Data from the National Institute of Health’s National Institute on Alcohol Abuse provides insights into which states drink the most. To nobody’s surprise, Nevada — home one of the meccas of alcohol consumption, Las Vegas — is the top consumer of alcohol based on sales. Utah, home of many Mormons who abstain from alcohol, drinks the least.
This map has several anomalies that come from the data source itself. Because the data from the NIH is based on alcohol sales, the results may not show the whole picture. Tiny Delaware is bright red and is not particularly known for its alcohol. However, Delaware like similarly red New Hampshire have no state sales tax. This combined with the proximity of Philadelphia and Boston to those states mean that many people looking to save money on taxes drive across the border to buy alcohol.
Another anomaly, which was frequently called out on my Instagram post of this map, is West Virginia. Most people associate this state with drunk hillbillies in Appalachia. Yet, the map shows it as one of the least drunk states. West Virginians love their moonshine, which is generally made at home. Thus, the sales data does not reflect actual consumption in this state.
The maps below break down consumption by each type of beverage: beer, wine, and spirits.
Leave a Reply