This may not be a shocker since Las Vegas is known to be one of the best party cities in America, if not the world. But we Nevadans drink more booze per person than 47 other states in the nation. Should we be proud of that fact…or a little embarrassed?
Don’t get me wrong. There’s nothing I like better than crackin’ open a few cold ones after our team plays hockey on Wednesday nights, or while I’m watching the Vegas Golden Knights at one of our favorite hangouts. And apparently, I’m not the only one. Now, do we rank so high in this survey because of all the visitors who come to Vegas, Reno, Laughlin, and other tourist spots in our state, who are running up the bar tab? Most likely.
And what is America’s favorite alcoholic beverage? It is beer, by a wide margin. According to an article written by Vinepair Staff on Vinepair.com, 7.9 billion (that’s billion with a “B”) gallons of the bubbly stuff was consumed by Americans in 2020. That same year, the people in our nation enjoyed 931 million gallons of wine, and about 635 million gallons of spirits.
Per the Vinepair.com article, the states which consume the highest amount of alcoholic beverages overall are the most populous states in the nation; California, Texas, Florida, New York, and Illinois. States such as Wyoming, South Dakota, and Alaska, a few of our country’s least populated states, consume the least amount of booze.
However, when it comes to the amount of booze per person (per capita), the information from this article shows us that a lot of these sparsely populated states, especially in the colder climates, certainly like their adult beverages. You can scroll down and see the top ten states in the U.S.A. which consume the most booze per capita. (By the way, the District of Columbia ranked third in this category, but I removed them from the list since that is not a state.) Cheers!
10) Wyoming
Residents of the “Cowboy State” rank tenth in the U.S.A., averaging just under 3 gallons of booze per person. However, Wyoming came in dead last when counting the total number of gallons consumed. That figures, considering it is our nation’s least populated states.
9) Colorado
Colorado’s state song, “Rocky Mountain High,” can be taken literally, since they rank ninth for most booze consumed per capita. They ranked 16th when counting total number of gallons of alcohol consumed.
8) Maine
I used to live in New England, and it always surprised me that Maine’s motto was “Vacationland.” They only have about 2 months of summer. It is a beautiful state though. Maine ranked 37th in total gallons of booze consumed.
7) Wisconsin
“America’s Dairyland” is famous for being one of the leading producers of delicious cheese. They are also known for having some of the most permissive alcohol laws in the U.S.A., according to Wikipedia.com. That may account for this state ranking 7th in the nation for most booze consumed per person, and 14th overall in total number of gallons downed.
6) Vermont
I went to high school and college in this beautiful state. I’ll tell ya, there isn’t much to do there, unless you love snow sports like skiing and snow boarding. So, once you hit the legal drinking age, you pretty much do your best to stay warm…and entertained. The “Green Mountain State” ranks 6th in this study, with an average of 3.22 gallons of booze consumed per person.
5) North Dakota
I have never lived in or even visited North Dakota, but I am guessing it is a lot like other sparsely populated states in our nation. Not much to do, especially during a long, long winter which can last 6 or 7 months. The northernmost of the Great Plains states, they rank 5th in this survey at 3.26 gallons of alcohol consumed per person, and 46th overall in total gallons downed.
4) Montana
Here’s another sparsely populated state that endures long, cold winters. The folks in “Big Sky Country” like to stay warm by enjoying a few hot totties during those winter months, as residents averaged consuming 3.32 gallons of booze per person. Montana ranked 43rd overall in total number of gallons downed.
3) Nevada
I don’t know if we Nevadans should be proud of this ranking, or a bit embarrassed. Either way, I know I love to relax with a few cold ones on the weekend, so let’s celebrate our bronze medal finish. According to this study, we average 3.43 gallons of alcohol per person. We’re ranked right about in the middle in total gallons consumed overall at #26.
2) Delaware
The second smallest state in America in terms of land mass behind only Rhode Island, Delaware claims the runner-up title in this study with an average alcohol consumption just over four gallons per capita. However, they ranked 40th overall in total gallons of booze consumed.
1) New Hampshire
And the winner is…New Hampshire?? Another cold, but beautiful, New England state, with a long winter season. Residents of “The Granite State” consume an average of nearly 5 gallons of booze per person! I guess their state motto of “Live Free or Die” may mean they are ready to order another round of drinks. Actually, that inflated number may be due to the fact that there is no sales tax in New Hampshire, so residents from nearby states like Maine, Vermont, and Massachusetts, might be crossing over the state line to stock up on adult beverages. Cheers!
