Post-Apocalyptic Midwestern World

Hello my friends! As the weather starts to cool down and the days grow shorter, I am becoming increasingly excited for fall and all its festivities. I am currently reading The Road by Cormac McCarthy, which is a very good fall book and post-apocalyptic story - prefect for Halloween. It has reminded me of how much I enjoy apocalypse media. Some examples include The Walking Dead (2010 - 2022), The Last of Us (2023 -), Train to Busan (2016), and 28 Days Later (2002). I have also been told I would enjoy the Mad Max series, but I have yet to watch.

Reading The Road has inspired me to write a blog on if the Midwest would be an ideal place to camp out during an apocalypse. While there are many different ways an apocalypse can come about, I am going to focus on the general criteria of a post-apocalyptic society as we see in the media.

1. A catastrophic event occurred, causing destruction and change. This could be disease, environmental catastrophes, nuclear war, and other destructive events.

2. Federal governments have fallen. Apocalypses are a global event.

3. Most people have died, and survivors must scavenge for or build their own resources.

4. Lack of running water, acquit shelter, and natural resources like gas and oil. No heating, air conditioning, or electricity.

Okay, now that we've set the general conditions of the apocalypse (technically, the post-apocalypse), let's dive into if the Midwest would be a good place to live. First, let's look at the population density in the United States. According to World Population Review, on average, the population density is 93.29 people per square mile. Here's the population density per Midwestern state (as of the 2020 census):

1. Ohio: 292 people/sq mi

2. Illinois: 230 people/sq mi

3. Indiana: 195 people/sq mi

4. Michigan: 180 people/sq mi

5. Wisconsin: 111 people/sq mi

6. Missouri: 91 people/sq mi

7. Minnesota: 63 people/sq mi

8. Iowa: 58 people/sq mi

9. Kansas: 37 people/sq mi

10. Nebraska: 26 people/sq mi

11. South Dakota: 12 people/sq mi

12. North Dakota: 12 people/sq mi

In an apocalypse, you do NOT want to be in a highly populated area, since there is a higher risk of catching disease and violent conflicts. In terms of the entire Midwest region, the population density is, overall, lower than other regions like the East Coast, West Coast, and Florida (yes, Florida is its own region in this case). In a post-apocalyptic society, some Midwestern states prove ideal in terms of avoiding highly populated areas. Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota have lower population density per square mile than the US average. However, avoiding Midwestern cities and the surrounding areas like Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Columbus, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Kansas City, and Minneapolis is recommended. You definitely do not want to camp out there.

US Population Density. Sourced from USAMap.net.

While avoiding highly populated areas, it is just as important to make sure you are somewhat near places like hospitals in order to get medical supplies if you do not have any. In the Midwest, Illinois (134), Ohio (143), Indiana (101), and Michigan (101) have the highest number of hospitals, while Nebraska (28), South Dakota (23), and North Dakota (9) have the lowest number of hospitals (American Hospital Directory). In my opinion, Wisconsin, Missouri, Minnesota, and Iowa, are good middle grounds; they have lower population densities while still having a good number of hospitals throughout the state.

Do not be mistaken, Midwestern states have most of their populations contained within a few counties. For example, most of Illinois' population is in Cook County and DuPage County. The rest of the state is farmland and a few small cities like Peoria and Springfield. In terms of population density, this means that the Midwest is generally a good region to camp out as long as you avoid highly populated areas and make sure you have medical supplies or are near a small hospital.

In terms of agriculture and ability to grow crops for survival, the Midwest is the best in the country. The main reasons for why Midwestern soil is ideal are listed below (Jones, 2025):

1. The soil has high organic matter content, meaning it "provides nutrients, improves soil structure, and supports beneficial microorganisms."

2. Ideal pH for crops to grow: 6.0-7.5 pH

3. Great drainage and aeration

4. High in nutrients like potassium, nitrogen, and phosphorus.

5. Diverse ecosystem of microorganisms which "play a crucial role in decomposing organic matter, fixing nitrogen, and fighting plant diseases."

The climate is another reason why the Midwest is a good place to grow crops. Warm summers allow for acquit sunlight, and, on average, there is not too much or too little annual rainfall.

As all of you probably know, corn and soybeans are the most grown crops in the Midwest. However, crops like apples, blueberries, green beans, asparagus, cabbage, carrots, onions, peaches, cucumbers, oats, and grapes also thrive in the Midwest. The variety of crops able to grow in the Midwest is another reason why the Midwest can be a good place to live post-apocalypse. Individuals need to grow their own food because there is only a limited supply of canned goods and foods that have been preserved. Illinois, Iowa, Nebraska, and Kansas are the best states in the Midwest to grow crops because of soil quality and climate. However, all Midwestern states largely attribute to the country's food supply. For example, Wisconsin is the top producer of cranberries and the third largest producer of potatoes in the country. Michigan provides the nation with a variety of fruits: peaches, apples, and blueberries. Wheat also thrives in Indiana, and Illinois is the top producer of pumpkins (I learned this surprising fact a few days ago).

In terms of agriculture, all Midwestern states are great to live in. This is a really important contributor to why the Midwest is a good region to live in post-apocalyptic society. Having a good food supply is one of the most important factors if you want to survive.

Sourced from Indiana Environmental Reporter.

Speaking of food supply, the Midwest is also a good region for hunting if you have weapons like guns or arrows. Deer, turkey, waterfowl, and squirrels are all abundant hunting game in the Midwest. All Midwestern states are good for hunting, but Wisconsin, Michigan, and Minnesota are best because of their high deer and turkey populations. In the Great Lakes region, fishing is also an option for food.

Another important factor to consider when thinking about a post-apocalyptic society is the weather. We all know how hot the summers can get and how cold the winters become in the Midwest. In addition, tornadoes are common in all Midwestern states except Michigan, South Dakota, and North Dakota. This is the Midwest's biggest flaw if an apocalypse occurs. There is no electricity, so there is no air conditioning or heating. In the summer, it's easily possible to survive if one stays hydrated and is not in the sun for long periods of time. The Midwest summers get hot, but not as bad as other regions of the United States. However, access to fresh water is a necessity, which I'll talk about later. Survival in the winter is a totally different story. Not only is there a lack of food, but staying warm is hard to do if you do not have appropriate clothing or shelter.

When it comes to the Midwestern winters, the worst states to be in are North and South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Kansas and Missouri are the best states to be in during the winter, but there is a large degree of uncertainty. Some days can be very cold and some very hot. You would have to have a range of supplies to prepare for hot weather and cold weather.

Annual snowfall in South Dakota is approx. 39 inches. Image taken by Mandi Greenway Bietz. Data from NCICS.

For the summer, it is the exact opposite, Kansas and Missouri have the hottest summers, and North and South Dakota, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota are cooler. No matter the state, having a supply of water is very important. Coming across freshwater lakes or building a well can help with this. As I've talked about in my blog about the Ogallala Aquifer, Nebraska, Kansas, and southern South Dakota are pretty great places to build wells. Technically, you can build a well almost anywhere, but the supply of groundwater in the Ogallala Aquifer region is large. As for freshwater lakes, all of the states that boarder Lake Michigan are ideal. Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin all have an abundance of lakes and ponds that apocalypse survivors can access.

When it comes to surviving Midwestern weather, you just have to make sure you have enough supplies, which, in post-apocalyptic society, is difficult. Shelter is very important in the winters, and water is important in the summers. I cannot necessarily gauge the ability to have shelter in each Midwestern state, but I can confidently say that wooded areas are probably ideal. The trees can provide a canopy and structure to build a place to stay dry. You will also have access to wood to build fires in order to stay warm. If you are in North Dakota or Minnesota, flat states with heavy snowfall, you will have a difficult time building acquit shelter. Even though the winters are tough in Michigan and Wisconsin, these two states have a lot of woodland: great for shelter and access to firewood.

Overall, I think that the Midwest would be a good place to live after an apocalypse. It's fertile soil and high hunting game populations allow for a good chance to access food. There are a good number of lakes and ponds as well, allowing for the collection of fresh water. Avoiding highly populated areas can be easily done as long as you have a map and know where you are. As for the weather, survivors have to be prepared for both heat and cold by having enough food, water, and shelter.

If an apocalypse happens, I hope you find yourself staying in the Midwest. I also hope you enjoyed this blog and found it insightful and interesting! Thank you for reading, and I will see you next week.

Cover image from The Walking Dead, Season 2.