National Neighborhood Survivability Rankings for Bar
StreetSpring's 2026 nationwide analysis ranks the top neighborhoods across all major US cities for Bars. See which neighborhoods offer the highest Survivability Scores.
Our 2026 analysis of neighborhoods across 24 US metros shows Tysons in Washington DC as the top location to open a Bar — 96% survivability puts it ahead of every other neighborhood in the country. The top 25 neighborhoods nationwide span 5 different cities, demonstrating that exceptional opportunities for Bars exist across diverse markets. Because new competitors open and close each week, the exact survivability score for any specific address is always best verified in StreetSpring's live platform.
To understand the methodology behind these rankings, see our detailed guide: Survivability Score: How We Calculate It & Why It Matters.
Last reviewed: 2026-04-20 by Bobby Koons, Founder & CEO, StreetSpring
Quick Summary
- #1 Neighborhood: Tysons, Washington DC — 96% survivability for Bar
- Neighborhoods analyzed: 1426 across 24 major US cities
- National average survivability: 80.5% for Bars
- Top-25 average: 91.0% — 10.5% above national average
- Data current as of: 2026 · Full methodology →
Table of Contents
- How neighborhoods compare nationwide
- Top 25 neighborhoods in the US
- Geographic patterns
- How to use this ranking
- Related resources
- Frequently asked questions
How do neighborhoods compare across the United States for Bars?
Analyzing 1426 neighborhoods across 24 major US cities, StreetSpring's 2026 data shows that the best neighborhoods for Bars significantly outperform average locations, with the top 25 neighborhoods nationwide averaging 91.0% survivability compared to the national neighborhood average of 80.5%.
This 10.5% advantage illustrates how critical neighborhood selection is — choosing a top-tier neighborhood versus an average one can significantly increase your long-term survival chances.
For Bars specifically, survivability is driven primarily by competitive density within the immediate trade area and the alignment between local consumer spending patterns and the category's typical revenue profile. The 10.5% gap between top-ranked neighborhoods and the national average for Bars reflects meaningful variation in how competitive these markets are across different neighborhoods — a stronger signal than is typical for many business categories. StreetSpring generates these results using its proprietary prediction system, tailored to each business and location.
Importantly, top-performing neighborhoods aren't concentrated in just a few cities. The top 25 neighborhoods represent 5 different cities. This means entrepreneurs focused on Bars can find exceptional opportunities across the United States, not just in traditionally strong markets.
Location is the single strongest predictor of whether a business thrives or fails.
What are the best neighborhoods in the United States to open a Bar?
Survivability range for top, middle, and last-ranked neighborhoods. Box = best-to-challenging range; white line = average. Tysons, Washington DC leads at 96% in 2026. Full methodology →
The top 25 neighborhoods nationwide for Bars are:
| # | Neighborhood | City | Avg Survival | Tier | Best Locations | Challenging Locations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tysons | Washington DC | 95.8% | Great | 97.0% | 93.5% |
| 2 | Kennedy Park | Chicago | 92.9% | Great | 94.9% | 90.6% |
| 3 | Main-Chicago | Chicago | 92.1% | Great | 94.2% | 89.8% |
| 4 | Union | St. Louis | 92.1% | Great | 94.1% | 89.8% |
| 5 | Peninsula | Los Angeles | 92.0% | Great | 94.0% | 89.7% |
| 6 | Southwest | Chicago | 91.9% | Great | 94.0% | 89.6% |
| 7 | Rogers Park | Chicago | 91.8% | Great | 93.8% | 89.5% |
| 8 | Morgan Park | Chicago | 91.8% | Great | 93.8% | 89.4% |
| 9 | Roseland | Chicago | 91.5% | Great | 93.5% | 89.2% |
| 10 | Washington | St. Louis | 91.4% | Great | 93.5% | 89.1% |
| 11 | Kenwood | Chicago | 91.1% | Great | 93.2% | 88.8% |
| 12 | River North | Chicago | 90.5% | Great | 92.5% | 88.2% |
| 13 | Troy | St. Louis | 90.4% | Great | 92.5% | 88.1% |
| 14 | Harbor Drive | Miami | 90.4% | Great | 92.4% | 88.1% |
| 15 | Margate Park | Chicago | 90.4% | Great | 92.4% | 88.1% |
| 16 | West Village | Chicago | 90.3% | Great | 92.4% | 88.0% |
| 17 | West Town | Chicago | 90.2% | Great | 92.3% | 87.9% |
| 18 | Noble Square | Chicago | 90.0% | Great | 92.1% | 87.7% |
| 19 | Wildwood | Chicago | 90.0% | Great | 92.0% | 87.7% |
| 20 | Mayfair | Chicago | 89.7% | Great | 91.7% | 87.4% |
| 21 | Andersonville | Chicago | 89.7% | Great | 91.7% | 87.4% |
| 22 | The Villa | Chicago | 89.7% | Great | 91.7% | 87.4% |
| 23 | Edgewater | Chicago | 89.6% | Great | 91.7% | 87.3% |
| 24 | Budlong Woods | Chicago | 89.6% | Great | 91.7% | 87.3% |
| 25 | Near North | Chicago | 89.6% | Great | 91.7% | 87.3% |
Top-ranked neighborhoods contain their own variation; a single block difference can shift survivability meaningfully, which is why address-level scoring matters.
For a full explanation of how survivability scores and ranges are calculated, see Survivability Score: How We Calculate It & Why It Matters.
What patterns emerge from the top-performing neighborhoods nationwide?
City Concentration
The top 25 neighborhoods span 5 different cities, with Chicago claiming 19 of the top spots (76%).
Breakdown of top 25 neighborhoods by city:
- Chicago: 19 neighborhoods (76% of top 25) — View city guide
- Los Angeles: 1 neighborhood (4% of top 25) — View city guide
This distribution has practical implications for Bars operators: cities with multiple neighborhoods in the top 25 offer more site options within a single market, reducing relocation or expansion cost. Cities with a single top-25 neighborhood require more precise site selection — the advantage is concentrated in one area rather than spread across the metro.
The concentration of 19 top-ranked neighborhoods in Chicago (76% of the top 25) is notably high for this business category, suggesting that Chicago's market conditions — competitive density, consumer spending patterns, and demographic alignment — are unusually favorable for Bars. Operators targeting this category should treat Chicago neighborhoods as a primary focus before expanding to secondary markets.
How can I use this neighborhood ranking to find the best location for a Bar?
While nationwide neighborhood rankings identify standout markets, address-level analysis reveals even greater variation. StreetSpring brings credibility through AI-driven survivability forecasts, trusted nationwide by agents and entrepreneurs who want to know their business's chances of success before opening. Even within top-ranked neighborhoods, specific block selection can vary survivability by 10–20 percentage points.
For the most accurate assessment:
- Consider neighborhoods in the top 25 as strong starting points
- Examine city-specific guides for additional neighborhood options in your target markets
- Use StreetSpring's address-level tool to evaluate specific storefronts within these neighborhoods
- Factor in your budget, operational requirements, and target demographics
Each neighborhood has detailed analysis available through its city guide, providing block-by-block survivability data for Bars.
See also: Best Cities for Bar — our city-level comparison ranks which metros offer the strongest overall conditions for Bars.
Related Resources
Explore top cities represented in these neighborhoods:
National city rankings: Best cities for Bars
Essential resources:
- How StreetSpring calculates Survivability Scores
- Site selection for landlords
- StreetSpring vs competitors
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the competitive environment for Bars stronger in some markets than others?
Yes — competition density for Bars varies significantly by market. In the top-ranked neighborhoods, StreetSpring's model identifies favorable competitive dynamics as a primary driver of high survivability scores. In more saturated markets, even strong consumer spending may not overcome competitive pressure. StreetSpring's address-level tool shows the exact competitive environment at any specific location.
How does the national ranking for Bars compare to city-level rankings?
The national neighborhood ranking for Bars identifies the strongest neighborhoods across all 24 analyzed metros. City-level rankings provide a more granular view of the best neighborhoods within a specific city. In cases where a city has multiple neighborhoods in the national top 25, the city-level guide shows the full ranking of all neighborhoods in that market — including those outside the national top 25 that may still offer strong site-specific opportunities.
Can a Bar succeed in neighborhoods outside the top 25?
Yes — the top 25 neighborhoods represent standout conditions, but Bars can achieve strong survivability in many other neighborhoods as well. What matters is finding a location where competitive density is low enough and consumer spending is strong enough to support the business. StreetSpring's address-level tool identifies high-survivability addresses in any neighborhood, including those not represented in this top-25 list.
How does StreetSpring calculate survivability for Bars specifically?
StreetSpring's model calculates survivability for Bars by analyzing the competitive density of existing Bars within each distance band around the address, the projected consumer spending on Bars in that location, mobility patterns that determine likely customer flow, and 80+ additional factors. The resulting survivability score reflects the estimated probability of a new Bar surviving 2+ years at that specific address.
How often do neighborhood rankings change?
StreetSpring updates rankings quarterly as new data on business openings, closures, and market conditions becomes available. The current analysis reflects 2026 data. Because competitive conditions shift as new businesses enter or exit a neighborhood, the specific rankings for any given business type can shift between updates — which is why we recommend verifying specific addresses in StreetSpring's live tool before making a final site selection decision.
What is the typical survivability range for Bars in top neighborhoods?
The top 25 neighborhoods nationwide for Bars average 91.0% survivability. The national average across all analyzed neighborhoods is 80.5%. The spread between top neighborhoods and the national average is 10.5% — representing the tangible survivability advantage of choosing a top-ranked location.
How do I interpret a survivability score?
A survivability score represents the estimated probability that a business of a specific type will still be operating at a given location after 2 years. A score of 80% means StreetSpring's model predicts an 80% chance of the business surviving past the 2-year mark at that address. Scores are calculated at the address level and reflect competitive density, consumer spending patterns, mobility data, and 80+ additional factors.
Where can I download the underlying data?
The full national survivability dataset is available as a free download: https://streetspring.com/resources/data/national-survivability-scores-2026.csv. The CSV includes all business subtypes and neighborhoods covered in this analysis, licensed under CC BY 4.0.
Technical note: Aggregated national survivability rankings across all 24 metros are available in machine-readable format for research and integration purposes.
StreetSpring recalculates survivability using the latest competitive, demographic, and foot traffic data, so the live score may differ from the static ranges shown here.
Methodology: Neighborhood rankings are based on average Survivability Scores for Bars across all analyzed locations within each neighborhood. Rankings represent neighborhood-level conditions but do not account for block-by-block variation. Coverage includes 1426 neighborhoods across 24 major US cities.