The US State That Spends The Most (And Least) Per Capita On Alcohol

Have you ever considered how much you spend on alcoholic drinks in a single year? Many Americans enjoy a beer or two on weekends, and that cost really adds up. In 2024, the U.S. spent a total of $228 billion on the private consumption of booze, but populations of certain states imbibed more than others. While the states that consume the most alcohol by gallon per capita have in the past included New Hampshire and Delaware, 2024's big drink spender turned out to be Alaska.

Based on the latest data from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Economic Analysis, via SmartAsset, Alaskan adults spent an average of $1,249.76 on alcohol in 2024. The other states in the top five were Wyoming, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island, respectively. All states in the top five had per-capita alcohol spending rates of over $1,100.

As far as which state drinks the least alcohol, in comparison, the lowest scorer by the gallon was Utah in 2023. The state also took last place in spending in 2024, with only $606.42 spent per adult. In fact, all the states in the bottom five alcohol buyers spent less than $700 per capita annually.

The United States doesn't even crack the top 20 nations that consume the most alcohol, but that doesn't mean our drinking statistics aren't high. Alaska's ranking might still be a bit of a shocker to folks, but some Alaskans on Reddit who viewed the data didn't seem too surprised. A few said the lack of anything to do for fun in small communities played a part in drinking, and that they'd witnessed plenty of heavy drinking by acquaintances. Others did question the data, citing skewed numbers due to the small state population. It's worth noting that Alaska ranked only 10th in actual alcohol consumption per capita by gallon in 2023, according to World Population Review, so the high spending ranking likely has to do with economic factors on top of individual drinking habits.

When considering more deeply why Alaska is tipping back so many, it could come down to a few things. For one, the astonishing price of groceries in rural Alaska means beer and wine carry a higher price tag. Other possible reasons include isolation, lack of access to healthcare and addiction services, and severe climate. Alcohol spending in the state rose 0.56% from the previous year, which could mean that these factors are becoming more significant.

At the other end of the spectrum, given the high percentage of non-drinking religious groups in Utah, that state's ranking might not come as much of a shock either. Strict Utah laws that lower alcohol consumption include precise measurements for shots, grocery stores not selling beer over 5% alcohol by volume, and liquor stores being closed on Sundays. No matter where you live, please drink responsibly, don't drive after consuming alcohol, and keep an eye on your drink spending.