Special Report

States With the Most (and Fewest) Fast Food Restaurants Per Person

Susan Vineyard / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

It’s no secret that Americans – in common with most populations around the world these days – love fast food. 

According to statistics updated this month by The Barbecue Lab, 83% of American families eat fast food at least once a week; a third of all Americans are eating it on any given day; the average U.S. household spends 10% of its annual income on fast food; and regular fast food consumption increases 2.2% every year.

Then there are the other statistics – the ones that tie frequent consumption of burgers, tacos, pizza, fried chicken, sugary drinks, etc., to obesity, cardiovascular problems, type 2 diabetes, and even depression. But let’s not get into that.

The fact is, fast food tends to satisfy our cravings for salt, sugar, and fat – and it’s cheap, convenient, and, well, fast. Having it once in a while probably won’t do us any lasting damage.

It’s clear from the distribution of fast food chain outposts around the country, though, that the residents of some states enjoy it more often than others. Chain-unfriendly zoning laws, regional health-consciousness, and culturally ingrained dietary habits probably all come into play, but some parts of the country are home to considerably more fast food places than others. (These are the fast food capitals of America.)

Click here to see the states with the most (and fewest) fast food restaurants per capita

To determine the states with the most and fewest fast food restaurants per 10,000 people, 24/7 Tempo reviewed a study conducted by the sports betting site Betsperts. The site began with a list of the 30 largest fast food chains according to Wikipedia, then used Data Infiniti to determine the number of locations of those chains per 10,000 people in each state. The most popular chain in every state was calculated using Google Keyword Planner. (For a more granular breakdown, these are the favorite fast food restaurants in 30 U.S. cities.)

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

Vermont
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 1.9
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

[in-text-ad]

ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images

New Jersey
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 2
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

Mississippi
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 2.1 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Chick-fil-A

TomasSereda / iStock via Getty Images

New York
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 2.1 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

[in-text-ad-2]

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

Connecticut
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 2.4
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

Rhode Island
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 2.5
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

[in-text-ad]

troutnut / iStock via Getty Images

Alaska
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 2.6
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

aiisha5 / iStock via Getty Images

Washington
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.1 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

Maine
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.1 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

[in-text-ad-2]

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

Massachusetts
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.1 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

New Hampshire
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.2 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

[in-text-ad]

ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images

Pennsylvania
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.2 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

okimo / iStock via Getty Images

Hawaii
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.2 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

Florida
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.3
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

[in-text-ad-2]

DenisTangneyJr / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

North Dakota
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.6 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images

Utah
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.6 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

[in-text-ad]

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

Oregon
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.6 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

choness / iStock via Getty Images

California
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.6 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

Gian Lorenzo Ferretti Photography / E+ via Getty Images

Minnesota
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.7
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

[in-text-ad-2]

vkbhat / E+ via Getty Images

Idaho
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.6 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

Jon Bilous / iStock via Getty Images

Montana
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.6 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

[in-text-ad]

Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images

Maryland
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 3.9
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

milehightraveler / iStock via Getty Images

Colorado
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.0 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

pawel.gaul / E+ via Getty Images

Michigan
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.0 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

[in-text-ad-2]

marchello74 / iStock via Getty Images

Wisconsin
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.0 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

ChrisBoswell / iStock via Getty Images

Delaware
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.1 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

[in-text-ad]

DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images

Wyoming
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.1 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

Barbara Smyers / iStock via Getty Images

Texas
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.3 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

New Mexico
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.3 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

[in-text-ad-2]

DenisTangneyJr / E+ via Getty Images

South Dakota
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.3 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

Virginia
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.3 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

[in-text-ad]

DenisTangneyJr / iStock via Getty Images

Louisiana
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.4
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images

North Carolina
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.5 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Chick-fil-A

franckreporter / E+ via Getty Images

Illinois
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.5 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

[in-text-ad-2]

4kodiak / E+ via Getty Images

Arizona
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.6
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

Kentucky
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.7 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

[in-text-ad]

f11photo / iStock via Getty Images

Nevada
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.7 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

espiegle / iStock via Getty Images

Ohio
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.7 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

Arkansas
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.7 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

[in-text-ad-2]

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

Kansas
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.7 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

Ron and Patty Thomas / E+ via Getty Images

Iowa
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.7 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

[in-text-ad]

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

South Carolina
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.8
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

SeanPavonePhoto / iStock via Getty Images

Georgia
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.9 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: Chick-fil-A

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

Missouri
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 4.9 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

[in-text-ad-2]

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

Indiana
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 5.0
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images

Tennessee
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 5.2
> Most popular fast food chain: Starbucks

[in-text-ad]

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

West Virginia
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 5.3 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

Sean Pavone / iStock via Getty Images

Oklahoma
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 5.3 (tie)
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

Davel5957 / iStock via Getty Images

Nebraska
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 5.4
> Most popular fast food chain: McDonald’s

[in-text-ad-2]

Kruck20 / iStock via Getty Images

Alabama
> Fast food restaurants per 10,000 residents: 6.3
> Most popular fast food chain: Chick-fil-A

Essential Tips for Investing (Sponsored)

A financial advisor can help you understand the advantages and disadvantages of investment properties. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.

Investing in real estate can diversify your portfolio. But expanding your horizons may add additional costs. If you’re an investor looking to minimize expenses, consider checking out online brokerages. They often offer low investment fees, helping you maximize your profit.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.