Alaska, Wyoming, Montana, ND, SD, NM, Idaho, Nebraska, Nevada, Utah - where would you rather live?

[emathias]

Originally Posted by spicymeatball

I'd say large areas of Nebraska and South Dakota especially could be considered part of the West even if the states as a whole are Midwestern. Do you think Rapid City has more in common with Billings or with Sheboygan? I'd say easily Billings.

Proper categorization is that they are "Plains States" - neither midwestern, nor part of "the West" in the modern meaning of the word.

[emathias]

Nice pics - I was born in Boise and my grandmother grew up in Silver City in Owyhee County (fun fact, Owyhee is named for a horribly misspelled "Hawaii"). I've actually never seen it so green as in that first photo - usually was only there in the late summers.

Originally Posted by Syringaloid

Just for fun, here is a photo from National Geographic of the Owyhee River Canyon in Idaho which is in the canyonlands south of Boise.




source: http://images.nationalgeographic.com...10_990x742.jpg



and kayakers in the upper Owyhee Canyon.



source: http://www.chadcasephotography.com/w...60523-106s.jpg

[TheBeagleLady]

Originally Posted by emathias

Proper categorization is that they are "Plains States" - neither midwestern, nor part of "the West" in the modern meaning of the word.

Who cares? The western parts of both states are definitely more western than midwestern in feel. The OP didn't actually mention anything about the options all being "the West." The only thing mentioned was low population.

I could live in Eastern Nebraska and South Dakota, because that is what I'm most used to and I like it. However, my preference is the Black Hills. I also love Wyoming, Montana and Idaho and could easily live in any of those places.