Middle Americans
Mainstream U.S. citizens
Middle Americans are people from the American Midwest or, more broadly, those representing mainstream, moderate American values—the conventional middle class between coastal elites and rural poor.
The term often carries political weight, invoking traditional family values and skepticism of progressive change: Politicians love to claim they speak for Middle Americans.
It can be descriptive or dismissive depending on the speaker.
North-central American region
- heartlandCentral region of significance
- rust-beltDeindustrialized American region
- prairieOpen grassy flatland
- OhioMidwestern state, major river
Iowa · Wisconsin · Michigan · Pennsylvania · Kansas · Nebraska · Indiana · small-town
Focused on household relationships
- traditionalFollowing long-held customs
- patrioticDevoted to homeland
- hardworkingCommitted to sustained effort
- self-reliantAble to provide independently
faith · church · community · flag · veterans · apple-pie · potluck · hometown
Acoustic Appalachian folk music
- NASCARStock car sanctioning body
- barbecueSlow-cook over coals
- tailgatingFollowing another vehicle unsafely
- huntingPursuing wild game
fishing · camping · diners · homecoming · 4-H · rodeo · quilting · barn
Unaffiliated persons or entities
Manual laborers as group
- blue-collarManual labor workforce
- votersThose who cast ballots
- electorateEligible voting body
- suburbanitesOutskirt community residents
homeowners · taxpayers · families · commuters · churchgoers · neighbors
Midwest
North-central American region
- heartlandCentral region of significance
- rust-beltDeindustrialized American region
- prairieOpen grassy flatland
Ohio · Iowa · Wisconsin · Michigan · Pennsylvania · Kansas · Nebraska · Indiana · small-town · rural
family-oriented
Focused on household relationships
- traditionalFollowing long-held customs
- patrioticDevoted to homeland
- hardworkingCommitted to sustained effort
self-reliant · faith · church · community · flag · veterans · apple-pie · potluck · hometown · neighborly
bluegrass
Acoustic Appalachian folk music
- NASCARStock car sanctioning body
- barbecueSlow-cook over coals
- tailgatingFollowing another vehicle unsafely
hunting · fishing · camping · diners · homecoming · 4-H · rodeo · quilting · barn · farmhouse
independents
Unaffiliated persons or entities
populist · grassroots · bellwether · pivotal · persuadable
working-class
Manual laborers as group
- blue-collarManual labor workforce
- votersThose who cast ballots
- electorateEligible voting body
suburbanites · homeowners · taxpayers · families · commuters · churchgoers · neighbors
Middle Americanscoastal elites
Prosperous city-dwellers by sea
media elite · intelligentsia · jet set · champagne socialists · cosmopolitans
Middle Americansthe one percent
plutocrats · the poor · old money · Wall Street · the upper class
Middle Americanscounterculture
Rejection of mainstream values
radicals · progressives · bohemians · hippies · activists