Midwestern United States Community Profile

Katana Tattoo, a premier tattoo shop is proud to offer its world-class Japanese tattoo services to the entire Midwestern US. We thought you might like to know a bit more about this interesting and vibrant region.

History of the Midwest

The Midwestern United States or more commonly referred to, as the Midwest is located in a central area in the northern part of the United States.  It comprises twelve states namely: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and lastly Wisconsin.  The most populated city in the Midwest is Chicago and it is also considered the third most populous in the entire US.  Other cities with large population numbers to name a few include: Indianapolis, Columbus, Detroit, Milwaukee, Kansas City and Minneapolis.  The first European settlers to the Midwest started in the 17th century due to exploration by the French and the region became known as New France.  By the end of the American Revolution, very few settlers came to the Midwest but when the US acquired the entire Midwest east of the Mississippi, pioneering families began to settle in Ohio, where big tracts of land had been given to war veterans. The fertile soil in the region allowed farmers to produce bountiful harvest of cereal crops like wheat, corn and oats. This allowed the region to gain the nickname as the country’s “breadbasket.”

Midwest Region Demographics and Cost of Living

Source: https://censusreporter.org/profiles/02000US2-midwest-region/

Prominent Schools of the Midwest

Most institutions of learning (public and private) located in the Midwest belong to or are bonafide members of the Association of American Universities.  Some of the notable educational institutions are:

Private Schools

  • Case Western Reserve University
  • Northwestern University
  • University of Chicago
  • Washington University in St. Louis

Public Schools

  • University of Illinois at Urbana-Campaign
  • Indiana University Bloomington
  • University of Iowa
  • Iowa State University
  • University of Kansas
  • University of Michigan
  • University of Missouri
  • Ohio State University
  • Purdue University
  • University of Wisconsin-Madison

Religion

Most of the population in the Midwest is predominantly of Christian faith. The majority of which are Protestants at around 48% in Illinois and around 63% in Iowa. The Roman Catholic Church is by far the biggest denomination ranging from 18% to 34% in varying state locations.  In the Upper Midwest particularly in Minnesota and North and South Dakotas, Lutherans are the most prevalent.  Meanwhile, 15% of Missouri’s populace belongs to the Southern Baptists.

Economy

As the country’s “breadbasket” it is without doubt that agriculture would the region’s biggest economic driver amounting to several billion dollars in exports and thousands of jobs. The Midwest region features some of the world’s richest farming lands. The fertile soil of the region allows farmers to cultivate with much success huge harvests of grain and cereal crops such as wheat, corn, oats and barley.  In terms of finance, Chicago is number one in the Midwest and is third biggest in terms of gross metropolitan product in the country. As a major financial hub, the city is home to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago as well as major financial and futures exchanges.

Restaurants & Nightlife

Parachute – Manned by chef-owners Beverly Kim and Johnny Clark, the duo always comes up with delectable dishes one after the other. Try the Mandu which are thin-skinned Korean dumplings and quit good for duck and minty perilla or you could go for a bit of Italian with fillings of ground pork, ginger and ‘nduja served in a nice pecorino Romano broth.

Ramen House Shinchan – Pretty much on the shortlist of top restaurants between two coasts the reason being is the Tonkotsu, which is considered the most epicurean of ramens – heavy, creamy and filled with heart stopping goodness.

Kuzzo’s Chicken & Waffles – If you are into chicken and waffles, there is no better place to get them than Kuzzo’s. The place is always filled with locals enjoying their light and dark meat chicken affixed with a crunchy and light batter and then stacked with thin cinnamon-spiced waffles.

Fun Things to Do in the US Midwest

For Fans of Nature

Check out Michigan’s Upper Peninsula for gorgeous hiking trails adorned with small lakes and myriad waterfalls just along the curving shoreline of beautiful Lake Superior.  Visit the small town of Munsing to view the 42 mile long Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

For Food Lovers

Want to check out where the best grass-fed beef burgers are? Madison, Wisconsin has earned top honors on “Midwest Living magazine’s list of best food towns because of it.  Check out Great Dane Pub and Brewing Company to sample the burgers. Want to try authentic Afghan cuisine, head on don to Kabul for some ethnic food.

For Lovers of History

Visit Abraham Lincoln’s home located in Springfield, Illinois and check out as well the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.  There is a lot of modern architecture to enjoy in Columbus, Ohio or visit Parke County, Indiana to see for yourself over 30 different covered bridges, the biggest concentration of covered bridges known.

The Midwestern United States truly is a great place to visit.  If you are interested in getting a tattoo, we are only a phone call away. We can’t wait to meet you.