The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAA) have released their list of the drunkest states in America, and, it may surprise you exactly where Texas ranks.

The NIAA's 'Surveillance Report' shows the states most likely to throw down a few drinks by tallying sales of alcoholic beverages divided by census population data which then gives a per capita rate.

Here are a few highlights from that report.

  • In the United States, per capita consumption of ethanol from all alcoholic beverages combined in 2012 was 2.33 gallons, representing a 2.2 percent increase from 2.28 gallons in 2011.
  • Between 2011 and 2012, changes in overall per capita consumption of ethanol included increases in 43 States and the District of Columbia and decreases in 7 States.
  • Analysis of overall per capita alcohol consumption by census region between 2011 and 2012 indicated an increase of 3.4% in the West, 2.3% in the South, 2.1% in the Northeast, and 1.7% in the Midwest.
  • Healthy People 2020 has set the national objective for per capita alcohol consumption at no more than 2.1 gallons. Per capita consumption would need to decrease by 1.3% each year for the next 8 years to achieve this goal.

So, where does Texas end up on this list? The results might surprise you considering how much we Texans like to BBQ - and with BBQ, comes drinking.

The following figures are based on gallons of ethanol (alcohol) consumed per person, per year.

Drunkest States in America

1. New Hampshire 4.65

2. Dist. of Columbia 3.89

3. Delaware 3.59

4. North Dakota 3.42

5. Nevada 3.27

6. Wisconsin 3

7. Montana 2.96

8. Vermont 2.92

9. Alaska 2.82

10. Colorado 2.76

11. Idaho 2.76

12. South Dakota 2.76

13. Florida 2.72

14. Rhode Island 2.72

15. Minnesota 2.7

16. Wyoming 2.67

17. Maine 2.65

18. Oregon 2.65

19. Louisiana 2.6

20. Massachusetts 2.57

21. Hawaii 2.54

22. Arizona 2.43

23. Missouri 2.42

24. Connecticut 2.39

25. Iowa 2.39

26. New Jersey 2.39

27. Illinois 2.36

28. New Mexico 2.36

29. California 2.35

30. South Carolina 2.33

31. Nebraska 2.32

32. Michigan 2.29

33. Texas 2.28

34. Pennsylvania 2.26

35. Washington 2.25

36. Maryland 2.21

37. Mississippi 2.2

38. New York 2.17

39. Virginia 2.13

40. North Carolina 2.05

41. Ohio 2.03

42. Alabama 2

43. Tennessee 2

44. Georgia 1.99

45. Indiana 1.97

46. Kansas 1.95

47. Oklahoma 1.94

48. Kentucky 1.87

49. Arkansas 1.81

50. West Virginia 1.81

51. Utah 1.37

According to Esquire magazine, the “national objective” is no more than 2.1 gallons per person, per year. Right now, our average is 2.33 gallons per year. To put it in alcohol terms, that is about 25 bottles of whiskey, 88 bottles of wine, or 320 bottles of beer. Actual average American consumption was 2.33 gallons, up just a hair over last year.

 

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