How New York is similar to the Midwest:
Minneapolis/St. Paul is a smaller carbon-copy of New York City. Cost of living is grossly disproportional to the rest of the state; most political/social issues are slanted to benefit the City, causing resentment from everyone not living there; the majority of the population there is Humanist Liberal Democrats (most of them artists of some form); the reputation of the entire state is in the City’s control. But also, the City is seen as the most active, exciting place to go–a regular vacation spot–and even those who resent it must, at times, admit a pride in it.
Fargo/Moorhead is a smaller carbon-copy of Albany. A smaller art scene than the City (though it’s growing), more than one location of Higher Education, people from small neighboring towns take a trip there when they need to get something from “the big city.” It’s the compromise for people who need more to do than rural areas allow but are overwhelmed by the City.
Rural people value the outdoors and traditions like hunting and fishing, but also conservation and state parks. Some people value both of those things, but sometimes those groups are in angry opposition.
Christianity is heatedly debated in the public scene and separation of church and state is a hot topic. Traditional churches are slowly aging and dying; some younger contemporary church plants have begun. No one has chosen to link these demographics and if it is spoken of, it is with a resigned, oh well attitude, a condition of the changing times.
How New York is different than the Midwest:
The overwhelming racial majority in New York is Dutch. In the Midwest, it is Scandinavian. Despite the vast majority being white in both places, multiculturalism is more prevalent in New York (even rural areas). Most people here are bilingual. From the grocery-store teller to the Mayor, most speak (rough) Spanish. I learned French as my second language instead of Spanish because my inner romantic thought it such a beautiful language; in New York, people actually treat language as the practicality that it is…and use it!
Architecture in New York is old and people value that. There is more restoration of old homes versus building more efficient ones.
New York doesn’t really have Republicans. That doesn’t mean everyone’s a Democrat. New York City’s vast liberalism (and tendency to suck up most of the State’s provided resources) has caused a resentful, reactionary effect that make NY conservatives identify as libertarians instead of GOP members. Ron Paul stickers are abundant. Based on my connections in college, I predict this will only be a difference for a few more years, as younger generations in the Midwest are slowly starting to react similarly. Ron Paul even hosted his Super Tuesday event in Fargo, but it was a miscalculation. He should have come to Upstate New York.
People in New York drive foreign cars as much as American-made. My husband’s Honda Civic actually blends in here. There are still rednecks with souped-up trucks, but there are other types of people to help balance them out.
Farmers in the Midwest grow non edible products, like soy beans, grain, and sugar beets. Farmers in New York grow edible fruits and vegetables. This makes NY Farmers have a more Master Gardener attitude and Midwest Farmers a more Business Person attitude. The stereotypical farmer that people unfamiliar with agriculture imagine is a New York farmer because so much of their vocation (from weather concerns to technology) is the same as it was many decades ago whereas the Midwest Ag scene has evolved and changed significantly.
Radio stations! If you don’t like a song playing on a station in rural New York, you just tough it out and listen anyway, because nothing better is on. If you’re closer to a bigger city, no problem, but the signals don’t carry far out of the metropolis. In rural MN/ND, there were always at least three stations a person fell back on to change the dial. If you were open-minded about genre, there were significantly more choices. The genres are the same: country, classic rock, classical/public radio, Christian, talk radio…but in NY, there just isn’t much on those stations. There is only one (if you’re lucky, two) stations per genre that reach this far and those stations tend to have a very short playlist.
Driving. In Minnesota, I always calculated my travel time close to my mileage number. If I’m going 14 miles, it will take *roughly* 14 minutes. This doesn’t work in the forest or lake area as much, but prairie travel is quick and efficient. In NY, it’s more like take your distance and double it to estimate your time. Also, drivers in New York habitually tailgate you. And when they finally pass your car, the driver is rarely mad. It’s apparently very normal to drive right up against someone’s bumper.