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Map Of Cultural Regions of the United States

Last Updated: August 29, 2024 6 Comments

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Map Of Cultural Regions of the United States

Map found on reddit
The map above looks at various cultural regions of the United States, dividing the country into distinct areas based on cultural, historical, and sometimes geographical differences.

Here’s an overview of the regions shown:

  1. Cascadia: Covers the Pacific Northwest, including parts of Washington, Oregon, and California. Known for its lush forests, progressive culture, and environmentalism.
  2. NorCal and SoCal (Northern and Southern California): California is split due to distinct cultural differences, with NorCal emphasizing liberal politics, and wine country, while SoCal is more associated with entertainment, beaches, and a diverse urban culture.
  3. Bay Area: Major focus on tech.
  4. Great Basin: Encompasses Nevada and parts of surrounding states, characterized by desert landscapes and a unique mix of outdoor recreation and libertarian culture.
  5. Southwest: Includes Arizona, New Mexico, and parts of neighboring states, known for its strong Native American and Hispanic influences, desert landscapes, and Southwestern art and cuisine.
  6. Texas: A culturally distinct region with a blend of Southern, Western, and Mexican influences, characterized by its own unique identity in food, music, and politics.
  7. Rio Grande: Located along the Texas-Mexico border, emphasizing Hispanic culture, bilingualism, and a mix of Tex-Mex traditions.
  8. Rocky Mountains: Spanning the mountainous areas of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana, this region is known for outdoor recreation, rural communities, and a mix of conservative and independent political views.
  9. Northern and Southern Great Plains: These regions cover the vast plains of the Midwest, known for agriculture, small-town life, and conservative cultural values.
  10. Great Lakes: Encompasses states bordering the Great Lakes, with a focus on manufacturing history, urban centers, and a blend of Midwestern culture.
  11. Northwoods: A heavily forested region in the northern Midwest, known for outdoor activities like hunting and fishing, with a rugged, small-town feel.
  12. Upper Midwest and Lower Midwest: These areas are quintessentially Midwestern, known for farming, manufacturing, and a blend of conservative and progressive values.
  13. Ohio River Valley: A transitional area between the Midwest and Appalachia with its own unique blend of blue-collar culture, riverside cities, and historical significance.
  14. Ozarks: A distinct region of Missouri and Arkansas characterized by mountains, country music, and a strong sense of regional identity.
  15. Upper South: These regions capture the traditional culture of the South, with strong influences of Southern hospitality, country music, and Civil War history.
  16. Deep South: The heart of traditional Southern culture, known for its historical ties to agriculture, slavery, civil rights history, and distinct regional dialects.
  17. Acadiana and Gulf Coast: Known for Cajun and Creole cultures, seafood, and a vibrant mix of French, Spanish, and African influences.
  18. Central Florida and South Florida: Culturally distinct regions due to diverse populations, tourism, and a blend of Latin American, Caribbean, and Southern influences.
  19. New England: Known for its colonial history, distinct accents, seafood, and liberal politics, this area is culturally unique within the Northeastern United States.
  20. Upstate NY, Upper Appalachia, and Lower Appalachia: These regions are characterized by rural landscapes, a mix of traditional American and Appalachian cultures, and a strong sense of local identity.
  21. Mid-Atlantic South, Chesapeake, NYC Metro: Each with distinct urban and suburban cultures, heavily influenced by historical settlement patterns, urbanization, and diverse populations.

What do you think? Is that map accurate? Completely wrong? Please leave your comments below:

Filed Under: United States

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Comments

  1. Kevin jones says

    August 30, 2024 at 1:14 pm

    Southern appalachia is a distinct region

    Reply
  2. Jake Imber says

    August 30, 2024 at 1:58 pm

    I think this is pretty accurate for the state of Texas, though the western edge of the Texas panhandle skews more Great Plains than Southwest.

    Reply
  3. Y.D. Robinson says

    September 1, 2024 at 1:13 am

    This is among the best of the US cultural regional maps I’ve ever seen.

    Reply
  4. hcat says

    October 31, 2024 at 11:49 am

    You placed the border of “Southern California” too far north. San Luis Obispo is the dividing point, I think. And Paso Robles and the Salinas Valley belong with the Central Valley. The hill country around the north and the east of the Central Valley has few Latinos and is quite Trumpite – the largest city is Redding.

    Reply
  5. David Stear says

    October 20, 2025 at 8:40 pm

    I think Pennsylvania is rather lazily done; Pittsburgh and Philadelphia metropolitan areas both have their own food cultures and accents. Southwestern Pennsylvania might be called “Pittsburghese” and although some oddball decided to call Pittsburgh “the ‘Paris’ of Appalachia”, I am sure one would find some resentment among people of southwestern Pennsylvania for being lumped in with “Appalachia”. Similarly, to say that Philadelphia in particular and southeastern Pennsylvania generally falls into some ambiguous category called “Chesapeake” might find resentment there at being lumped together with Baltimore and Washington DC. One could say the same for southern New Jersey which has more of a loose identification with the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Amish and Quaker cultural influence in southeastern Pennsylvania is clearly evident as well, something Delaware (although Delaware has a few Amish residents) and Maryland lack as well as Maryland being the center of a “Chesapeake” culture.

    Reply
    • Betsey Herbicek Fehn says

      April 28, 2026 at 12:12 pm

      I agree that New Jersey does not belong with Chesapeake at all. It is definitely influenced by Philadelphia on the south end, New York on the north.
      Maryland does have a good sized Amish community however in the Southern Maryland Chesapeake Potomac region.

      Reply

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