# Which two U.S. states are most similar/most different? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2015, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-two-u-s-states-are-most-similar-most-different/735054 "2015-10-18T22:31:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![OttoDaFe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ottodafe/32/356_2.png) [@OttoDaFe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OttoDaFe)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-two-u-s-states-are-most-similar-most-different/735054/41 "2015-10-23T05:37:44Z")
> [@glowacks](#): > > Least similar states that border each other: Washington and Idaho. I’d modify this to read Western Washington and Eastern Washington (sometimes called Western Idaho). ---
**Author:** ![john\_b\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@john\_b\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/john_b_2)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-two-u-s-states-are-most-similar-most-different/735054/42 "2015-10-23T18:34:00Z")
For different states that share a border, in the east, Pennsylvania and Virginia are a good example of two quite different states, especially as the latter was, till D.C. sprawl “Americanized” it, resolutely Southern in character, while Pennsylvania was always Yankee. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2015, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-two-u-s-states-are-most-similar-most-different/735054/43 "2015-10-23T22:40:16Z")
> [@john\_b\_2](#): > > For different states that share a border, in the east, Pennsylvania and Virginia are a good example of two quite different states, especially as the latter was, till D.C. sprawl “Americanized” it, resolutely Southern in character, while Pennsylvania was always Yankee. Pennsylvania and Virginia do not share a border. Not since 1863. And DC sprawl touches not even a dozen of Virginia’s 95 counties. ---
**Author:** ![john\_b\_2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a9a28c/32.png) [@john\_b\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/john_b_2)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2015, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-two-u-s-states-are-most-similar-most-different/735054/44 "2015-10-25T09:54:43Z")
I ought to have looked at a map. How I got that wrong is beyond me. :eek: (Maybe it’s the Lipitor…😕) In any case, we all make mistakes. At least I was correct for 1863. I see no need to delete my post, as I seldom get my facts wrong, whether geographical or historical, so I’ll just leave it as it is as a reminder to myself of my own fallibility. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [October 25, 2015, 12:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-two-u-s-states-are-most-similar-most-different/735054/45 "2015-10-25T12:28:01Z")
> [@iiandyiiii](#): > > Other very similar states in the South – GA and SC. This is very true if you exclude inside-the-perimeter Atlanta. Atlanta has a cosmopolitan feel that I have not encountered in any other southern city. My vote for most similar is another for Alabama-Mississippi. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-two-u-s-states-are-most-similar-most-different/735054/46 "2015-10-30T19:45:20Z")
> [@john\_b\_2](#): > > For different states that share a border, in the east, Pennsylvania and Virginia are a good example of two quite different states, especially as the latter was, till D.C. sprawl “Americanized” it, resolutely Southern in character, while Pennsylvania was always Yankee. The cultural transition zone in Northern Virginia can be interesting in terms of what areas have been influenced in what way. For example: Prince William County is more “Southern” in character than its immediately adjoining Fairfax County, despite the fact that they are both mostly suburban in character. PWC has gun stores all over the place with huge “GUNS” signs advertising their presence but Fairfax County has only a few and they do not advertise heavily. Fauquier County and Loudoun County are both still largely rural, but Fauquier County is more “Southern” in culture while Loudoun is more influenced by (Northern) Pennsylvania Dutch culture. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-two-u-s-states-are-most-similar-most-different/735054/47 "2015-10-30T20:39:01Z")
> [@amarone](#): > > This is very true if you exclude inside-the-perimeter Atlanta. Atlanta has a cosmopolitan feel that I have not encountered in any other southern city. Yep. Atlanta makes Georgia very different than any other Southern state. And due to the sizable number of transplants (myself among them), it almost feels like a blend of half-northern, half-southern. I’m originally from New Jersey, visiting Wyoming when I was a teenager was a very, very strange experience - so that’s my ‘most different’. ---
**Author:** ![DorkVader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@DorkVader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DorkVader)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2015, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-two-u-s-states-are-most-similar-most-different/735054/48 "2015-10-30T22:55:22Z")
> [@OttoDaFe](#): > > I’d modify this to read Western Washington and Eastern Washington (sometimes called Western Idaho). the same could be said for Oregon. ---
**Author:** ![LH75](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lh75/32/4438_2.png) [@LH75](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LH75)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2015, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-two-u-s-states-are-most-similar-most-different/735054/49 "2015-10-31T01:35:46Z")
I live in Omaha NE. Nebraska and Iowa are similar enough that they could be the same state [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-two-u-s-states-are-most-similar-most-different/735054.md?page=2)