The Big Cities and Urban Suburbs score highest for Starbucks and below average for Chick-fil-A. Among Republican-leaning communities only the Exurbs score average on Starbucks, and still below the Big Cities and Urban Burbs, the Starbucks champs. And all the GOP-leaning communities score above average for Chick-fil-A.
Why does that matter? Because it helps show how deeply the red/blue divide cuts through the country. Increasingly Americans not only have different political beliefs, we really do live in different worlds. Niche marketing and self-sorting have created Republican and Democratic brands and stores and that makes it harder for us to relate to one another.
The American Communities Project believes the splits in the country are more complicated than simple red and blue. Socio-economics, education and local culture all play a role in how different places see and experience politics.
But increasingly our communities are also defined by consumer options and choices that define us and push us in with a like-minded crowd — waiting for our lattes or our waffle fries.
Source: americancommunities.org
