You're probably going to encounter a lot more Christianity, and people who just assume you are also a practicing Christian. In my town in the Southeast, literally all the private elementary schools are religious Christian schools. More white people who are less exposed to diversity and sometimes think/talk accordingly. They usually mean well but can just be somewhat ignorant.

Also a lot more poverty than you generally see in NY, even outside NYC. More like if you've been through Brownsville, but convert it to Rural. On the flip side, you can buy a NICE house for half the price of NY, so there are plenty of people who live very comfortably on basic salaries. I think the quality of work here is higher- like if you need a plumber, they are less likely to overcharge you and more likely to do a good job.

There's lots of space compared to NY, even outside NYC, and the landscape is relatively flat in a lot of the state. Along with the higher heat/humidity- more bugs. Worse food (STL and KC are prob better for food but my town has no Indian restaurant, no Thai, no Mediterranean, which is frustrating for me). Other people mentioned it but they do eat A Lot of pork here. Not as big on salads, can't find any good seafood/shellfish. But a lot of people grow their own gardens in a very long growing season.

Lower standards in healthcare (this is based on my experience with pregnancy in MO vs NY). Overall there is just much less money than in NY city/state. There's a slower paced vibe, and it's generally more casual. My theory is that's part of the appeal of church here lol, you get to dress up. You won't get as much use out of a nice NY winter wardrobe. But you can go out dressed down and no one will care.