Determining the states most similar to the North New England region requires considering various social, cultural, economic, and political factors. One way to answer this complex question is by analyzing the data from the State Similarity Index. The index attempts to quantify how similar states are to each other relative to other states, using a variety of statistics from five broad categories: demographics, culture, politics, infrastructure, and geography.
According to the Index, Maine is the most average state in the North New England region. The state offers a mix of coastal areas, mountains, and forests, reflecting the region’s overall diversity. Like Vermont and New Hampshire, the state is primarily rural and does not have many large cities. All three states have demographics that tend to be much older and whiter than the rest of the country. These states also do not have strict gun laws, even though they tend to be politically moderate. Furthermore, Maine, like the rest of the region, is not especially religious.
Outside of the three states in the North New England region: Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, Connecticut has the most traits in common with North New England. Although Connecticut is more densely populated than these states, its landscape is quite similar. All four states were originally part of the New England Colony, so they share a common colonial history and cultural heritage. As a result, these states tend to have similar political beliefs, although Connecticut has more gun control laws.
The data shows that Texas is the least similar state to the North New England region. While Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire are densely forested and quite mountainous, Texas features vast plains with many animal pastures and farmlands. Their climates are different as well. The climate in Texas is hotter and drier. In addition, Texas is more ethnically diverse, with a large Hispanic population. Another big difference is that people in North New England tend to be more liberal than people in Texas, so they fewer politicians from the Republican Party.