Fans of the hit TV show “The Office” (the American version) may know that May 16, 2023, marks the 10-year anniversary of the show’s finale.
In honor of this arguably momentous occasion – and of one of the most beloved quotes from the show, in which Jim Halpert pranks his office frenemy Dwight Schrute through parody – U.S. News thought it seemed fitting to assess which states are the Best States for bears, beets and “Battlestar Galactica.”
To conduct this critical analysis, data about bear populations, beet production and time spent watching TV was sourced from various government sources.
The U.S. is home to three main species of bears: black bears, brown bears (which include grizzly bears) and polar bears.
Meanwhile, black bears roam in areas including the Pacific Northwest, the upper Midwest, the Rocky Mountains, the South and the Appalachian Mountains. In fact, they reportedly have been recorded in all U.S. states except Hawaii.
The U.S. was the third-largest producer of sugar beets in 2021, according to data from the United Nations, after Russia and France.
Astute “Office” observers may point out that Dwight’s beet farm, aka Schrute Farms, appears to specialize in the reddish beet variety instead of white sugar beets that are typically processed for sugar.
‘Battlestar Galactica’
“Battlestar Galactica” originally started as a television series, but has been adapted into movies, books and games.
According to the federal government’s American Time Use Survey, people in West Virginia may be the most likely to have seen a TV series like “Battlestar Galactica” or “The Office,” as they spent an average of 3.82 hours each day watching TV shows or movies between 2015 and 2019 – the latest period for which such state-level data is available. West Virginia is followed by Alabama (3.58 hours) and Arkansas (3.38 hours).
Meanwhile, Alaskans spent the least amount of time consuming TV shows and movies at an average of 1.85 hours each day, followed by people in Utah (1.97 hours) and Washington (2.31 hours).
Pennsylvania, where “The Office” is set, did not rank in the top 3 for bears, beets or for time watching shows like – potentially – “Battlestar Galactica.” It’s a statement of fact.
Of course, while data on beets and bears may not be relevant to all readers, the U.S. News Best States rankings consider more universally applicable metrics in areas such as health care, education and the economy (paper company-inclusive).
The rankings are a resource that aims to allow readers to see where their state is doing well and where their state may have room for improvement. Check out the 2023 Best States rankings to learn more.