Determining the states most similar to the Southeast 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.
Alabama is centrally located within the South, so it is no surprise that according to the Index, it is the most average state in the Southeast region. Alabama shares traits with both the Gulf Coast states and those further inland. The state borders the Atlantic Ocean, but it has relatively little coastline. Alabama’s demographics, including its racial composition, median age, and education level, is representative of most Southern states. Montgomery, Alabama served as the first capital of the Confederacy during the Civil War. All states in the Southern region once practiced slavery and racial segregation. Like Alabama, these states tend to heavily favor the Republican party.
Outside of states in the Southeast, Oklahoma has the most in common with the region. The state only has slightly more in common with Texas than it does with the Southeast region. Unlike Texas, Oklahoma has a much lower Latino population and therefore has a much lower percentage of Catholics as well. Like many states in the Southeast region, a high percentage of its people are religious. In addition, the state’s representatives are dominated by Republicans, since the state’s people tend to be quite conservative. In the Southeast region and in Oklahoma, agriculture remains a large part of the economy. While Oklahoma is fairly flat, the Ozark Mountains in the northeastern part make its landscape more like the Southeast.
Hawaii has far different demographics, culture, politics, infrastructure and geography from the Southeast region. It has a much higher percentage of Asian people and a lower percentage of White people. In contrast, the Southeast region tends to have a higher percentage of Black people. In addition, the state’s people tend to be much more liberal than what is typical in the Southeast. Hawaii has the highest percentage of people in interracial marriages. In contrast, most states in the Southeast region had banned interracial marriage until the 1967 Supreme Court ruling. Agriculture is a huge part of the economy in the Southeast, but Hawaii relies far more on tourism.
