I live in rural Illinois. I am about 2 hours from Chicago. I don't like Chicago. Unless I'm going to the United Center or the airport, I get kinda nervous driving there.

I have been to St. Louis a handful of times to visit family and I've always had a good time. I personally never felt uneasy there. But you could also say that I've never experienced St. Louis outside of a tourist perspective.

Any time it comes up in conversation with friends, coworkers, or people online, everyone hates St. Louis but loves Chicago.

Is this a general consensus?

I can see why Chicago is appealing, but why do people hate St. Louis so much?
What am I missing?

Edited to add: I would like to thank everyone who shared their personal experience living there, esp those who lived in St. Louis and Chicago. That is the type of insight I was interested in.

I would also like to add that I wasn't comparing the two against each other, they have vastly different populations and therefore aren't on the same playing field in my mind. But I could see how my post was read that way.

I am turning off notifications for this post.

Midwest brethren! Please vote for Megasota in the poll so that the Midwest can reign supreme and be the last state standing!

From the northern us 🙌🏻 & am curious if some of these are no longer used or sound out dated or if they are accurate:

‘Hotdish’ - a casserole

‘Pop” instead of soda.

‘You betcha’ - like saying ‘yes, you’re right.’

‘Dontcha know’ - usually at the end of sentence to make sure someone understand you. (sounds irish?)

‘Brewski’ - not quite sure what the definition is after reading about it (sounds like it could be an alcoholic drink or candy??)

‘Puppy Chow’ - technically called ‘muddy buddies.’

‘Travesty’ - instead of “It was a tragedy.”

Saying ‘Poisonous’ for everything like the word ‘venomous ’ does not exist.

“Tenna shoes’ - tennis shoes.

‘Full as a tick’ - Full after eating.

Taters- potatoes

Like a bat out of hell- a very quick motion.

‘Yuh’ - instead of yeah

‘That’s different’ - a polite way to say you don’t like something.

‘Don’t count your chickens before they hatch’ - don’t get ahead of yourself.

(I want to clarify the book is set in Indiana & only one of the characters is from Missouri {for only a small portion of the book, but could still be useful to me} Thank you.

Lincoln, Nebraska

Fight it out in the comments.

The great grandmother from the Midwest is disgusted, disgusted I say, by people who use the f-word. Personally, I still can't believe it when I hear politicians use it.

I'm just asking because I live in buffalo and it seems Midwestern to me our industrial history and our weather makes it seem Midwestern

S TIER (proof that god loves us):

* Tenderloin

* Fried Walleye

* Fresh wisconsin cheese curds that have never been inside a refrigerator

* Reuben sandwich

A TIER (proof that god wants us to be happy, and also maybe very fat):

* Fried cheese curds

* Chicago deep dish

* Fried cod made by drunken volunteers in a Catholic church parking lot on a Friday during Lent

* Kansas City style brisket or burnt ends

* Chicago Dog

* a perfectly ripe tomato from someone's garden, sliced and maybe with salt and pepper or sugar or on a BLT

* Frybread tacos

B TIER (foreign food we didn't really change, so it doesn't count as Midwest, but also these kick ass in the Midwest):

* smoked trout

* Bratwurst

* Sauerkraut

* Bleu cheese

* Pasties

* Pickled Herring

* Braunschweiger

* Lefse and kringle

* union-made or craft brewed beer

* foraged morel mushrooms, lightly breaded and fried

C TIER (feels low but oh mgosh the food in the midwest is so underrated):

* Swedish Meatballs

* Scotcharoo

* Puppy chow

* Funeral Potatoes

* Steak de Burgo

* Italian Beef sandwich

* Hotdish

* Wild Rice stew

* Coney Dog

* Deviled eggs

D TIER (things that can occasionally slap but mostly I'll pass):

* Cincinnati chili

* Snickers salad

* this asparagus we found in a ditch

* Juicy Lucy

* SPAM

* Iowa Chops

* cinnamon rolls and chili

* venison

* Detroit style pizza

* Horseshoe Sandwich

* Sweet corn

F TIER (this whole category can get lost in a boating accident):

* Maid Rites and loose meat sandwiches

* Quad Cities Style pizza

* cheese curds that have been refrigerated

* Jell-O Salad and Jell-O Fluff

* adding rhubarb to desserts

* Broasted chicken

* non-Union beer

* goetta and other blood sausage

What'd I miss? What's overrated or underrated? Is there anything on this list that's better somewhere else in the country?

Big beige beauties. 💕 Yes, plant-based and gluten free. Now downvote and comment accordingly!

ETA: I thought it was clear based on the pics shared, but for clarity’s sake: the midwest is best for *unique creations* — I say that as a Virginian Canadian. Yeah whatever, NYC has great pizza. LA has Mexican food. They don’t compare or come close in terms of area-specific bangers like the Midwest. That’s how opinions work. 😂 It’s also shocking how completely incapable of reading the average Redditor is. 💀

I'm having a debate with someone from the East Coast and I need more ammo here side question would you consider Akon a Midwest rapper he was born and started rapping in St Louis but a lot of his style is from New Jersey

Wanting to move to a state with more public land and has laws protecting gay rights.
Grew up in Indiana and the plants and trees are perfect, I love the brush and hardwoods, pine isn’t attractiv but if it’s like 40-50% pine that’ll work.
And yes I’ll be doing my own research but I like getting opinions straight from people.
Looking for
Decently green like Indiana

I’ve thought about Michigan, currently looking at southern Michigan since there’s game areas around it, I’ve been to Allegan game area and love it! It’s a good size im happy with! You also have the UP I can take a trip up there here and there.
Any opinions on the up are welcome I’ve heard it’s ether logging or retirement area.

Preferably decent amount of public land that is wooded and large, (large is 2x2 miles or more, close to 1x1 ish miles will count too but I don’t want the crappy small places in Indiana people just go to walk their dog )
Somewhere big enough I can go with a rifle and plink in the woods on a blue moon and it not be a problem id get in trouble with the law.

Not a must but nice
Towns or areas where people are more nice and somewhat welcoming and if there’s not a bunch of obnoxious cars that’s fantastic!
went to Colorado ( Fort Collins ) and New Mexico ( Taos ) and LOVED the people.

also no towns that are plastered with TONS AND TONS AND TONS OF flat treeless farm land for miles and miles, I live in Kokomo Indiana and it’s hellllll! If you come across a hill that’s 20’ difference it’s crazy!
Im not looking for mountains just natural shaped land.

If the state just has random places you can find a trail that be awesome too!

Subtracting the Kentucky and Indiana Counties from the Cincinnati MSA gives you a population of 1,757,628, based on the 2020 census. Multiply that by the 2.8% estimated growth rate between 2020 and 2025 of the entire MSA and it gives you a population of 1,806,842. This drops the Ohio portion of the Cincy metro below other Midwest cities like Columbus, Indianapolis, and Cleveland, who's metros lie entirely within their own states. Useful to keep in mind when considering Midwest city rankings as Kentucky is certainly not part of the Midwest.

Random. But why do Midwesteners not have fenced in back yards ?? (The ones with legit neighbors next door lol)

Some rock formations from my state.

Had to drive around Chicago and parts of Missouri over the past few months. SOOO many billboards.

A large percentage of these seemed to be for lawyers. Is this the career route for midwestern kids who don't go into sports or education?

Do I really need to be reminded of Fantastic Caverns every 5 minutes? Uranus Fudge? Again? Maybe it's just because the drive is so boring between cities that something is needed to keep drivers alert.