Alcohol consumption patterns in the U.S. vary sharply depending on where people live.
Cultural norms, climate, income levels, and access to services all shape how much residents spend on alcoholic beverages. This visualization, via Visual Capitalist's Bruno Venditti, maps alcohol spending per adult across all 50 states.
The data comes from SmartAsset.
Alaska Leads by a Wide Margin
Alaska ranks first, with adults spending nearly $1,250 on alcohol in 2024.
The state’s top position is often linked to isolation, harsh weather conditions, and limited access to healthcare and addiction services. Higher prices due to transportation costs also push up total spending.
| Rank | State | Alcohol spending (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $1,249.76 |
| 2 | Wyoming | $1,237.84 |
| 3 | Colorado | $1,202.45 |
| 4 | Massachusetts | $1,185.54 |
| 5 | Rhode Island | $1,155.82 |
| 6 | New Hampshire | $1,119.73 |
| 7 | Oregon | $1,104.87 |
| 8 | Hawaii | $1,095.34 |
| 9 | Washington | $1,070.99 |
| 10 | Montana | $1,051.01 |
| 11 | Vermont | $1,039.04 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $1,037.31 |
| 13 | Virginia | $1,019.08 |
| 14 | California | $1,001.37 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $994.06 |
| 16 | Maine | $985.08 |
| 17 | Texas | $972.04 |
| 18 | Florida | $959.37 |
| 19 | Minnesota | $954.14 |
| 20 | Nevada | $949.91 |
| 21 | North Carolina | $943.46 |
| 22 | Georgia | $943.08 |
| 23 | Arizona | $881.96 |
| 24 | Connecticut | $875.41 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $838.57 |
| 26 | Missouri | $835.55 |
| 27 | Arkansas | $834.54 |
| 28 | Maryland | $825.88 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $822.97 |
| 30 | Louisiana | $805.73 |
| 31 | Michigan | $805.06 |
| 32 | South Dakota | $804.83 |
| 33 | New York | $804.53 |
| 34 | Iowa | $801.79 |
| 35 | Delaware | $800.65 |
| 36 | Kansas | $800.42 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $795.17 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $793.37 |
| 39 | Pennsylvania | $780.53 |
| 40 | Illinois | $774.28 |
| 41 | Alabama | $754.48 |
| 42 | Indiana | $750.66 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $736.76 |
| 44 | Idaho | $731.29 |
| 45 | Ohio | $704.12 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $693.70 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $690.82 |
| 48 | Mississippi | $641.12 |
| 49 | West Virginia | $616.81 |
| 50 | Utah | $606.42 |
| -- | State Average | $897.57 |
Wyoming and Colorado follow Alaska closely, both exceeding $1,200 per adult.
Regional Alcohol Spending Trends
Many of the highest-spending states cluster in the West and Northeast. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire rank in the top 10, alongside Oregon and Washington.
At the other end of the spectrum, Utah reports the lowest alcohol spending per adult at just over $600. A large religious population and stricter alcohol regulations help keep consumption and spending well below the national average.
Several Southern and Midwestern states, including West Virginia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Oklahoma, also fall near the bottom of the rankings. Cultural attitudes, stricter alcohol regulations, and lower average incomes all help explain these patterns.
If you enjoyed today’s post, check out Mapping Incarceration Rates Across the U.S. on Voronoi, the new app from Visual Capitalist.
