I'm from rural Kansas.
Rural areas around New York are much more densely populated and the landscape is totally different with lots of trees and hills, etc.
Kansas on the other hand. Is flat, empty and sparsely populated. You can see for miles in any direction as there are few trees.
The biggest difference for me is the sense of being isolated.
When I'm in "rural" areas on the East I never actually feel like I'm far away from anything.
In Kansas and other rural areas like it.
There's literally nothing but grassland for hundreds of miles. There's more of a feeling of remoteness. You feel more alone.
I actually prefer that haha... It's strangely comforting for me. I guess because I grew up with it.
It looks like this.