The State That Drinks The Most Alcohol In The US, In Total Vs Per Person

A lot of us enjoy a drink now and then, but it turns out that some states like alcohol a little more than their neighbors. According to data from the United States' National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), which has surveyed the drinking habits of Americans for decades, alcohol consumption declined from the early 1980s to the 1990s before a gradual increase occurred. Over the years, drinking habits have changed and even accelerated in the 21st century.

Measured in gallons, the average American's ethanol consumption per capita in 2021 was around 2.5 gallons per year. The NIAAA calculates this figure by measuring the average alcohol content of beer, wine, and spirits against the total volume of those drinks sold. That means the average American consumes about 535 alcoholic drinks per year as measured in "standard drinks." Standard drinks equal out to 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of spirits. That's a lot of drinking in the U.S., but that average level pales in comparison to New Hampshire, the leader in per-capita consumption, and California, which stands as the overall leader in total alcohol consumption.

In the NIAAA's survey, New Hampshire topped out at a stunning 4.43 gallons per person, more than 50% higher than the national average. Delaware was a close runner-up, coming in right behind the Granite State at 4.4 gallons per person. However, California was by far the leader in overall alcohol consumption at 88.6 million gallons, which was almost 30 million more than the runner-up, Texas.

It makes sense that California would be the big outlier in total alcohol consumption given the state's enormous population, but New Hampshire and Delaware's high per-capita levels are both explainable as well. Both states lack sales tax on alcohol and are located near the major metro areas of Boston and Philadelphia. More than likely, their sales data could be skewed by the large number of people crossing the border to stock up on tax-free booze.

Broken down by region, there is not a whole lot of variation across the board. The West drinks the most regionally, at 2.63 gallons per capita, while the South drinks the least at only 2.43 gallons. The biggest state-to-state differences are a little more idiosyncratic. Nevada ranks high on the list, likely due to Las Vegas, while the cold northern and mountain states of Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana, and Colorado are all up there as well, each boasting around 3 gallons per person.

Who drinks the least? That would be Utah, which is unsurprising given the state's strict alcohol laws and large Mormon population — their religion sternly forbids alcohol consumption.