Wisconsin Bar Stats: Industry Data & Trends

Wisconsin’s Bar Industry at a Glance

How many bars are in Wisconsin? It’s a question that comes up often, and the answer surprises most people. Wisconsin has long held a reputation as one of America’s great drinking states. From taverns and supper clubs to craft breweries and dive bars, the Badger State’s bar culture is woven into its identity. Here are the numbers that tell the story.

Bar Density

When people ask how many bars in Wisconsin there are, the per capita number tells the real story. Wisconsin consistently ranks among the states with the most bars per capita. With 5,892,539 residents and 2,716 drinking establishments, that works out to:

Wisconsin Population

Wisconsin Restaurants (Comparison)

Craft Breweries

Wisconsin’s craft beer scene has exploded over the past decade. Here’s the current count from the Open Brewery DB, a live, community-maintained database:

National Comparison

How does Wisconsin stack up against the rest of the country in terms of bars per capita? With an estimated 2,716 bars serving a population of 5,892,539, Wisconsin consistently ranks among the highest states for bars per capita. Multiple analyses of Census data have placed Wisconsin at or near the very top, often cited at roughly 46 bars per 100,000 residents, well above the national average.

For context, California, with roughly seven times Wisconsin’s population, has a comparable total number of bars, a testament to the Badger State’s uniquely deep tavern culture.

Historical Context

Wisconsin’s bar culture runs deep, rooted in German and immigrant tavern traditions that date back to the 1800s. The state’s unique laws, including allowing minors in bars (with restrictions), mean many restaurants and grills operate under “bar” licenses, inflating the count compared to other states.

The tavern industry has also faced headwinds: changing consumer habits, stiff drink taxes, and post-pandemic staffing challenges. Yet Wisconsin’s bar density has remained remarkably stable.

About This Data

This page is updated monthly using publicly available data from the U.S. Census Bureau (County Business Patterns, American Community Survey, Population Estimates Program), the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Open Brewery DB.

Brewery counts via Open Brewery DB are a live snapshot of their current database and may not represent every active brewery in Wisconsin. Census data reflects the most recent annual release (CBP 2022) and typically lags by 1-2 years. National comparisons based on published analysis of Census CBP data by WisContext and PBS Wisconsin.

Sources cited: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns (NAICS 722410, 722511, 312120), Population Estimates Program, Open Brewery DB (openbrewerydb.org). Bar density comparisons based on published Census analysis.