States carried by John McCain in 2008 host the fast food chain at a rate of nearly three times as many stores per resident as those won by Barack Obama
The national attention stemmed from the “pro-family” remarks reiterated by the chain’s COO earlier this summer.
It is interesting that Sarah Palin, former governor of Alaska, has been one of the staunchest defenders of the restaurant chain, considering there are no such establishments in her home state.
But while Chick-fil-A has restaurants in 39 states across the country, the restaurant – headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia – is still largely regarded as a southern institution.
In political terms of 2012, that means it is largely a red state restaurant.
But to what degree?
A Smart Politics review of Chick-fil-A store locations from the company’s official website finds there are nearly three times the rate of stores per resident in states carried by John McCain in 2008 as those carried by Barack Obama.
Overall, there are 945 Chick-fil-A restaurants in the 22 “McCain states,” or 9.8 stores per one million residents, compared to 767 in the 28 states carried by President Obama, or 3.6 stores per million residents.
Put another way, there are 276,476 residents for every Chick-fil-A in Obama states compared to 101,679 residents per restaurant in McCain states.
The state with the largest ratio of stores per resident is Georgia, where the chain is headquartered.
With 212 Chick-fil-A stores statewide, Georgia has one store per 45,696 residents.
The next top three states all border Georgia – South Carolina at #2 (1 store per 57,103 residents), North Carolina at #3 (64,867), and Alabama at #4 (72,420).
Rounding out the Top 10 are more southern states: Virginia at #5 (1 per 76,933), Tennessee at #6 (90,659), Texas at #7 (92,788), Maryland at #8 (96,226), West Virginia at #9 (109,000) and Arkansas at #10 (112,151). (Note: Maryland is designated as a southern state in the U.S. Census’ regional classifications).
The top non-southern state on the list comes in at #17 with Colorado from the West (1 per 173,421 residents), with Pennsylvania the top northeastern state at #19 (208,236) and Kansas the top Midwestern state at #20 (237,760).
The Bottom 10 states with at least one restaurant that have the lowest ratio of stores per residents are all Obama states.
California (#31), Illinois (#32), New Hampshire (#33), Minnesota (#34), Massachusetts (#35), Wisconsin (#36), Washington (#37), Michigan (#38), and New York (#39) all come in with a ratio of more than 600,000 residents per one restaurant in their respective states.
Of the 11 states without a Chick-fil-A within their borders, seven were carried by Obama (Connecticut, Hawaii, Maine, Nevada, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont) and four by John McCain (Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota).
Overall, there are 5.6 Chick-fil-A restaurants per one million residents nationwide, or approximately 180,000 Americans for every store.
Ratio of Chick-fil-A Restaurants Per Capita by State
Rank | State | 2008 vote | # Stores | Residents per Store |
1 | Georgia | McCain | 212 | 45,696 |
2 | South Carolina | McCain | 81 | 57,103 |
3 | North Carolina | Obama | 147 | 64,867 |
4 | Alabama | McCain | 66 | 72,420 |
5 | Virginia | Obama | 104 | 76,933 |
6 | Tennessee | McCain | 70 | 90,659 |
7 | Texas | McCain | 271 | 92,788 |
8 | Maryland | Obama | 60 | 96,226 |
9 | West Virginia | McCain | 17 | 109,000 |
10 | Arkansas | McCain | 26 | 112,151 |
11 | Oklahoma | McCain | 33 | 113,677 |
12 | Mississippi | McCain | 26 | 114,127 |
13 | Florida | Obama | 164 | 114,642 |
14 | Louisiana | McCain | 35 | 129,525 |
15 | Delaware | Obama | 6 | 149,656 |
16 | Kentucky | McCain | 27 | 160,717 |
17 | Colorado | Obama | 29 | 173,421 |
18 | Utah | McCain | 15 | 184,259 |
19 | Pennsylvania | Obama | 61 | 208,236 |
20 | Kansas | McCain | 12 | 237,760 |
21 | Indiana | Obama | 27 | 240,141 |
22 | Missouri | McCain | 23 | 260,388 |
23 | Ohio | Obama | 42 | 274,679 |
24 | Arizona | McCain | 23 | 277,914 |
25 | Iowa | Obama | 10 | 304,636 |
26 | New Mexico | Obama | 6 | 343,197 |
27 | New Jersey | Obama | 23 | 382,256 |
28 | Nebraska | McCain | 4 | 456,585 |
29 | Idaho | McCain | 3 | 522,527 |
30 | Wyoming | McCain | 1 | 563,626 |
31 | California | Obama | 59 | 631,423 |
32 | Illinois | Obama | 19 | 675,296 |
33 | New Hampshire | Obama | 1 | 1,316,470 |
34 | Minnesota | Obama | 3 | 1,767,975 |
35 | Massachusetts | Obama | 2 | 3,273,815 |
36 | Wisconsin | Obama | 1 | 5,686,986 |
37 | Washington | Obama | 1 | 6,724,540 |
38 | Michigan | Obama | 1 | 9,883,640 |
39 | New York | Obama | 1 | 19,378,102 |
40 | Alaska | McCain | 0 | — |
40 | Connecticut | Obama | 0 | — |
40 | Hawaii | Obama | 0 | — |
40 | Maine | Obama | 0 | — |
40 | Montana | McCain | 0 | — |
40 | Nevada | Obama | 0 | — |
40 | North Dakota | McCain | 0 | — |
40 | Oregon | Obama | 0 | — |
40 | Rhode Island | Obama | 0 | — |
40 | South Dakota | McCain | 0 | — |
40 | Vermont | Obama | 0 | — |
Table compiled by Smart Politics based on information culled from the official website of Chick-fil-A and 2010 U.S. Census data.
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