Ohio has once again become the internet’s favorite punchline, as a fresh wave of TikTok memes poking fun at the Midwestern state continues to gain momentum. Despite its unassuming reputation, the Buckeye State has become a cultural fixture in online humor, particularly among younger users.
The phenomenon dates back to 2016, when a viral Tumblr post first cast Ohio in a surreal, humorous light. The meme, titled “Ohio vs. the World,” featured an ominous digital marquee reading “Ohio will be eliminated.” Posted by user @screenshotsofdespair, the image fueled a running joke that Ohio was secretly plotting global domination—a concept that resonated with internet users and sparked a growing wave of ironic content.
Over time, the Ohio meme evolved. By 2020, new iterations emerged, including the popular “Wait, It’s All Ohio? Always Has Been,” which depicts two astronauts in space, one holding a gun, staring back at Earth and realizing it’s entirely Ohio. The meme quickly became a template for absurdist humor.
Other viral formats followed suit. Phrases like “Can’t Even X in Ohio” and “Ohio Final Boss” inserted the state into increasingly bizarre scenarios. The most recent trend involves captions such as “so Ohio” or “only in Ohio,” typically paired with bizarre images or videos that suggest strange occurrences are routine in the state.
According to the meme documentation site Know Your Meme, this trend has effectively transformed Ohio into a symbol of internet absurdity. The site describes the state’s digital persona as “an American middle place,” characterized by “a capitalist wasteland of chaos and mayhem,” comparable to urban legends and internet folklore. In this imagined landscape, Ohio serves as a microcosm of eerie Americana, similar to places like Breezewood, Pennsylvania.
Despite the online portrayal, Ohio is statistically among the most “normal” states in the U.S. However, its reputation on TikTok suggests otherwise.
The numbers back up the trend’s popularity. On TikTok, the hashtag #Ohio has amassed more than 33 billion views, while #OnlyInOhio has garnered over 3 billion. In some cases, users have begun creating meta content—memes about Ohio memes—cementing the concept as a self-sustaining cultural joke.
The meme’s staying power reflects broader trends in Gen Alpha slang and humor. Terms like “fanum tax,” “grimace,” and “rizz” now share space with “Ohio” in the ever-evolving online lexicon. As digital culture continues to shift, it seems that, for now, the internet’s joke about Ohio is far from wearing thin.
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