Middle America
Encyclopedia : M : MI : MID : Middle America
- For other uses, see Middle America (disambiguation).
Similar to the phrase, "Third World", the term "Middle America" is often disdained because it assigns a large set of culturally, geographically, and socially quite different regions a vague and unflattering label.
As a Cultural and Geographical Label
Geographically, the label "Middle America" refers to the territory between the East (particularly the Northeast) and West coasts of the United States, and may refer to the inland portions of coastal states, especially if they are rural. Much of the California Central Valley and inland Pennsylvania, for example, are typically considered to be "Middle American". Alternatively, the term is used to the describe the Central United States.
"Middle America" can also be used as more of a cultural than a geographical label, suggesting a small town or suburb where most people are middle class and White, and is often caricatured in the same way as is the American 1950s decade. The idea of "Middle America" may exclude such locations as Chicago (the third-largest city in the United States and one of the world's ten Alpha world cities) and the very wealthy Aspen, Colorado. On the other hand, the coastal regions of the Southern United States are often implicitly included. (Note: In Geography, somes sources use the term "Middle America" to refer to the area covering Mexico and Central America, since Mexico is not part of Central America).
Economy
The economy of "Middle America" is, traditionally, agricultural, though presently most "Middle Americans" live in suburban locales. Compared to coastal America, home prices tend to be low (because land is abundant) and economic disparities are less pronounced. Housing prices in "Middle America" tend to be significantly less volatile than those on the coasts, and houses tend to appreciate in value more slowly within Middle America.
Politics
The phrase "Middle American values" is a political cliche, which like "family values", is ill-defined. For example, said values usually involve conservative politics, yet a comparison of Madison, Wisconsin against East Palo Alto, California refutes this stereotype.
Many of the political battleground states are situated in "Middle America".
See also
- Bicoastal
- Deep England
- Americas (terminology)
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