5 States that Drink the Least Alcohol per Capita

2. West Virginia

Ethanol Consumption per Capita: 1.82 gallons

A major reason why West Virginia has such low alcohol consumption is the predominant religious sentiment in the state. Even though the Mountain State reported a below-average rate of adults drinking excessively (14%), the state still reported 26% of motor vehicle crash deaths involving alcohol between 2016 and 2020. There have been improvements, however. The number of West Virginia students who reported recently driving with someone who had been drinking decreased from 39% in 1993 to 13% in 2017.