Why is Iowa considered to be in the Upper Midwest and why isn't Nebraska? (land, areas)

[Wannabe Alaskan]

I'm curious. Iowa is only a little further north than Nebraska, the eastern fourth of Nebraska has a similar climate to Iowa, and I have yet to hear any Iowans with Upper Midwest accents (e.g. Wisconsinese and Minnesotan).

[Kaszilla]

Far northern Iowa is very similiar to Southern Minnesota. But I rarely hear Iowa being referred to as an upper Midwestern state.

[annie_himself]

Don't think I remember Iowa being a upper midwestern state.

[TheTimidBlueBars]

Originally Posted by Wannabe Alaskan

I'm curious. Iowa is only a little further north than Nebraska, the eastern fourth of Nebraska has a similar climate to Iowa, and I have yet to hear any Iowans with Upper Midwest accents (e.g. Wisconsinese and Minnesotan).

I've heard people in the northern 1/3 of Iowa (so excluding Des Moines) have Upper Midwest accents.

I think, to the extent that Iowa is called Upper Midwestern, it may also have to do with the state having a strong rural union Democrat tradition like MN and WI. That seems to be on its way out now (in all three states), but as late as 2012, Obama carried Iowa.

[hikernut]

The NWS recognizes Iowa as part of the Upper Midwest, but some other entities do not…

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Upper_Midwest

I grew up in northern Iowa. It gets damned cold there in winter.

[knke0204]

The Upper Midwest is the American land in the red circle

[NDFan]

Iowa is mostly not Upper Midwest, just the northern-most 25% or so. I'm kinda reluctant to refer to the Dakotas as the Upper Midwest tho either, as probably 80% of both ND/SD are not geographically the Midwest, but more like Great Plains. Only the Eastern edge is midwest (Fargo & Sioux Falls, even Grand Forks although on the eastern edge of ND, is intermediate)

[GraniteStater]

Upper Midwest is what I geographically define as only the area above 44N latitude east of the Dakotas, and including northern lower Michigan. So, most of Minnesota, 3/4 of Wisconsin, and 2/3 of Michigan.

[SPonteKC]

1. Nebraska is not referred to as "upper midwest" because it is one of the 2 states (then territories) in the original midwest (the other being Kansas).

2. I have never heard Iowa called the upper midwest, but there's dumb people everywhere.

3. I've definitely heard northern midwestern accents in extreme northern Iowa.

[GraniteStater]

North Dakota and South Dakota don't have much in common with the Upper Midwest because they are generally more aligned with the western US. Perhaps, far eastern areas of both states, but none have the Northwoods related features, which is generally a commonality that the Upper Midwest is known for.