As I was watching New Year’s Eve celebrations across the country play out on national TV, I wondered, are there pockets of our nation that consume more than others?  So, I did a bit of research, and I discovered that there are, in fact, states that consume more than others per capita. 

For example, the average adult in Alaska spends twice as much on alcohol annually than the average adult in Utah.  Probably not a shock to most of you. But one must take in the high cost of living and expensive transportation of goods to Alaka significantly raises the price of alcohol. Even if consumption was equal in these two states, Alaskans spending would be higher. 

These rankings are primarily derived from the data collected and published by the National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a division of the National Institute on Health (NIH), which compiles statistics on “Apparent Per Capita Alcohol Consumption” based on beverage sales. 

Here’s the Top Ten:

1. New Hampshire 4.67 Gallons Consumed Per Capita
2. Delaware 3.52 Gallons
3. Nevada 3.42 Gallons
4. North Dakota 3.16 Gallons
5. Montana 3.10 Gallons
6. Vermont 3.06 Gallons
7. Idaho 2.94 Gallons
8. Wisconsin 2.93 Gallons
9. Colorado 2.88 Gallons
10. Alaska 2.85

Now, even though Alaska ranks #10 in consumption, they rank #1 in spending per capita.  New Hampshire is influenced by lower taxes and neighboring states crossing the border, like Massachusetts, for lower prices.

States with high tourism, like Nevada, see their per capita sales increase inflated by visitors.

As you can see, the story behind alcohol consumption is more layered than simple rankings. Cost of living, tourism, cross-border shopping, and even how data is collected all influence how each state lands on the list. These numbers offer an interesting snapshot, but they don’t necessarily reflect the habits or culture of the people who actually live there.

What they do reveal is how diverse our country is when it comes to lifestyle, access, and economic factors. The next time you see statistics about alcohol use, it’s worth taking a moment to look beyond the headline and consider what might be contributing behind the scenes.