What Percentage of Americans Drink Alcohol? (2024)

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The percentage of U.S. adults aged 18 and older who say they drink alcohol averaged 63% over the past two years, whereas 36% described themselves as “total abstainers.” The drinking rate ticks up to 65% when narrowed to adults of legal drinking age, which is 21 and older nationwide.

Since 1939, Gallup has asked Americans whether they “have occasion to use alcoholic beverages such as liquor, wine or beer” or if they are “a total abstainer.” Across the trend, the percentage saying they drink has dipped as low as 55% (in 1958) and risen as high as 71% (in the 1970s). However, in recent decades, the U.S. drinking rate has consistently registered near the long-term average of 63%.

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Drinking Varies Most by Financial Means

The drinking rate among U.S. adults differs more by household income than by any other standard demographic characteristic. According to the 2021-2022 data, 80% of adults aged 18 and older living in households earning $100,000 or more say they drink, far exceeding the 49% of those earning less than $40,000. The rate among middle-income earners falls about halfway between, at 63%.

Relatedly, drinking also differs by education, with college graduates (76%) and postgraduates (75%) the most likely to report they drink. This is followed by nearly two-thirds of those with some college education (65%) and about half of those who haven’t attended college (51%).

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Religiosity Also a Factor in Likelihood That People Drink

Whether people drink also varies significantly by their religiosity. Adults who attend their church or other place of worship weekly (50%) are less likely than less-frequent attenders (63%) and nonadherents (69%) to say they drink.

By contrast, religious denomination is not a strong factor in use of alcohol. Protestants are the least-likely major religious category in the U.S. to say they ever drink alcohol. However, the 60% of Protestants who in 2021-2022 reported they drink is only modestly lower than the 68% among U.S. Catholics and 67% among those with no religious affiliation.

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Men, Younger and White Adults More Likely to Drink Than Their Counterparts

In contrast to the wide variations seen by income and religiosity, alcohol consumption varies only slightly by gender, with 66% of men versus 61% of women saying they ever have occasion to drink.

Drinking is more common among younger than older adults, but this is evident only when the analysis is limited to those of legal drinking age. Whereas 60% of adults aged 18 to 29 say they drink, the rate is 71% among those aged 21 to 29. That matches the percentage of 30- to 49-year-olds who drink (70%), while it exceeds the rate among those 50 to 64 (64%) and 65 and older (54%).

Among the nation’s largest racial and ethnic groups, White adults aged 18 and older (68%) are more likely than Hispanic adults (59%) or Black adults (50%) to report they drink. A review of Gallup’s longer-term data confirm that White adults have been consistently more likely than Hispanic and Black adults to drink, while the rate among the last two groups has been statistically similar.

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How Much Do Drinkers Consume?

On the whole, U.S. drinkers reported consuming a modest amount of alcohol in 2022, averaging four drinks per week for all drinkers. The figure rises to six drinks per week on average for those who appear to be regular drinkers, defined as those who had at least one drink in the past week.

More specifically, when asked how many alcoholic drinks of any kind they had in the past seven days, a third of drinkers (34%) in 2022 said they had had none. About half (53%) said they had between one and seven drinks, while 12% reported consuming eight or more drinks, thus averaging more than one per day.

What Is Americans’ Drink of Choice?

For many years, beer was the strong favorite of U.S. drinkers, mentioned by close to half as the alcoholic beverage they most often drink. It still leads, but by a thinner, four-percentage-point margin over wine, 35% to 31%, according to the 2022 survey. Meanwhile, 30% favor liquor -- a new high -- and 3% have no preference.

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Gallup measures Americans’ alcohol consumption each July as part of its Consumption Habits poll -- one of 12 surveys that make up the Gallup Poll Social Series.

Explore more Gallup articles about alcohol on the Alcohol topics page.

Explore Gallup questions and trends about alcohol on Gallup’s Topics A-Z: Alcohol and Drinking page.

For more articles in the "Short Answer" series, visit Gallup's The Short Answer page.

What Percentage of Americans Drink Alcohol? (2024)

FAQs

What Percentage of Americans Drink Alcohol? ›

Overall, 62% of U.S. adults say they ever drink alcohol, while 38% abstain completely, according to a July 2023 Gallup survey.

What percentage of US adults drink alcohol? ›

The percentage who report using alcoholic beverages has averaged 63%, with a range from 55% to 71%. The figure was 58% in 1939 and is 63% in the most recent reading, from 2021-2022. 1939-1970 results are based on adults aged 21 and older.

Which country has the highest rate of alcoholism? ›

Russia and Australia have the highest prevalence of alcoholism dependence overall, with 2.61 per cent and 2.58 per cent, respectively. According to the World Health Organization, US has the lowest rate of alcohol dependence with only 1.93 per cent.

What is the top 10 percent of drinkers? ›

The top 10 percent of American adults, which equates to around 24 million people, consume an average of 74 alcoholic drinks each week. If you break that number out, that means they consume a little more than 10 drinks each day. The figures come from the published book “Paying the Tab” by Philip J.

What race drinks the most alcohol in the US? ›

White males (74.27%) and females (65.10%) have the highest rates of alcohol consumption. Latino males (69.99%) and females (49.52%) have the second-highest rate of alcohol consumption. Native American males (65.48%) and females (51.66%) have the third-highest rate of alcohol consumption.

How common is alcoholism? ›

An estimated 15 million people struggle with an alcohol use disorder in the United States, but less than 10% of them receive treatment.

What states drink the most? ›

The States That Drink the Most Alcohol in Ethanol

Naturally, California consumes the most alcohol in raw volume with a whopping 88.6 million gallons drunk in 2021 — nearly 30 million more than runner-up Texas's 58.9 million gallons. Floridians take the bronze, with 55.2 million gallons consumed in 2021.

What is the average life expectancy of an alcoholic? ›

People hospitalized with alcohol use disorder have an average life expectancy of 47–53 years (men) and 50–58 years (women) and die 24–28 years earlier than people in the general population.

What culture drinks the most alcohol? ›

Top 15 Countries With The Highest Alcohol Consumption
  • #8: Austria. ...
  • #7: Seychelles. ...
  • #6: Uganda. ...
  • #5: Germany. ...
  • #4: Latvia. ...
  • #3: Czech Republic. ...
  • #2: Georgia. ...
  • #1: Romania. Coming in at number 1 on the list of countries with the highest alcohol consumption is Romania.
Feb 27, 2024

Where do the most alcoholics live? ›

Following are the Countries with the Highest Rates of Alcoholism in the World:
  • Lebanon. Population with Alcohol Use Disorder: 8.7% ...
  • United Kingdom. Population with Alcohol Use Disorder: 8.7% ...
  • Peru. Population with Alcohol Use Disorder: 8.9% ...
  • Finland. ...
  • Togo. ...
  • Switzerland. ...
  • Ivory Coast. ...
  • Sweden.
Aug 15, 2023

Who are the hardest drinkers in the world? ›

Men in Romania, Denmark, and Luxembourg were the heaviest binge drinkers, while women in Denmark and the United Kingdom were tied as the heaviest binge drinkers. On average, 26 per cent of men reported binge drinking at least once a month in OECD countries compared to 12 per cent of women.

What age group are the biggest drinkers? ›

Participants aged 40-59 were more likely to be among the heaviest drinkers compared to those aged 30-39. While, participants aged 14-17 were significantly less likely to be among the heaviest drinkers compared to those aged 30-39.

What is the most consumed alcoholic? ›

It is typically made from barley or a blend of several grains and flavored with hops. Most beer is naturally carbonated as part of the fermentation process. If the fermented mash is distilled, then the drink becomes a spirit. Beer is the most consumed alcoholic beverage in the world.

Which race has the lowest alcohol tolerance? ›

Alcohol tolerance in different ethnic groups

Genetics of alcohol dehydrogenase indicate resistance has arisen independently in different cultures. In North America, Native Americans have the highest probability of developing an alcohol use disorder compared to Europeans and Asians.

What is the most drinked alcohol in USA? ›

Vodka. Vodka is the most consumed liquor in the United States - and has been since 1970. Around 78.1 million cases of the spirit were sold in the U.S. in 2021.

Who is most likely to become an alcoholic? ›

Excluding genetics, an individual's family life plays a significant role in the likelihood that they develop alcoholism. People who grow up in a family where heavy drinking is practiced, or even encouraged, are more likely to develop alcoholism.

What percentage of 18 to 20 year olds drink alcohol? ›

Underage Drinking - National Statistics

The rate of current alcohol consumption increases with increasing age according to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health from almost 2% among 12-13 year olds to nearly 15% at ages 16-17, and almost 32% among 18-20 year olds.

What age group drinks the most alcohol in the US? ›

Current, binge, and heavy alcohol use in the United States in 2022, by age group*
CharacteristicCurrent use (not binge)Binge use (not heavy)
14-15 years4.7%2.1%
16-17 years14.5%7.1%
18-20 years31.6%17.9%
21-25 years61.2%36.3%
9 more rows
Mar 8, 2024

What percentage of Americans have driven drunk? ›

Key findings. 43% of Americans admit to having driven under the influence of alcohol, and 45% have gotten a ride from someone who had been drinking. 56% of men admitted to drinking and driving, versus 29% of women.

How often does the average 25-year-old drink? ›

Findings showed that the amount that people drink usually peaks at around 25 years old at about 20 units (about 10 drinks, as we think of them) a week for men and seven or eight units (three to four drinks) for women.

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