Kalamazoo almost grabbed the #1 spot in America for beer lovers.  The 3 cities that beat us may surprise you.

A major factor in this study is the number of breweries / number of people ratio according to Apartmentguide.com,

This list was calculated by taking every city in the U.S. with a population of more than 50,000, and which contains at least five breweries according to the Brewers Association and ranking the number of breweries per 100,000 residents.

With a population of 76,545 and more than 16 breweries and brewpubs, Kalamazoo ranked #4 in the nation in this study.  The study credits Bell's Brewery for kicking this whole thing off,

Any discussion of beer in The 'Zoo must begin with Bell's Brewery, a famous staple opened way back in 1985 with a single 15-gallon soup pot.

The success of Bell's ushered in a brewery revolution that's made the Kalamazoo/Grand Rapids region one of the most important in craft beer. The city offers a selection of other well-known large craft breweries from Bell's to Arcadia Brewing Company to Latitude 42 Brewing, as well as smaller outlets like Tibbs Brewing Company and One Well Brewing.

Another major factor in Kalamazoo's high ranking is the cost of living.  Kalamazoo is the most affordable city to live in their top 10 list with an average rent of $790 a month for a one-bedroom apartment.

Speaking of that top 10 list.  Here's the full list.

The 10 Best Cities for Beer Lovers in the U.S.

#10. Pensacola, Florida

#9  Fort Collins, Colorado

#8.  Greenville, South Carolina

#7.  Leesburg, Virginia

#6.  Vista, California

#5.  Boulder, Colorado

#4.  Kalamazoo, Michigan

#3.  Bend, Oregon

#2.  Portland, Maine

#1.  Asheville, North Carolina


 

Three other cities in Michigan made the top 50:

#18 Grand Rapids

#35  Ann Arbor

#43  Royal Oak

Get the full Top 50 ranking by clicking here.

 

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