Livelihoods in the Northern United States: Diverse Economic Base

The northern U.S. (Midwest, Northeast, Pacific Northwest) supports a varied economy:

• Agriculture: Dairy (Wisconsin, NY), corn/soy (Iowa, Illinois), fruit/veg (Michigan, Washington).
• Forestry & Timber: Logging, sawmills, paper (Maine, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington).
• Manufacturing: Auto (Michigan, Ohio), machinery, aerospace, food processing, steel (Great Lakes).
• Healthcare & Education: Major hospital systems, research universities, biotech hubs (Boston, Twin Cities, Pittsburgh).
• Retail & Services: Urban/suburban commerce, e-commerce logistics.
• Tourism: Niagara Falls, Great Lakes, Adirondacks, White Mountains, Rockies, Pacific Coast.
• Finance & Tech: Chicago (derivatives), Boston (fintech), Seattle (cloud/AI), Minneapolis (payments).
• Construction, Transportation, Energy: Wind (Iowa, Texas), hydro (PNW), rail hubs.

The region's economy is post-industrial but retains strong manufacturing and resource roots.