The Patchwork American Nation

Many years ago, a book was authored by Joel Garreau entitled The Nine Nations of North America. This book was highly informative and provided a good understanding on the differing regions of the continent. More than a generation later, a new study similar to Garreau's work can be found in the Christian Science Monitor. Entitled Patchwork Nation, the study presents a broad and wide ranging report on the economic and cultural bases of counties across the nation. A thorough study such as this allows one to better understand what individual counties are largely all about. In the Mountain States region, the dominant economic cultural power in counties is described as Evangelical Centers. Most counties in this region, primarily rural but some urban and suburban, can be defined in this manner. Other bases that have a significant presence include Service Work Centers; Tractor Country; and Immigrant Nation. Others that have a small presence include Boom Towns; Campus and Careers; Emptying Nests; Military Bastions; Monied 'Burbs; and Minority Central. It is quite interesting to study this map and what features and attitudes make up each economic-cultural unit and what counties are represented by each. The findings are quite useful in projecting voter behavior in the upcoming general elections.
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http://www.csmonitor.com/patchworknation/
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http://www.massinc.org/index.php?id=417
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