Data / Rankings / Binge drinking in adults / US states

US states by binge drinking in adults

Wisconsin had the highest binge drinking in adults of 51 states in 2020, at 22.8%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 11.2%. The median was 15.7%. Source: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Highest22.8Wisconsin
Lowest11.2West Virginia
Median15.751 states

Map of states, 2020

Alabama: 13.2 %Alaska: 17.8 %Arizona: 14.3 %Arkansas: 14.4 %California: 16 %Colorado: 17.9 %Connecticut: 14.3 %Delaware: 14.3 %District of Columbia: 22.7 %Florida: 13.5 %Georgia: 13.9 %Hawaii: 15.7 %Idaho: 14.4 %Illinois: 13 %Indiana: 15.7 %Iowa: 21.5 %Kansas: 17 %Kentucky: 14.4 %Louisiana: 18.6 %Maine: 14.4 %Maryland: 12.3 %Massachusetts: 15.8 %Michigan: 17.4 %Minnesota: 18.4 %Mississippi: 13.4 %Missouri: 16.8 %Montana: 19.7 %Nebraska: 20.4 %Nevada: 17.2 %New Hampshire: 16 %New Jersey: 15.2 %New Mexico: 14.2 %New York: 14.7 %North Carolina: 14.1 %North Dakota: 20.8 %Ohio: 16.3 %Oklahoma: 11.6 %Oregon: 16.2 %Pennsylvania: 16.8 %Rhode Island: 15.1 %South Carolina: 15.7 %South Dakota: 17.9 %Tennessee: 14.1 %Texas: 16.4 %Utah: 11.3 %Vermont: 17.6 %Virginia: 14.8 %Washington: 15.4 %West Virginia: 11.2 %Wisconsin: 22.8 %Wyoming: 16.4 %
  • Under 14
  • 14 to 16
  • 16 to 17
  • 17 to 18
  • 18 and over
%, 2020. Source: CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), binge drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2020

Wisconsin: 22.8 %Wisconsin22.8District of Columbia: 22.7 %District of Columbia22.7Iowa: 21.5 %Iowa21.5North Dakota: 20.8 %North Dakota20.8Nebraska: 20.4 %Nebraska20.4Montana: 19.7 %Montana19.7Louisiana: 18.6 %Louisiana18.6Minnesota: 18.4 %Minnesota18.4Colorado: 17.9 %Colorado17.9South Dakota: 17.9 %South Dakota17.9Alaska: 17.8 %Alaska17.8Vermont: 17.6 %Vermont17.6Michigan: 17.4 %Michigan17.4Nevada: 17.2 %Nevada17.2Kansas: 17 %Kansas17Missouri: 16.8 %Missouri16.8Pennsylvania: 16.8 %Pennsylvania16.8Texas: 16.4 %Texas16.4Wyoming: 16.4 %Wyoming16.4Ohio: 16.3 %Ohio16.3Oregon: 16.2 %Oregon16.2California: 16 %California16New Hampshire: 16 %New Hampshire16Massachusetts: 15.8 %Massachusetts15.8Hawaii: 15.7 %Hawaii15.7Indiana: 15.7 %Indiana15.7South Carolina: 15.7 %South Carolina15.7Washington: 15.4 %Washington15.4New Jersey: 15.2 %New Jersey15.2Rhode Island: 15.1 %Rhode Island15.1Virginia: 14.8 %Virginia14.8New York: 14.7 %New York14.7Arkansas: 14.4 %Arkansas14.4Idaho: 14.4 %Idaho14.4Kentucky: 14.4 %Kentucky14.4Maine: 14.4 %Maine14.4Arizona: 14.3 %Arizona14.3Connecticut: 14.3 %Connecticut14.3Delaware: 14.3 %Delaware14.3New Mexico: 14.2 %New Mexico14.2North Carolina: 14.1 %North Carolina14.1Tennessee: 14.1 %Tennessee14.1Georgia: 13.9 %Georgia13.9Florida: 13.5 %Florida13.5Mississippi: 13.4 %Mississippi13.4Alabama: 13.2 %Alabama13.2Illinois: 13 %Illinois13Maryland: 12.3 %Maryland12.3Oklahoma: 11.6 %Oklahoma11.6Utah: 11.3 %Utah11.3West Virginia: 11.2 %West Virginia11.2Wisconsin: 22.8 %Wisconsin22.8District of Columbia: 22.7 %District of Columbia22.7Iowa: 21.5 %Iowa21.5North Dakota: 20.8 %North Dakota20.8Nebraska: 20.4 %Nebraska20.4Montana: 19.7 %Montana19.7Louisiana: 18.6 %Louisiana18.6Minnesota: 18.4 %Minnesota18.4Colorado: 17.9 %Colorado17.9South Dakota: 17.9 %South Dakota17.9Alaska: 17.8 %Alaska17.8Vermont: 17.6 %Vermont17.6Michigan: 17.4 %Michigan17.4Nevada: 17.2 %Nevada17.2Kansas: 17 %Kansas17Missouri: 16.8 %Missouri16.8Pennsylvania: 16.8 %Pennsylvania16.8Texas: 16.4 %Texas16.4Wyoming: 16.4 %Wyoming16.4Ohio: 16.3 %Ohio16.3Oregon: 16.2 %Oregon16.2California: 16 %California16New Hampshire: 16 %New Hampshire16Massachusetts: 15.8 %Massachusetts15.8Hawaii: 15.7 %Hawaii15.7Indiana: 15.7 %Indiana15.7South Carolina: 15.7 %South Carolina15.7Washington: 15.4 %Washington15.4New Jersey: 15.2 %New Jersey15.2Rhode Island: 15.1 %Rhode Island15.1Virginia: 14.8 %Virginia14.8New York: 14.7 %New York14.7Arkansas: 14.4 %Arkansas14.4Idaho: 14.4 %Idaho14.4Kentucky: 14.4 %Kentucky14.4Maine: 14.4 %Maine14.4Arizona: 14.3 %Arizona14.3Connecticut: 14.3 %Connecticut14.3Delaware: 14.3 %Delaware14.3New Mexico: 14.2 %New Mexico14.2North Carolina: 14.1 %North Carolina14.1Tennessee: 14.1 %Tennessee14.1Georgia: 13.9 %Georgia13.9Florida: 13.5 %Florida13.5Mississippi: 13.4 %Mississippi13.4Alabama: 13.2 %Alabama13.2Illinois: 13 %Illinois13Maryland: 12.3 %Maryland12.3Oklahoma: 11.6 %Oklahoma11.6Utah: 11.3 %Utah11.3West Virginia: 11.2 %West Virginia11.2
%. Source: CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), binge drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2020 (%)Change on 2019
1Wisconsin22.8+0.9 pts
2District of Columbia22.7-2.1 pts
3Iowa21.5-0.1 pts
4North Dakota20.8-1.4 pts
5Nebraska20.4-0.5 pts
6Montana19.7-1 pts
7Louisiana18.6-0.3 pts
8Minnesota18.4-2.3 pts
9Colorado17.9-0.3 pts
9South Dakota17.9-3.3 pts
11Alaska17.8+1.9 pts
12Vermont17.6-0.7 pts
13Michigan17.4-0.5 pts
14Nevada17.2+0.4 pts
15Kansas17-0.4 pts
16Missouri16.80 pts
16Pennsylvania16.8-0.1 pts
18Texas16.4-1.5 pts
18Wyoming16.4-1.3 pts
20Ohio16.3-1.2 pts
21Oregon16.2-1.3 pts
22California16-0.8 pts
22New Hampshire16-0.7 pts
24Massachusetts15.8-3.3 pts
25Hawaii15.7-1.6 pts
25Indiana15.7+0.1 pts
25South Carolina15.7-0.2 pts
28Washington15.4+1.3 pts
29New Jersey15.2n/a
30Rhode Island15.1-3.1 pts
31Virginia14.8-0.5 pts
32New York14.7-2 pts
33Arkansas14.4+0.7 pts
33Idaho14.4-2.2 pts
33Kentucky14.4-1 pts
33Maine14.4-2.6 pts
37Arizona14.3-0.7 pts
37Connecticut14.3-1.3 pts
37Delaware14.3-2.9 pts
40New Mexico14.2-0.6 pts
41North Carolina14.1+0.6 pts
41Tennessee14.1-0.3 pts
43Georgia13.9-1.8 pts
44Florida13.5-2.3 pts
45Mississippi13.40 pts
46Alabama13.2+0.8 pts
47Illinois13-6.9 pts
48Maryland12.3-1.5 pts
49Oklahoma11.6-1.1 pts
50Utah11.3+0.1 pts
51West Virginia11.2-1.2 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Percentage of adults aged 18 and over who had 5 or more drinks (men) or 4 or more drinks (women) on at least one occasion in the past 30 days. Crude prevalence, not age-adjusted.

CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), a telephone survey of adults, crude prevalence. States and DC only: BRFSS publishes the median of the states rather than a national prevalence, so no national value is served. A state that did not meet BRFSS data standards in a year has no value, and CDC withholds estimates from fewer than 50 respondents or with a relative standard error above 0.3. The dataset also publishes 95% confidence intervals. The series starts in 2011, when BRFSS changed its weighting and added cell phones. BRFSS variable _RFBING5 to 2021 and _RFBING6 from 2022.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the states are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), binge drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFBING5%27%2C%27_RFBING6%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27. Retrieved 2026-10-12. These data are available free from CDC. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2026). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), binge drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall (US states by binge drinking in adults, 2020) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFBING5%27%2C%27_RFBING6%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27

MLA 9

Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), binge drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall, US states by binge drinking in adults, 2020. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 15 Sept. 2026, https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFBING5%27%2C%27_RFBING6%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-binge-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2020. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 2026. Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), binge drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. US states by binge drinking in adults, 2020. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFBING5%27%2C%27_RFBING6%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-binge-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2020.

Harvard

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2026) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), binge drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall, US states by binge drinking in adults, 2020 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFBING5%27%2C%27_RFBING6%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-binge-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2020 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{centers_us_states_by_binge_2020,
  author = {{Centers for Disease Control and Prevention}},
  title = {{Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), binge drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall: US states by binge drinking in adults, 2020}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFBING5%27%2C%27_RFBING6%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-binge-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2020. Publisher attribution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), binge drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?\%24order=\%3Aid\&\%24limit=50000\&\%24where=questionid+in+\%28\%27\_RFBING5\%27\%2C\%27\_RFBING6\%27\%29+AND+responseid+in+\%28\%27RESP046\%27\%29+AND+breakoutid\%3D\%27BO1\%27+AND+data\_value\_type\%3D\%27Crude+Prevalence\%27. Retrieved 2026-10-12. These data are available free from CDC. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
TI  - Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), binge drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall: US states by binge drinking in adults, 2020
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/15
PB  - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFBING5%27%2C%27_RFBING6%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-binge-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2020
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-binge-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2020.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), binge drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFBING5%27%2C%27_RFBING6%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27. Retrieved 2026-10-12. These data are available free from CDC. Use does not imply endorsement by CDC, ATSDR, HHS or the United States Government.
ER  -
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Questions

Which state has the highest binge drinking in adults?

Wisconsin, with 22.8% in 2020, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which state has the lowest binge drinking in adults?

West Virginia, with 11.2% in 2020.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), binge drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings