The State That Has The Most Walmarts

No matter where you go or how far you drive, you'll almost always come across a Walmart in your travels. If you drive from the East Coast to the West Coast you'll see that familiar big-box store everywhere from huge urban centers to the outskirts of rural developments. With over 4,742 stores in the United States (via Statista), the company seems to serve as some kind of symbol of consumer unity for the American people. People from all walks of life and all regions shop there, making it akin to a modern-day melting pot of cultures and tastes.

Of course, this isn't to say that everyone is welcoming Walmart with open arms. PBS Frontline reports that some small towns tried to fight against the opening of a new Walmart superstore, citing their belief that the corporation will drain local smaller businesses and that citizens will have to foot the bill for Walmart's poor benefits packages. Some can argue that Walmart isn't exactly welcomed as it is an intruder in small towns as it pushes out the competition. Proponents for Walmart, however, argue that the store provides budget goods and services for those in rural areas and can help draw in more people into the area to both shop and work (via Business News Daily).

One location in the United States has an incredible amount of Walmarts — more so than any other state in the nation. But what draws Walmarts to this location?

You may have heard the old saying that "everything is bigger in Texas," and you could apply this to the number of Walmarts in the state, too. According to 24/7 Wall Street, the Lone Star state boasts an incredible 602 locations, serving an enormous population of 29,145,505 Texans. Yet, California has a larger population than Texas (at 39,538,223 Californians) with only half of the number of Walmart stores. Restaurant Dive reasons that Texas has a much more attractive environment for businesses than California, luring chain stores to set up shop in the state to take advantage of no income tax and the somewhat looser business restrictions.

But are there benefits to having the most Walmarts in the country or are there certain negative consequences? A study performed by Texas Tech University sought this very answer. The study focused on the reactions of the Texas towns of Andrews and Lakeway to Walmart. While the town of Andrews seemed to prefer the, the town of Lakeway gravitated more towards smaller, local businesses. Both, however, believed that smaller businesses should offer a combination of "newer products, additional services, and a frequent shopper program" to help attract customers and compete with the superstore.

It seems that Walmart has increased people's expectations of what a business should offer. Customers may also need someplace else to go if they need foods you should never buy from Walmart.