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A group has been collecting data across the United States to compare the number of bars across the country compared to the number of grocery stores.
FloatingSheep began collecting the information in 2008 and compiled the “Beer Belly of America.” The group, which has mapped everything from racist tweets to the best pizza in America, were actually surprised at the comparison of grocery to bars in the country. Initially they had expected grocery stores to outnumber bars, but they discovered what they call the beer belly.
“Starting in Illinois, the beer belly expands up into Wisconsin and first spreads westward through Iowa/Minnesota and then engulfs Nebraska, and the Dakotas before petering out (like a pair of love handles) in Wyoming and Montana,” reads the findings.
On average there are 1.52 bars for every 100,000 people in the U.S. with the highest number of bars in North Dakota. The top five states for bars per capita are:
| Rank | State | Bars per 10,000 Population |
| 1 | North Dakota | 6.54 |
| 2 | Montana | 6.34 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 5.88 |
| 4 | South Dakota | 4.73 |
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