I am a Canadian who has lived in NYC for seven-ish years and always felt that it’s not the best reflection of the country as a whole due to the high concentration of wealth and international people passing through (I don’t mean to imply that immigrants are not American but more that there are a lot of people in NYC who do not end up staying here.) Is there a state that you feel reflects the overall US best economically, demographically and culturally?
Edit: Feel free to argue for New York State if you feel it fits the bill but I think the state is too dominated by the city to qualify.
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There isn’t one.
The US is several subcultures and regions and there’s no single place that represents all of it.
This is why I tell visitors if they go to NYC, they’ve explored NYC.
If they tour Yellowstone or California or whatever, that’s where they’ve explored.
None of that reflects where I live, work and exist outside of the fact that it’s still American.
I always suggest the following book for people to get a deeper understanding of the differences of American subcultures.
https://www.amazon.com/American-Nations-History-Regional-Cultures/dp/0143122029
What I would suggest is finding 2 cities in a region or area and find a couple of rural spots and explore those 4 and you will get a much better idea of what a place genuinely is.
None. That’s sort of the point.
For one: Pennsylvania. Both conservative and liberal. Urban and Rural. Religious and irreligious. There’s history, woods, coast line, etc.
California probably fits the bill, too. Conservative areas and liberal. Highest mountain in the 48, lowest point in the 48. Snow, heat, deserts, islands, deserts. Forests, lakes, incredible beaches, and where they grow our food.
We are a nation of immigrants — and California has the most immigrants.
The US is a very diverse nation and each state is very unique.
That being said, the answer to your question is Ohio.
So which organ defines the human body? I’m not sure that question can be answered.
OP, I know you said you were Canadian but New York City is not a state.
The answer is going to be a state that has significant urban and rural populations, definitely at least one big city, a huge variety of cultures, and a variety of climates. I think that’s California and I’m not sure that any other state comes particularly close.
To a lesser extent you could say Pennsylvania and Texas, maybe.
Ohio or Pennsylvania
I’m not gonna claim we’re the *best* at reflecting it, but bias aside, NC is kinda up there I guess? you get mountains, piedmont, and coastal plains which is more geographic diversity than a lot of other states, cities like Raleigh and Charlotte are decently sized cities without being too big or too small, there’s several large universities and urban areas and lots of suburban and rural areas. this state has a lot of range but also feels like a typical middle of the road state, if that makes sense.
other than NC, someone else said Ohio and that makes a lot of sense for some reason
Ohio is a really good proxy for the US median views when it comes to fashion and taste.
There isn’t one.
Zero!
Ohio is used as a test market
I don’t think there any good answer to this question.
>Is there a state that you feel reflects the overall US best economically, demographically and culturally
If there is any state that meets this it’s California. Huge economy but balls deep in debt, diverse in both culture and demographics. Gigantic cities and vast rural lands. The most diverse geographic state. Shit that makes you go, “huh?” sometimes. Loves tacos. etc, etc.
None, Each one has it’s own unique culture and customs.
To get a view of the US as a whole, you need to see a lot of it. The flatness of the Great Plains, the bustle of big cities, the familiarity of small town festivals, the spookiness of the forests, the ancient aura of the Appalachian Mountain, the calmness of the beaches, the excitement of amusement parks, the history of colonial states, etc.
I don’t think there is one, but if I had to chose it’s New Jersey. It just has a little bit of almost everything all packed into one small state.
How would you answer this for Canada? Isn’t the answer “none”? Suburban Toronto doesn’t reflect Canada as a whole any more than rural Saskatchewan does, but both areas are definitively Canadian. Edmonton isn’t Montreal, but both are Canadian.
The State of Denial.
according to every European: Florida
None capture the whole thing, but if theres one at the most pronounced intercection of cultures, its Pennsylvania- Areas that relate to northeastern, midwestern, and southern culture, plus with a significant place in colonial, revolutionary, 1812, and civil war history. Just about every major ethnicity thats come to America has a community in Pennsylvania. Theres a mix of arts and high culture and rural small town sensibilities. Hence its title as the keystone state- Its a bridge between most of the significant cultures in North America.
To quote 30Rock “No part of America is more American than any other.” But to answer your question Ohio.
Not really each state as its own identity pretty much.
I think you’re looking for an answer that both doesn’t exist and exists in every state.
>…lived in NYC for seven-ish years and always felt that it’s not the best reflection of the country as a whole
Of course not, no city is *ever* a reflection of an entire country, unless the city *is* the country (eg Monaco, Vatican City). A ***city*** is a ***city***, and can’t possibly reflect the rural areas, small towns, vast farmland or even the suburban “bedroom communities”.
>…I think the state is too dominated by the city to qualify.
This is not unique to NY, or America in any way. It is how Democracy and media both work. The loudest voices and most attention is given where the people are. Cities, especially major cities, dominate the states they are in. Baltimore does it in MD, Boston In MA, Boise in ID, Montreal in Que., and Toronto in ON.
America, as a whole, is rural and urban, farms and factories, densely populated and sparse, claustrophobic cities and wide open spaces. Liberal and conservative, religious and secular. And so is Maryland, Virginia, Hawai’i, Texas, North Dakota, South Carolina, Alaska, and the 43 other states. How much is simply shades of grey.
Literally none. Every state is so different, and areas within one state can be so different too. Especially the larger states. If anything you can maybe break it up by region and say a certain state reflects that region, but no one state can reflect the US as a whole
Maryland.
The greater Columbus area/central Ohio is used as a test market for all sorts of products, goods services, including new restaurants and stores because it is the closest demographic match to the US as a whole.
https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113795356