south. I personally think that is a good thing.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by radraja

In my experience, both are friendly, but the south is more outgoing (the midwest tends to be slightly more reserved).

The south is more protestant, the midwest is more Catholic.

After being born and raised in Michigan, I lived in Texas for a bit and have to say I find this statement to be right on the money.

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by K-Luv

The only difference is that one is located in the southern region of the United States. i can imagine people from the South taking offense to that, but seriously, there is really not much of a difference.

There's a lot of similarities, but there are some glaring differences, as well. Both regions cover a very large chunk of real estate, and there are many cultural changes as you go from one state to another, or one city to another... I could write a small book, right now, off the top of my head, about the differences... but I will not.
People on the coast looking in my not see it, but after growing up in the south, and then moving to the midwest, I can say that it took a little getting used to... in a good way. It certainly wasn't culture shock, though.

[TerrySRA]

Go to places like Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and the Great Lake coasts. Then go down South to places like Richmond, Charleston, Montgomery, and the Gulf Coast. The Midwest and the South are 2 very different places.

[TexasReb]

Originally Posted by radraja

In my experience, both are friendly, but the south is more outgoing (the midwest tends to be slightly more reserved).

The south is more protestant, the midwest is more Catholic.

This is a very good question, and I tend to agree with the above.

Both my ex's are from the Midwest (Kansas, and Ohio, respectively) and first time I visited up there, I admit to being very pleasantly surprised. Perhaps I shouldn't have been...but I had braced myself to meet a bunch of rude, pushy, yankees. Instead, almost all the folks I encountered were nice, friendly down to earth people.

There WERE differences, to be sure. Driving manners are one thing that stuck out. LOL And strangers don't so often greet each other with simple albeit meaningless phrases like "how yew doing today" in casual encounters(such as standing in line at a grocery store) as is a bit more common in the South. Nor the clerks make small talk with unkown customers about fishing, the weather, etc.

But still, I found the overall experience to be very friendly, even if, as was said, midwesterners tend to be a bit more "reserved"...for lack of a better way to put it.

And another term that strikes me is that Southern mannerisms and hospitality seem to have a bit more "soul" about it.
I can't really translate exactly what I mean by the word, but I think that many will know what I am trying to impart...