History Main / FlyoverCountry

* [[NewYorkState Upstate New York]][[hottip:*:Technically outside the region, but often given the same treatment.]]

Setting a show or a novel here can be shorthand for [[BrokebackMountain social conservatism]], [[{{Fargo}} small-town insularity]], [[{{Pleasantville}} Fifties-style family values]], or [[NapoleonDynamite a generally unhip ambiance]]. However, it gets used at least as often to inspire [[{{Smallville}} nostalgia]] for {{Eagleland}} Flavor #1, a friendly down-home environment where [[APrairieHomeCompanion all the women are strong, all the men are good-lookin' and all the children are above average]]. When used in media, it often overlaps with EverytownAmerica, DownOnTheFarm or the DeepSouth.

* [[ClevelandRocks Cleveland]], Ohio

* [[TwinCities Minneapolis and St. Paul]], Minnesota

* [[NewYorkState Upstate New York]] (technically outside the region but given the same treatment)

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* [[TwinCities Minneapolis/St. Paul]], Minnesota

* [[NewYorkState UpstateNewYork]] (technically outside the region but given the same treatment)

** {{Milwaukee}}, Wisconsin

* UpstateNewYork (technically outside the region but given the same treatment)

Needless to say, the truth is a little different. While the states of the central U.S. do skew more rural than urban, the cities therein are as cosmopolitan as any coastal town. There's plenty of culture and nightlife to be found in cities like [[TwinCities Minneapolis]], KansasCity, or Omaha, and they have a much lower cost of living than the coasts. And even some of the smaller towns, like Boulder, Colorado[[hottip:*:where ''MorkAndMindy'' was set]] and Ann Arbor, Michigan[[hottip:*:home of the University of Michigan]], have their own quirks. There are very few states in the US that don't have at least ''one'' significant metropolitan area.

Needless to say, the truth is a little different. While the states of the central U.S. do skew more rural than urban, the cities therein are as cosmopolitan as any coastal town. There's plenty of culture and nightlife to be found in cities like [[TwinCities Minneapolis]], KansasCity, {{Cincinnati}}, the DFWMetroplex, or {{Cleveland|Rocks}}, and they have a much lower cost of living than the coasts. And even some of the smaller towns, like Boulder, Colorado[[hottip:*:the place ''MorkAndMindy'' was set in]] and Ann Arbor, Michigan[[hottip:*:home of the University of Michigan]], have their own quirks. There are very few states that don't have at least ''one'' significant metropolitan area.

The general concept also exists on a much smaller scale in the state of Pennsylvania, which itself straddles the line between the urban East Coast and rural Flyover Country. James Carville famously described the state as "UsefulNotes/{{Philadelphia}} in the east, {{Pittsburgh}} in the west and [[DeepSouth Alabama]] in the middle", and the term [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennsyltucky "Pennsyltucky"]] is often jokingly used by residents to describe the state's mid-section. (Though [[http://www.fandm.edu/politics/politically-uncorrected-column/2002-politically-uncorrected/it-s-pennsylvania-stupid recent studies]] seem to suggest that the differences have mostly evaporated in the last couple of decades.) Within neighboring New York, meanwhile, a similar dichotomy exists between NewYorkCity and [[NewYorkState the rest of the state]].

Needless to say, the truth is a little different. While the states of the central U.S. do skew more rural than urban, the cities therein are as cosmopolitan as any coastal town. There's plenty of culture and nightlife to be found in cities like [[TwinCities Minneapolis]], KansasCity, {{Cincinnati}}, the DFWMetroplex, or {{Cleveland|Rocks}}, and they have a much lower cost of living than the coasts. And even some of the smaller towns, like Boulder, Colorado[[hottip:*:the place ''MorkAndMindy'' was set in]] and Ann Arbor, Michigan[[hottip:*:home of the University of Michigan]], have their own quirks.

Politically, the cities and their metro areas are also more liberal than the surrounding region. Many of them are ([[DyingTown or were]]) industrial towns with a strong presence of labor unions and minorities, plus college students who stuck around after graduating or dropping out, leading to interesting scenarios where you have Democratic islands within states that are Republican strongholds.

Needless to say, the truth is a little different. While the states of the central U.S. do skew more rural than urban, the cities therein are as cosmopolitan as any coastal town. There's plenty of culture and nightlife to be found in cities like [[TwinCities Minneapolis]], KansasCity, {{Cincinnati}}, the DFWMetroplex, or {{Cleveland|Rocks}} (okay, {{YMMV}} [[ButtMonkey on Cleveland]]), and they have a much lower cost of living than the coasts. And even some of the smaller towns, like Boulder, Colorado[[hottip:*:the place ''MorkAndMindy'' was set in]] and Ann Arbor, Michigan[[hottip:*:home of the University of Michigan]], have their own quirks.

The part about the boring landscape, however, is true for the Great Plains, which covers much of the region but not the whole thing. While the cities can be quite interesting, outside of the cities is mostly just hundreds of miles of corn, wheat, and soybeans, broken by the occasional vast and ungodly foul-smelling cattle feedlot. Things do change once you hit Indiana, however, as it and everything to the south and east have a fair deal of hills, ravines, and forest, providing slightly more to look at from the highway than cornfields. Of course, YMMV in either direction, since this is a very, very large area.

-->--''TheOnion: Our Dumb World''

Needless to say, the truth is a little different. While the states of the central U.S. do skew more rural than urban, the cities therein are as cosmopolitan as any coastal town. There's plenty of culture and nightlife to be found in cities like [[TwinCities Minneapolis]], KansasCity, {{Cincinnati}}, the DallasFortWorthMetroplex, or {{Cleveland|Rocks}} (okay, {{YMMV}} [[ButtMonkey on Cleveland]]), and they have a much lower cost of living than the coasts. And even some of the smaller towns, like Boulder, Colorado[[hottip:*:the place ''MorkAndMindy'' was set in]] and Ann Arbor, Michigan[[hottip:*:home of the University of Michigan]], have their own quirks.

Needless to say, the truth is a little different. While the states of the central U.S. do skew more rural than urban, the cities therein are as cosmopolitan as any coastal town. There's plenty of culture and nightlife to be found in cities like [[TwinCities Minneapolis]], KansasCity, {{Cincinnati}}, or {{Cleveland|Rocks}} (okay, {{YMMV}} [[ButtMonkey on Cleveland]]), and they have a much lower cost of living than the coasts. And even some of the smaller towns, like Boulder, Colorado[[hottip:*:the place ''MorkAndMindy'' was set in]] and Ann Arbor, Michigan[[hottip:*:home of the University of Michigan]], have their own quirks.

->--TheOnion: Our Dumb World

That's Flyover Country -- American slang for the states which trendy coast-dwellers only see from the window of an airplane. Containing roughly half the country's population (if you're using a narrower definition) but much more of its landmass, this region includes everything between [[VivaLasVegas Las Vegas]] and [[TheWindyCity Chicago]] at a minimum -- and is often extended to everything east of California and west of the Hudson River. Sparsely populated, largely rural, and lacking in mediagenic glamour, it rarely shows up in works which attempt to appear trendy or up-to-date. It gets much more play in political circles, however, as the quirks of the American electoral system make appeals to smaller states essential.

The part about the boring landscape, however, is ''partly'' true -- at least for the chunk that's east of the Rockies and west of the Mississippi, and south of Wisconsin and north of Missouri. [[hottip:*: There's a very good reason this area is called "The Great Plains".]] While the cities can be quite interesting, outside of the cities is mostly just hundreds of miles of corn, wheat, and soybeans, broken by the occasional vast and ungodly foul-smelling cattle feedlot. Things do change once you hit Indiana, however, as it and everything to the south and east have a fair deal of hills, ravines, and forest, providing slightly more to look at from the highway than cornfields. Of course, YMMV in either direction, since this is a very, very large area.

Needless to say, the truth is a little different. While the states of the central U.S. do skew more rural than urban, the cities therein are as cosmopolitan as any coastal town. There's plenty of culture and nightlife to be found in cities like [[TwinCities Minneapolis]], KansasCity, Oklahoma City, or {{Cleveland|Rocks}} (okay, {{YMMV}} [[ButtMonkey on Cleveland]]), and they have a much lower cost of living than the coasts. And even some of the smaller towns, like Boulder, Colorado (the place ''MorkAndMindy'' was set in) and Ann Arbor, Michigan, have their own quirks. Notably, Cincinnati has become a popular place for television and film setting, including shows like "Harry's Law" and "Police Women of Cincinnati", and films such as George Clooney's "Ides of March"; this is perhaps due to the incredible diversity in everything, from people to building styles, the rich European cultural heritage evident in most of the city's architecture, as well as its location at the heart of the Ohio River (also, Cincinnati has the second-largest Oktoberfest in the world, falling only behind Munich, Germany in sheer numbers of participants and liquid-tons of beer sold).

Needless to say, the truth is a little different. While the states of the central U.S. do skew more rural than urban, the cities therein are as cosmopolitan as any coastal town. There's plenty of culture and nightlife to be found in cities like [[TwinCities Minneapolis]], KansasCity, Oklahoma City, or {{Cleveland|Rocks}} (okay, {{YMMV}} [[ButtMonkey on Cleveland]]), and they have a much lower cost of living than the coasts. And even some of the smaller towns, like Boulder, Colorado (the place ''MorkAndMindy'' was set in) and Ann Arbor, Michigan, have their own quirks.

Politically, the cities are also more liberal than the surrounding region. Many of them are ([[DyingTown or were]]) industrial towns with a strong presence of labor unions and minorities, plus college students who stuck around after graduating (or dropping out), leading to interesting scenarios where you have Democratic islands within states that are Republican strongholds (or Democratic metros turning the state blue, depending on which way the suburbs swing in a given electoral cycle).

Politically, the cities are also more liberal than the surrounding region. Many of them are ([[DyingTown or were]]) industrial towns with a strong presence of labor unions and minorities, plus college students who stuck around after graduating (or dropping out), leading to interesting scenarios where you have Democratic islands within states that are Republican strongholds.

Needless to say, the truth is a little different. While the states of the central U.S. do skew more rural than urban, the cities therein are as cosmopolitan as any coastal town. There's plenty of culture and nightlife to be found in cities like [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Dallas]], [[TwinCities Minneapolis]], {{Denver}} or {{Cleveland|Rocks}} (okay, {{YMMV}} [[ButtMonkey on Cleveland]]), and they have a much lower cost of living than the coasts. And even some of the smaller towns, like Boulder, Colorado (the place ''MorkAndMindy'' was set in) and Ann Arbor, Michigan, have their own quirks.

Needless to say, the truth is a little different. While the states of the central U.S. do skew more rural than urban, the cities therein are as cosmopolitan as any coastal town. There's plenty of culture and nightlife to be found in cities like [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Austin]], [[TwinCities Minneapolis]], {{Denver}} or {{Cleveland|Rocks}} (okay, {{YMMV}} [[ButtMonkey on Cleveland]]), and they have a much lower cost of living than the coasts. And even some of the smaller towns, like Boulder, Colorado (the place ''MorkAndMindy'' was set in) and Ann Arbor, Michigan, have their own quirks.

Needless to say, the truth is a little different. While the states of the central U.S. do skew more rural than urban, the larger Western and Midwestern cities are as cosmopolitan as any coastal town. There's plenty of culture and nightlife to be found in cities like [[EverythingIsBigInTexas Austin]], [[TwinCities Minneapolis]], {{Denver}} or {{Cleveland|Rocks}} (okay, {{YMMV}} [[ButtMonkey on Cleveland]]), and they have a much lower cost of living than the coasts. And even some of the smaller towns, like Boulder, Colorado (the place ''MorkAndMindy'' was set in) and Ann Arbor, Michigan, have their own quirks.

Politically, the cities are also more liberal than the surrounding region. Many of them are ([[DyingTown or were]]) industrial towns with a strong presence of labor unions and minorities, plus college students who stuck around after graduating, leading to interesting scenarios where you have Democratic islands within states that are Republican strongholds.

These nuances and many more tend to be lost on Hollywood. Shows based in one of the coasts will lovingly show details of the landmarks and locales (''SexAndTheCity'' was known for using real-life bars and restaurants as the girls' hangouts), while Midwestern locations are either fictionalized or used as a generic backdrop. This is because {{Indianapolis}} might as well be Addis Ababa to those who write tv and movies.

Where do you live? [[BigApplesauce New York]]? Awesome. [[LosAngeles L.A.]]? Awesome. KansasCity? Uh... where is that, like, in Idaho or something? [[hottip:*: It's in Missouri. And also Kansas.]]

The part about the boring landscape, however, is ''partly'' true -- at least for the chunk that's east of the Rockies and west of the Mississippi, and south of Wisconsin and north of Missouri. [[hottip:*: There's a very good reason this area is called "The Great Plains".]] While the cities can be quite interesting, outside of the cities is mostly just hundreds of miles of corn, wheat, and soybeans, broken by the occasional vast and ungodly foul-smelling cattle feedlot. Things do change once you hit Ohio, however, as it and everything to the south and east have a fair deal of hills, ravines, and forest, providing slightly more to look at from the highway than cornfields. Of course, YMMV in either direction, since this is a very, very large area.

The part about the boring landscape, however, is ''partly'' true -- at least east of the Rockies and south of Wisconsin. While the cities can be quite interesting, outside of the cities is mostly just hundreds of miles of corn, wheat, and soybeans, broken by the occasional vast and ungodly foul-smelling cattle feedlot. Things do change once you hit Ohio, however, as it and everything to the south and east have a fair deal of hills, ravines, and forest, providing slightly more to look at from the highway than cornfields. Of course, YMMV in either direction, since this is a very, very large area.

Where do you live? [[BigApplesauce New York]]? Awesome. [[LosAngeles L.A.]]? Awesome. KansasCity? Uh... where is that, like, in Idaho or something? [[hottip:*: It's in Missouri]]

The part about the boring landscape, however, is ''partly'' true -- at least east of the Rockies and south of Wisconsin. While the cities can be quite interesting, outside of the cities is mostly just hundreds of miles of corn, wheat, and soybeans, broken by the occasional vast and ungodly foul-smelling cattle feedlot. Things to change once you hit Ohio, however, as it and everything to the south and east have a fair deal of hills, ravines, and forest, providing slightly more to look at from the highway than cornfields. Of course, YMMV in either direction, since this is a very, very large area.

-->-- '''Our Dumb World''', ''TheOnion''