Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Missouri might make a stronger argument since it has a healthy dose of east in it, in addition to all those others as well.
It also has different expressions of the south: upper in the Ozarks and deep south in the Bootheel…. to some degree.
I say that, but I’m also in the camp of Missouri being a solid midwestern state more than anything.
Interestingly, you’ll come across all of that in Independence.
As somebody from Oklahoma I'd say that if you included both states (OK/MO) you'd have a pretty good cross section of people places and things representative of Middle America because MO has a bit of the corn belt in it, river culture, and rust belt. OK has the wheat country and ranching part. Both have some Appalachian type culture and terrain. MO has a history of meatpacking and OKC has the largest cattle market in the country.
A lot of middle America stuff between the two states.
Despite everything I’ve said here, I now think Hamilton, Ohio is the most representative place of ‘Middle America’, based on additional research I’ve since conducted.
I used to be an advertising major. I've read that Kalamazoo, Michigan was considered a snapshot of middle America
Test markets for new products and fast food often use Midwest metro areas like Indianapolis and Columbus metro areas because they represent a broad spectrum of socioeconomic groups. They also have consistently seen larger levels of population growth compared to most of the region.
Test markets for new products and fast food often use Midwest metro areas like Indianapolis and Columbus metro areas because they represent a broad spectrum of socioeconomic groups. They also have consistently seen larger levels of population growth compared to most of the region.
Yes regarded as perfect snapshots of America. Austin used to be in that group too.
Test markets for new products and fast food often use Midwest metro areas like Indianapolis and Columbus metro areas because they represent a broad spectrum of socioeconomic groups. They also have consistently seen larger levels of population growth compared to most of the region.
Personally if you were to conduct research on somewhere you believe may represent the national average most, would you think it would be best to analyse a single suburb/town or a whole metropolitan area? Or in other words, would a suburban American be more likely to say something like "I'm from Independence, Missouri", or "I'm from the Kansas City area"?
Personally if you were to conduct research on somewhere you believe may represent the national average most, would you think it would be best to analyse a single suburb/town or a whole metropolitan area? Or in other words, would a suburban American be more likely to say something like "I'm from Independence, Missouri", or "I'm from the Kansas City area"?
People often use the metro name when traveling.
Nobody knows much, if anything, about Independence or Overland Park.
Say “Kansas City” and they at least know something. That’s one area sports helps out.
On the other hand, I’ve known a Johnson Countian or two that distanced themselves and just say they’re from Kansas or something. To them, KC had a bad rep. As for me, I was always proud to say I lived in KC even though we were in a suburb.
Personally if you were to conduct research on somewhere you believe may represent the national average most, would you think it would be best to analyse a single suburb/town or a whole metropolitan area? Or in other words, would a suburban American be more likely to say something like "I'm from Independence, Missouri", or "I'm from the Kansas City area"?
Most refer to the main city that they're from even if they live in a suburb. Not all, but most.
I used to be an advertising major. I've read that Kalamazoo, Michigan was considered a snapshot of middle America
Was going to reply to this earlier, but forgot. Was Kalamazoo, Michigan really considered as such? Personally I'd have thought it was a bit too northern influenced.
I live about a mile from the Independence city limit, and do nearly all my grocery and some other shopping there.
There are some aspects of Independence that, perhaps, might make it a very "average" American city, but I don't think it'd call it anything "quintessentially" American.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
