Does Boulder count as the Midwest? Plus... Colorado/Denver/Boulder has a lot more sex appeal than Des Moines IA or Columbus OH so I’m not surprised it isn’t facing the same salary challenges as the actual Midwest.

Colorado is in the West - Mountain region in the Census ( https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Census_Regions_and_D... ).

It isn't part of the breadbasket / midlands culture ( https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/govbeat/wp/2013/11/08/w... )

It doesn't have the midwest linkages in Facebook ( https://petewarden.com/2010/02/06/how-to-split-up-the-us/ ).

It isn't part of the hopelessly midwestern culture ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3B9iu3QAwM ).

So nope... Colorado isn't midwestern.

Love that last link. As a kid who grew up in the Midwest with a soybean field outside the kitchen window, the song put a wide smile on my face.