Six Midwestern States on the Great Lakes: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin

Of the eight U.S. states bordering the Great Lakes, six are geographically and culturally part of the **Midwest** (U.S. Census Bureau definition):

1. Illinois – Lake Michigan
2. Indiana – Lake Michigan
3. Michigan – Lakes Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie
4. Minnesota – Lake Superior
5. Ohio – Lake Erie
6. Wisconsin – Lakes Superior, Michigan

The two Great Lakes states **not** in the Midwest are:

• New York – Northeast (Lakes Erie, Ontario)
• Pennsylvania – Northeast (Lake Erie)

This distinction matters for regional planning, economic development (Midwest vs. Northeast corridors), federal funding formulas, and cultural identity. The Midwest Great Lakes states share industrial heritage (steel, auto, manufacturing), agricultural hinterlands, and Great Lakes restoration initiatives (GLRI).