In this article, we are going to discuss the 10 drunkest cities in America in 2023. If you want to check out our detailed analysis of the economic cost of excessive drinking, the effects of Covid-19 on drinking habits, the pharmaceutical treatment for heavy drinking, and the workplace drinking culture, head to 30 Drunkest Cities in America in 2023.
10. Austin, TX
Excessive Drinking Rate: 21.4%
Austin is known for being the Live Music Capital of the World where there’s always something going on and festivals every weekend, and all of the activities usually involve alcohol. The Hippy Haven is among the top 10 drunkest cities in America.
9. Portland, OR
Excessive Drinking Rate: 21.4%
The Oregon Health Authority launched the statewide “Rethink the Drink” campaign last year, which called attention to the harms caused by excessive alcohol consumption and asked Oregonians to consider the role of alcohol in their lives.
A 2019 study by EcoNorthwest put the cost of excessive drinking in Oregon at $4.8 billion, half of which was due to lost productivity.
8. Sacramento, CA
Excessive Drinking Rate: 21.6%
Excessive drinking during the Covid-19 pandemic increased alcoholic liver disease deaths so much that the condition killed more Californians than car accidents or breast cancer. Sacramento is the drunkest city in the Golden State.
California is the state where people drink the most in the U.S., with 85.7 million gallons consumed in 2020.
7. New Orleans, LA
Excessive Drinking Rate: 21.9%
In New Orleans, the party hasn’t actually started in a long time simply because the party never ends and the bars never close. The city is home to a large number of 24/7 fine drinking establishments.
6. Pittsburgh, PA
Excessive Drinking Rate: 22.5%
Pittsburgh is quickly becoming a beer and spirit destination and around 25% driving deaths in the city involve alcohol. In Pennsylvania, excessive alcohol use costs around $8.3 billion, or $1.81 per drink.
5. Chicago, IL
Excessive Drinking Rate: 22.7%
A number of community organizations and government agencies convened together in Chicago to launch the ‘I Got This’ program, meant to curb underage drinking through public awareness and school policy reforms.
4. Buffalo, NY
Excessive Drinking Rate: 22.8%
With numerous events around town every weekend that revolve around craft beer, wine and cocktails, it’s no wonder why the Queen City has long been referred to as a ‘drinking town’.
The University of Buffalo received a $1.7 million grant in 2021 to expand its alcoholism research training program.
3. Boston, MA
Excessive Drinking Rate: 23.1%
Alcohol abuse costs Massachusetts at least $5.6 billion annually, while causing thousands of deaths and illnesses, according to a new analysis from Boston University researchers. Yet revenues from alcohol-specific taxes fall far short of repaying these costs, the report concludes.
2. Minneapolis, MN
Excessive Drinking Rate: 23.5%
Recent data from the CDC found that over 1,100 Minnesotans died in 2021 as a result of binge drinking. That’s more than homicide and suicide combined. Minneapolis ranks among the drunkest cities in the world.
1. Milwaukee, WI
Excessive Drinking Rate: 24.6%
Wisconsin has one of the lowest alcohol tax rates in the country, resulting in lower retail and wholesale prices. Some of the drunkest counties in America are in Wisconsin and the state has 7 of the 10 U.S. cities with the highest alcohol consumption per capita. Milwaukee, with its sprawling beer gardens, is the drunkest city in America in 2023.
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