The states that shockingly have the most Dairy Queen restaurants

Texas still has by far the most Dairy Queen restaurants, despite dozens of restaurant closures there in 2025. But North Dakota—not Texas or neighboring Minnesota—has the highest concentration of Dairy Queens per resident.

The difference is bigger than you might expect. A location count from October 2026 identifies 4,175 Dairy Queens across 49 states, while 2025 U.S. Census Bureau population estimates put the chain’s reach into perspective. Texas dominates the first ranking, but the Dakotas take the top two spots in the second.

The 10 states with the most Dairy Queen restaurants

1. Texas — 530 locations
2. Ohio — 257 locations
3. Illinois — 248 locations
4. Minnesota — 207 locations
5. Georgia — 204 locations
6. Indiana — 196 locations
7. Pennsylvania — 177 locations
8. Michigan — 158 locations
9. Florida — 145 locations
10. Kentucky — 139 locations

Texas leads with 530 locations, more than twice Ohio’s 257. Illinois comes close behind Ohio, but fourth-place Minnesota is the first real surprise. Its 207 Dairy Queens put it ahead of much larger states, including Florida and Pennsylvania.

California is an even bigger surprise for a different reason. Despite having the nation’s largest population, it has just 70 listed Dairy Queens—nowhere near the top 10. New York has only 38, fewer than either North Dakota or South Dakota. Both Dakotas have 42 locations apiece.

Kentucky’s 139 restaurants are enough for tenth place, edging out Wisconsin. The results show just how unevenly the chain is distributed across the country: some moderately populated Midwestern states have far more Dairy Queens than the biggest coastal markets.

The 10 states with the most Dairy Queens per capita

For this ranking, each state’s location count is divided by its July 1, 2025 population and multiplied by 100,000. That lets small and large states compete on the same scale. The numbers below are locations per 100,000 residents.

1. North Dakota — 42 locations; 5.25 per 100,000 people
2. South Dakota — 42 locations; 4.49 per 100,000 people
3. West Virginia — 68 locations; 3.85 per 100,000 people
4. Minnesota — 207 locations; 3.55 per 100,000 people
5. Montana — 35 locations; 3.06 per 100,000 people
6. Kentucky — 139 locations; 3.02 per 100,000 people
7. Iowa — 95 locations; 2.93 per 100,000 people
8. Indiana — 196 locations; 2.81 per 100,000 people
9. Nebraska — 53 locations; 2.63 per 100,000 people
10. Oregon — 95 locations; 2.22 per 100,000 people

North Dakota and South Dakota each have 42 Dairy Queens, but North Dakota wins because it has fewer residents. Its rate of 5.25 locations per 100,000 people tops South Dakota’s 4.49. West Virginia moves into third place with 68 restaurants and a rate of 3.85.

Minnesota is the standout among the larger states. It ranks fourth in both lists: 207 Dairy Queens overall and 3.55 per 100,000 residents. Kentucky and Indiana also appear in both top tens, while Montana and Nebraska reach the population-adjusted list with only 35 and 53 locations, respectively.

Texas, by comparison, has about 1.67 Dairy Queens per 100,000 residents—less than one-third of North Dakota’s concentration. California has only about 0.18 per 100,000. Vermont is the only state without a listed Dairy Queen in this snapshot.

The state totals come from StoreLocationData’s October 8, 2026 location report, compiled from Dairy Queen’s public locator. The per-capita figures use the Census Bureau’s Vintage 2025 state population estimates. Store listings can change as restaurants open or close.

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