"Southwesterner" ≠ Texan: Defining the American Southwest

The term "Southwesterner" describes someone from the broader U.S. Southwest region—not exclusively Texas. While Texas is the region's largest and most populous state, the Southwest encompasses a diverse collection of states united by arid climate, desert landscapes, and shared historical threads.

Core Southwestern States

Geographers and cultural historians typically include:

• Arizona – Sonoran Desert, Grand Canyon, Phoenix/Tucson metros
• New Mexico – High desert, Santa Fe's art scene, Native and Hispanic heritage
• Nevada – Mojave Desert, Las Vegas, Basin and Range topography
• Utah – Red rock country, national parks, Salt Lake City
• Colorado – Southern/western portions (San Luis Valley, Mesa Verde)

Debatable Inclusions

Texas: Only West Texas (El Paso, Big Bend) is geographically Southwestern; the rest aligns with the South or Great Plains. Oklahoma: Far western panhandle only. California: Southeastern deserts (Imperial Valley, Coachella) are sometimes included. Tennessee: Not Southwestern by any standard definition—likely an error in some sources.

Unifying Characteristics

The Southwest coheres around: low precipitation, high evaporation, dramatic temperature swings, distinctive flora (saguaro, Joshua tree, creosote), Indigenous Puebloan and Diné (Navajo) cultures, Spanish colonial legacy, and a borderlands history shaped by the 1848 Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

So while all Texans in El Paso are Southwesterners, a Houstonian is not—and a Flagstaff resident is, despite being 1,000 miles from Texas.