# US states and their image / stereotypes **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 20, 2015, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681 "2015-07-20T10:38:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/41 "2015-07-21T19:12:01Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Just as an aside, South Carolina grows twice as many peaches as Georgia. And that doesn’t count the [big one](http://www.joelbieber.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/gaffney-peach.jpg). Yeah, I knew that was going to be the Gaffney peach butt even before I hovered over the link. Georgia: peanuts. But also, Georgia: Atlanta and … the rest of the state. ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/42 "2015-07-21T19:35:23Z")
> [@Hermitian](#): > > Just as an aside, South Carolina grows twice as many peaches as Georgia. And that doesn’t count the [big one](http://www.joelbieber.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/gaffney-peach.jpg). > [@Lsura](#): > > Yeah, I knew that was going to be the Gaffney peach butt even before I hovered over the link. > > Georgia: peanuts. > > But also, Georgia: Atlanta and … the rest of the state. 😃 So did I!! I have driven past that thing hundreds of times. And yes, you are correct about Georgia. Atlanta is a little dot of blue surrounded by a whole lot of red. If you leave the downtown area, you can drive in any direction, and within an hour you will have gone back in time about 50 years. ---
**Author:** ![Lsura](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7993a0/32.png) [@Lsura](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lsura)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/43 "2015-07-21T19:45:59Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > 😃 So did I!! I have driven past that thing hundreds of times. > > And yes, you are correct about Georgia. Atlanta is a little dot of blue surrounded by a whole lot of red. If you leave the downtown area, you can drive in any direction, and within an hour you will have gone back in time about 50 years. Which is why I live 5 miles from where I work downtown. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/44 "2015-07-21T20:09:55Z")
Nebraska: Thousands of acres of corn fields, and a lot of absurdly friendly people. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/45 "2015-07-21T20:11:29Z")
\*" Well, if we destroy Kansas the world may not hear about it for years. " \* Ernst Stavro Blofeld, _Diamonds Are Forever_ ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/46 "2015-07-21T20:17:46Z")
> [@movingfinger](#): > > Plus our two Senators are from the Bay Area. > > Are you including San Diego in Red California? Not objecting, just wondering. Pretty much. Most of its politicians are Republicans. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/47 "2015-07-21T20:23:09Z")
> [@Honey](#): > > Maine - Blueberries I would have gone with _lobster_. ---
**Author:** ![Abracadebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f04885/32.png) [@Abracadebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abracadebra)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/48 "2015-07-21T20:47:36Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > 😃 So did I!! I have driven past that thing hundreds of times. > > And yes, you are correct about Georgia. Atlanta is a little dot of blue surrounded by a whole lot of red. If you leave the downtown area, you can drive in any direction, and within an hour you will have gone back in time about 50 years. I was born and raised in Atlanta. I remember when Atlanta was just a big town instead of a massive, sprawling metropolis. My sister and I could walk home from school at ages 7 and 5 in Little Five Points. You couldn’t do that today, sadly. Anyway, I live midway between Atlanta and Athens now. My town is small, but we aren’t 50 years in the past. I know what you mean, though. Sometimes it’s nice to remember how things used to be. To the OP: You are welcome at my table any time. I’ll make you a dinner you won’t soon forget. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/49 "2015-07-21T21:15:34Z")
Stereotypes about Wisconsin (my home state): round friendly people, with a great love of cheese, beer, brandy, football, and outdoor sports. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/50 "2015-07-21T21:27:06Z")
North Dakota is a different state than South Dakota. Same for North Carolina and South Carolina. I’ve met many an educated, well-traveled European who didn’t know this. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/51 "2015-07-21T21:39:11Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Illinois is essentially two states: Chicago & its metro area (3rd largest city in the nation) and the rest of Illinois which is largely agricultural except for some college towns and a couple smaller quasi-urban spots. It comes through a bit in state governance with the Chicago section worried primarily about itself and people 300 miles away cranky about feeling pushed aside by Chicago’s oversized role. But a history of the state or asking about its culture pretty much requires you to specify “which Illinois” you mean. Illinois is a suburb of Chicago. Indiana and Wisconsin are also suburbs of Chicago. So is Canada. At least, that’s the way we look at it here in the Windy City! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/52 "2015-07-21T21:44:38Z")
I just went through all the states, and named off the ones I could think of stereotypes for. I assume actual New Englanders will have stuff about people in New England. But, then again, I live next to Missouri and couldn’t think of anything. And I couldn’t think of how to describe Oklahomans. Alabama: southern bumpkins, worst ranked on anything important. Alaska: freaks who like the cold and wilderness Arizona: Dangerous place for Latinos Arkansas: Hillbilly bumpkins, shoeless, married their own sisters California: crazy liberals Colorado: Connecticut: Delaware: Florida: The U.S.'s armpit. Everyone there is old and stupid. Georgia: the more romantic Southern state. Hawaii: backwards islanders, gorgeous place, “no worries” lifestyle Idaho: Illinois: mostly Chicagoans Indiana: hoosiers, which is hard to describe Iowa: very white, corn farming state Kansas: Kentucky: more genteel southerners (?) Louisiana: very Cajun and French Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota: Fargo Mississippi: Alabama-lite Missouri: Montana: Nebraska: Nevada: Hookers and blow New Hampshire New Jersey: tough as nails, overcompensating, nasty place to live New Mexico: What do you mean it’s a state? New York: Fast talking city slickers who think they’re better than everyone else North Carolina: North Dakota: No one actually lives there. Ohio: Oklahoma: Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina: still wants to leave the country South Dakota Tennessee: country music utopia Texas: they’re a whole other country Utah: Mormons Vermont Virginia: Washington: lots of rain West Virginia: Arkansas-lite Wisconsin Wyoming: Mostly empty. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/53 "2015-07-21T22:32:18Z")
> [@Mk\_VII](#): > > \*" Well, if we destroy Kansas the world may not hear about it for years. " \* > > Ernst Stavro Blofeld, _Diamonds Are Forever_ I have been to Kansas City, MO a few times and I like it. However, I always wonder why they kept that name. I mean, it’s a place named after another state than where it resides. I am not sure there is any other city like that(?). California has a long history with imagery. When one considers how diverse it truly is, it would be difficult to come up with one, or even a dozen images or stereotypes of the state. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/54 "2015-07-21T22:37:27Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > California has a long history with imagery. When one considers how diverse it truly is, it would be difficult to come up with one, or even a dozen images or stereotypes of the state. North Coast: Potheads and loggers NorCal: Hippies, High Tech and Wine Central Valley: Oklahoma SoCal (LA area): _Entourage_ San Diego: Totally chill, dude! ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/55 "2015-07-21T22:54:52Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > And yes, you are correct about Georgia. Atlanta is a little dot of blue surrounded by a whole lot of red. If you leave the downtown area, you can drive in any direction, and within an hour you will have gone back in time about 50 years. > [@Abracadebra](#): > > I was born and raised in Atlanta. I remember when Atlanta was just a big town instead of a massive, sprawling metropolis. My sister and I could walk home from school at ages 7 and 5 in Little Five Points. You couldn’t do that today, sadly. Maybe not Little Five Points, since that particular area has commercialized to a large degree, but there are still many, many neighborhoods where I see kids walking home from school or playing, and no one thinks anything of it. > [@Abracadebra](#): > > Anyway, I live midway between Atlanta and Athens now. My town is small, but we aren’t 50 years in the past. I know what you mean, though. Sometimes it’s nice to remember how things used to be. Let me be clear, I wasn’t using the “50 years” comment is an nostalgic way, I meant it as a negative. ---
**Author:** ![Abracadebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f04885/32.png) [@Abracadebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abracadebra)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2015, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/56 "2015-07-21T23:46:52Z")
> [@leftfield6](#): > > **Let me be clear, I wasn’t using the “50 years” comment is an nostalgic way, I meant it as a negative**. I know. And you are welcome at my table any time as well. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/57 "2015-07-22T01:45:40Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Florida: where [America’s](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shooting_of_Trayvon_Martin) [news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_Caylee_Anthony) [comes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eli%C3%A1n_Gonz%C3%A1lez_affair) [from](http://mic.com/articles/107372/49-tremendous-things-florida-men-accomplished-this-year). Also, we all live at Disneyworld. > > We don’t grow a lot of food oranges here. 90% become juice, which in turn is 80% of all US orange juice production. > > If you want a Florida _food_, it’s key lime pie and that’s basically it. Or gator jerky, but I think that’s available throughout the gulf states. Or [sugar](http://www.scgc.org/did-you-know/): > [@](#): > > Florida is the nation’s largest producer of cane sugar accounting for one in every five teaspoons consumed. The Florida sugar industry has a $2 billion economic impact and generates tens of thousands of jobs We do make a fine key lime pie down here. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/58 "2015-07-22T02:12:23Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > San Diego: Totally chill, dude! San Diego: NAVY!!! ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/59 "2015-07-22T19:29:44Z")
Maine - toothless redneck, standing a lobster boat in a yellow rain slicker saying, “Ayuh … ya cain’t get theah from heah.” ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2015, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681/60 "2015-07-22T21:22:17Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > I have been to Kansas City, MO a few times and I like it. However, I always wonder why they kept that name. I mean, it’s a place named after another state than where it resides. I am not sure there is any other city like that(?)… Ever hear of virginia City? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/us-states-and-their-image-stereotypes/725681.md?page=4)