Many of the banks hit hardest by the mortgage meltdown and banking failures are shutting down excess branches, The Wall Street Journal reports.

In 2012, banks and thrifts closed 2,267 branches, dropping the total U.S. bank branch count to 93,000 outlets, the article said. Additionally, the count is expected to drop to 80,000 over the next decade.

The article explains, almost 20% of branch closings last year were located in towns outside the most popular areas in the country.