To some, Starbucks coffee is as essential to life as the air we breathe.

To others, the coffee giant is the evil empire, building their business at the expense of local proprietors who can't compete with the big bullies out of Seattle.

Whichever side of the argument you find yourself, one thing is not open for debate - Starbucks rules the coffee world.

With more than 26,000 locations worldwide, the folks behind the mermaid logo are bringing in billions every year.

Certainly the impact of Starbucks is felt here in South Dakota, like it is just about everywhere in America.

The website Spoon University has put that impact into much greater focus.

At last count in the Mount Rushmore State, there were 25 Starbucks locations (including grocery store counters). That ties us for 46th (out of 50 states and Washington DC) with with Delaware and West Virginia.

Not surprisingly, some of the states with the biggest populations, and the state that brought us Starbucks, have the most locations.

Most Starbucks Locations

1. California - 2,821
2. Texas - 1,042
3. Washington - 757
4. Florida - 694
5. New York - 645

On the other end of the spectrum, Starbucks locations are few and far between in these states.

Fewest Starbucks Locations

51. Vermont - 8
50. North Dakota - 13
49. Wyoming - 23
T 46. South Dakota, Delaware, West Virginia - 25

But the number of locations only tells part of the story. To truly measure Starbucks' reach you need to factor in how many counters there are per capita.

In South Dakota, it's one Starbucks for every 34,752 people. That jumps us up toward the middle of the pack.

Most Starbucks Per Capita

1. Washington DC - 1 for every 7,659 people
2. Washington - 1 for every 9,765 people
3. Oregon - 1 for every 11,545 people
4. Colorado - 1 for every 11,765 people
5. Nevada - 1 for every 11,841 people

Fewest Starbucks Per Capita

47. Alabama - 1 for every 57,459 people
48. North Dakota - 1 for every 60,823 people
49. West Virginia - 1 for every 73,400 people
50. Vermont - 1 for every 78,218 people
51. Mississippi - 1 for every 93,438 people

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