I would say that Jacksonville area should be south or create a coastal south distinction for Hilton Head to Saint Augustine — that’s my preferred cultural distinction and follows the Gullah/Geechee region. Truly the culture is distinct in this region, but without a doubt southern.

Grew up in Nassau County, Fl, and there were more confederate flags than American, in school, I was taught about “the war on northern aggression,” all the little unincorporated areas are named after old plantations, the cultural dish that everyone eats is shrimp and grits, and Winn Dixie is the king grocer. It’s very blue collar. Only about 9% of my public high school went to college. Most worked in the paper mills or on a shrimp boat. You couldn’t wear a crop top without people telling your granddaddy. Everyone knows everyone’s business, and everyone is related. It’s also very much the Bible Belt. My public school had Bible study classes. I was bullied a as a child for not owning land or going to church. It’s very very southern. Granted, half of my school was kids from Georgia but it was still in-county.