I lived in Kentucky and Ohio for 12 years....it was horrible. Like you said, between politics and religion, it's difficult to find anyone to relate to, much less become friends with. That twin whammy permeates everything. I found it very depressing, and never found a way to deal with it, although I tried several times. I'm so glad I moved back to California!

Thankfully, I do not live in the south.

I feel your pain in Georgia. I actually just posted on this. I recommend checking out meetups and possibly some Facebook groups