West North Central states

The West North Central states form one of the nine geographic subdivisions within the United States that are officially recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau. These states make up the western half of the Midwestern United States.

Seven states compose this division: Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. The Mississippi River marks much of the boundary between these states and the eastern half, which consists of the East North Central states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio and Wisconsin.

The West North Central states are regarded as the core of the nation's "Farm Belt." They are also called the "Agricultural Heartland," or simply the "Heartland." Since the early 1990s, this area has consistently had the lowest unemployment rate in the United States, especially in its many college towns. It is also known for its plentiful supply of affordable housing.

Demographics

As of 2020, the West North Central states had a total of 21,616,921 people. This is a small increase from the 20,505,437 people counted in 2010. The area covers 507,913 square miles (1,315,489 km²), with an average of 42.56 people living in each square mile.

Politics

Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota have usually chosen Republican presidents since 1968. Minnesota has usually chosen Democratic presidents since 1976. Missouri has usually chosen Republican presidents since 2000. Iowa chose a Republican in 2016 and 2020, but had chosen Democratic presidents from 2012 to 1988, except in 2004 when it chose George W. Bush.

• Bold denotes election winner.