This US State Drinks More Alcohol Than The Rest Of The Country (And It Isn't Texas Or Florida)

It might surprise you to learn that the U.S. doesn't even list among the top 15 countries when it comes to the amount of alcohol per person, per year, that gets consumed (the no. 1 country used to be Zimbabwe but is now more likely Romania). Still, there is a strong drinking culture in America, with over 62,000 bars and nightclubs, and alcohol serving as the focal point for many family and holiday gatherings, like green mimosas on St. Patrick's Day or popping Champagne on New Year's Eve. But only one state in the union can stake its claim as that which drinks more alcohol than the rest of the country per capita — and it's surprisingly not fun-loving Texas or Florida; in fact, we bet you'll never guess. It's actually New Hampshire.

This tiny state, tucked away in the northeast corner of the country, actually has the highest rate of alcohol consumption, at 4.43 gallons of booze per person per year. While the state has fairly stringent alcohol laws on the books, including a total government monopoly on the sales of liquor and wine, it sells that booze tax-free, making New Hampshire a destination for out-of-staters looking for cheap bottles. It must also have at least some influence on the state's highest-in-the-nation alcohol consumption rate, too.

Coming in second and third are Delaware, with 4.4 gallons per year, per person, and Washington, D.C., at just over 4 gallons. On the low end, there is Utah, where strict alcohol laws and a strong religious culture contribute to its meager 1.3 gallons per individual.

The states with the highest total alcohol consumption aren't likely to be quite as surprising, but here they are: California comes in at number one with nearly 90 million gallons consumed according to data from 2021, which is no surprise considering both its huge population of nearly 40 million (making it the most-populous state in the country) and its less restrictive liquor laws concerning where you can buy alcohol. Texas, the second-most populated state with a population of over 30 million, also came in second place that same year, with almost 60 million gallons imbibed. And Florida, the third-largest state by population with an estimated over 23 million inhabitants, also came in third for total alcohol drunk, with just over 55 million gallons.

The lowest-by-volume drinking states follow the same pattern. Second-smallest by population, Vermont, which contains an estimated 648,000 people, only consumed 1.7 million gallons, despite abutting New Hampshire, with its tax-free booze. Meanwhile, the even less densely populated Wyoming, home to just 587,000, drank just 1.4 million. That means Californians drank about 63 times more booze!