Data / Rankings / Heavy drinking in adults / US states

US states by heavy drinking in adults

District of Columbia had the highest heavy drinking in adults of 51 states in 2017, at 9.5%. West Virginia had the lowest, at 3.6%. The median was 6.3%. Source: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest9.5District of Columbia
Lowest3.6West Virginia
Median6.351 states

Map of states, 2017

Alabama: 4.6 %Alaska: 8.4 %Arizona: 5.5 %Arkansas: 5.8 %California: 6.3 %Colorado: 6.7 %Connecticut: 5.4 %Delaware: 6.2 %District of Columbia: 9.5 %Florida: 5.9 %Georgia: 5.4 %Hawaii: 8.6 %Idaho: 6.7 %Illinois: 6.3 %Indiana: 6 %Iowa: 7.2 %Kansas: 6 %Kentucky: 5.7 %Louisiana: 6.8 %Maine: 8.9 %Maryland: 5.2 %Massachusetts: 6.9 %Michigan: 6.7 %Minnesota: 6.7 %Mississippi: 5 %Missouri: 5.7 %Montana: 7.8 %Nebraska: 7 %Nevada: 6.2 %New Hampshire: 7.6 %New Jersey: 5.4 %New Mexico: 5.5 %New York: 5.8 %North Carolina: 6 %North Dakota: 7.4 %Ohio: 7.1 %Oklahoma: 4.2 %Oregon: 7.7 %Pennsylvania: 6.4 %Rhode Island: 6.7 %South Carolina: 6.7 %South Dakota: 6.1 %Tennessee: 5.2 %Texas: 6.9 %Utah: 3.7 %Vermont: 8 %Virginia: 5.8 %Washington: 6.4 %West Virginia: 3.6 %Wisconsin: 7.9 %Wyoming: 7.6 %
  • Under 5.4
  • 5.4 to 5.9
  • 5.9 to 6.3
  • 6.3 to 6.7
  • 6.7 to 7.6
  • 7.6 and over
%, 2017. Source: CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), heavy drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

All states, 2017

District of Columbia: 9.5 %District of Columbia9.5Maine: 8.9 %Maine8.9Hawaii: 8.6 %Hawaii8.6Alaska: 8.4 %Alaska8.4Vermont: 8 %Vermont8Wisconsin: 7.9 %Wisconsin7.9Montana: 7.8 %Montana7.8Oregon: 7.7 %Oregon7.7New Hampshire: 7.6 %New Hampshire7.6Wyoming: 7.6 %Wyoming7.6North Dakota: 7.4 %North Dakota7.4Iowa: 7.2 %Iowa7.2Ohio: 7.1 %Ohio7.1Nebraska: 7 %Nebraska7Massachusetts: 6.9 %Massachusetts6.9Texas: 6.9 %Texas6.9Louisiana: 6.8 %Louisiana6.8Colorado: 6.7 %Colorado6.7Idaho: 6.7 %Idaho6.7Michigan: 6.7 %Michigan6.7Minnesota: 6.7 %Minnesota6.7Rhode Island: 6.7 %Rhode Island6.7South Carolina: 6.7 %South Carolina6.7Pennsylvania: 6.4 %Pennsylvania6.4Washington: 6.4 %Washington6.4California: 6.3 %California6.3Illinois: 6.3 %Illinois6.3Delaware: 6.2 %Delaware6.2Nevada: 6.2 %Nevada6.2South Dakota: 6.1 %South Dakota6.1Indiana: 6 %Indiana6Kansas: 6 %Kansas6North Carolina: 6 %North Carolina6Florida: 5.9 %Florida5.9Arkansas: 5.8 %Arkansas5.8New York: 5.8 %New York5.8Virginia: 5.8 %Virginia5.8Kentucky: 5.7 %Kentucky5.7Missouri: 5.7 %Missouri5.7Arizona: 5.5 %Arizona5.5New Mexico: 5.5 %New Mexico5.5Connecticut: 5.4 %Connecticut5.4Georgia: 5.4 %Georgia5.4New Jersey: 5.4 %New Jersey5.4Maryland: 5.2 %Maryland5.2Tennessee: 5.2 %Tennessee5.2Mississippi: 5 %Mississippi5Alabama: 4.6 %Alabama4.6Oklahoma: 4.2 %Oklahoma4.2Utah: 3.7 %Utah3.7West Virginia: 3.6 %West Virginia3.6District of Columbia: 9.5 %District of Columbia9.5Maine: 8.9 %Maine8.9Hawaii: 8.6 %Hawaii8.6Alaska: 8.4 %Alaska8.4Vermont: 8 %Vermont8Wisconsin: 7.9 %Wisconsin7.9Montana: 7.8 %Montana7.8Oregon: 7.7 %Oregon7.7New Hampshire: 7.6 %New Hampshire7.6Wyoming: 7.6 %Wyoming7.6North Dakota: 7.4 %North Dakota7.4Iowa: 7.2 %Iowa7.2Ohio: 7.1 %Ohio7.1Nebraska: 7 %Nebraska7Massachusetts: 6.9 %Massachusetts6.9Texas: 6.9 %Texas6.9Louisiana: 6.8 %Louisiana6.8Colorado: 6.7 %Colorado6.7Idaho: 6.7 %Idaho6.7Michigan: 6.7 %Michigan6.7Minnesota: 6.7 %Minnesota6.7Rhode Island: 6.7 %Rhode Island6.7South Carolina: 6.7 %South Carolina6.7Pennsylvania: 6.4 %Pennsylvania6.4Washington: 6.4 %Washington6.4California: 6.3 %California6.3Illinois: 6.3 %Illinois6.3Delaware: 6.2 %Delaware6.2Nevada: 6.2 %Nevada6.2South Dakota: 6.1 %South Dakota6.1Indiana: 6 %Indiana6Kansas: 6 %Kansas6North Carolina: 6 %North Carolina6Florida: 5.9 %Florida5.9Arkansas: 5.8 %Arkansas5.8New York: 5.8 %New York5.8Virginia: 5.8 %Virginia5.8Kentucky: 5.7 %Kentucky5.7Missouri: 5.7 %Missouri5.7Arizona: 5.5 %Arizona5.5New Mexico: 5.5 %New Mexico5.5Connecticut: 5.4 %Connecticut5.4Georgia: 5.4 %Georgia5.4New Jersey: 5.4 %New Jersey5.4Maryland: 5.2 %Maryland5.2Tennessee: 5.2 %Tennessee5.2Mississippi: 5 %Mississippi5Alabama: 4.6 %Alabama4.6Oklahoma: 4.2 %Oklahoma4.2Utah: 3.7 %Utah3.7West Virginia: 3.6 %West Virginia3.6
%. Source: CDC, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), heavy drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankStates2017 (%)Change on 2016
1District of Columbia9.5-1.6 pts
2Maine8.9+0.3 pts
3Hawaii8.6+0.7 pts
4Alaska8.4+2.4 pts
5Vermont8-1.1 pts
6Wisconsin7.9-1 pts
7Montana7.8+0.7 pts
8Oregon7.70 pts
9New Hampshire7.6-0.4 pts
9Wyoming7.6+1.7 pts
11North Dakota7.4-0.1 pts
12Iowa7.2+0.3 pts
13Ohio7.1+0.7 pts
14Nebraska7+0.4 pts
15Massachusetts6.9-0.6 pts
15Texas6.90 pts
17Louisiana6.8+0.3 pts
18Colorado6.7-0.1 pts
18Idaho6.7-0.3 pts
18Michigan6.7-0.2 pts
18Minnesota6.7-0.8 pts
18Rhode Island6.7+0.8 pts
18South Carolina6.7-0.1 pts
24Pennsylvania6.4-0.4 pts
24Washington6.4-0.6 pts
26California6.3+0.4 pts
26Illinois6.3-0.5 pts
28Delaware6.2-0.2 pts
28Nevada6.2-0.1 pts
30South Dakota6.1+0.7 pts
31Indiana6-0.6 pts
31Kansas6+0.2 pts
31North Carolina6-0.6 pts
34Florida5.9-0.9 pts
35Arkansas5.8+0.6 pts
35New York5.8-0.2 pts
35Virginia5.8-0.5 pts
38Kentucky5.7-0.5 pts
38Missouri5.7-1.4 pts
40Arizona5.5-0.7 pts
40New Mexico5.50 pts
42Connecticut5.4-0.3 pts
42Georgia5.4-0.2 pts
42New Jersey5.4+1 pts
45Maryland5.2-0.1 pts
45Tennessee5.2-0.4 pts
47Mississippi5+0.3 pts
48Alabama4.6-0.8 pts
49Oklahoma4.2+0.5 pts
50Utah3.7-1.1 pts
51West Virginia3.6+0.1 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

Percentage of adults aged 18 and over who are heavy drinkers: men having more than 14 drinks a week and women more than 7 drinks a week, on average over 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. From 2011 to 2014 (variable _RFDRHV4) BRFSS stated the threshold per day: more than two drinks for men and more than one for women, the same average. Later years use variables _RFDRHV5 to _RFDRHV9.

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), heavy drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFDRHV4%27%2C%27_RFDRHV5%27%2C%27_RFDRHV6%27%2C%27_RFDRHV7%27%2C%27_RFDRHV8%27%2C%27_RFDRHV9%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%2C%27RESP206%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), heavy drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall (US states by heavy drinking in adults, 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFDRHV4%27%2C%27_RFDRHV5%27%2C%27_RFDRHV6%27%2C%27_RFDRHV7%27%2C%27_RFDRHV8%27%2C%27_RFDRHV9%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%2C%27RESP206%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), heavy drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall, US states by heavy drinking in adults, 2017. 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_RFDRHV4%27%2C%27_RFDRHV5%27%2C%27_RFDRHV6%27%2C%27_RFDRHV7%27%2C%27_RFDRHV8%27%2C%27_RFDRHV9%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%2C%27RESP206%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-heavy-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2017. 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), heavy drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. US states by heavy drinking in adults, 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFDRHV4%27%2C%27_RFDRHV5%27%2C%27_RFDRHV6%27%2C%27_RFDRHV7%27%2C%27_RFDRHV8%27%2C%27_RFDRHV9%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%2C%27RESP206%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-heavy-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2017.

Harvard

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2026) Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), heavy drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall, US states by heavy drinking in adults, 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFDRHV4%27%2C%27_RFDRHV5%27%2C%27_RFDRHV6%27%2C%27_RFDRHV7%27%2C%27_RFDRHV8%27%2C%27_RFDRHV9%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%2C%27RESP206%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-heavy-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{centers_us_states_by_heavy_2017,
  author = {{Centers for Disease Control and Prevention}},
  title = {{Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), heavy drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall: US states by heavy drinking in adults, 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFDRHV4%27%2C%27_RFDRHV5%27%2C%27_RFDRHV6%27%2C%27_RFDRHV7%27%2C%27_RFDRHV8%27%2C%27_RFDRHV9%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%2C%27RESP206%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-heavy-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2017. Publisher attribution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), heavy drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?\%24order=\%3Aid\&\%24limit=50000\&\%24where=questionid+in+\%28\%27\_RFDRHV4\%27\%2C\%27\_RFDRHV5\%27\%2C\%27\_RFDRHV6\%27\%2C\%27\_RFDRHV7\%27\%2C\%27\_RFDRHV8\%27\%2C\%27\_RFDRHV9\%27\%29+AND+responseid+in+\%28\%27RESP046\%27\%2C\%27RESP206\%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), heavy drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall: US states by heavy drinking in adults, 2017
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_RFDRHV4%27%2C%27_RFDRHV5%27%2C%27_RFDRHV6%27%2C%27_RFDRHV7%27%2C%27_RFDRHV8%27%2C%27_RFDRHV9%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%2C%27RESP206%27%29+AND+breakoutid%3D%27BO1%27+AND+data_value_type%3D%27Crude+Prevalence%27
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-heavy-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-heavy-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2017.
N1  - Publisher attribution: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) Prevalence Data, 2011 to present (dttw-5yxu), heavy drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. https://data.cdc.gov/resource/dttw-5yxu.json?%24order=%3Aid&%24limit=50000&%24where=questionid+in+%28%27_RFDRHV4%27%2C%27_RFDRHV5%27%2C%27_RFDRHV6%27%2C%27_RFDRHV7%27%2C%27_RFDRHV8%27%2C%27_RFDRHV9%27%29+AND+responseid+in+%28%27RESP046%27%2C%27RESP206%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  -
Embed this chart

Paste this code into a web page or a blog post. The chart shows the latest figures as they are published, with the source and a link back to this page.

Sites that read oEmbed links, such as WordPress, can show the chart when you paste the link to this page.

Use this data in your AI agent

Invokely serves this figure to AI assistants through MCP and to code through a REST API, with the source and citation attached. Ask your assistant:

Rank US states by heavy drinking in adults using official data, and cite the source.
rank_places {"indicator":"adult_heavy_drinking_rate","level":"region","within":"United States","limit":10}
GET https://invokely.ai/api/v1/rank?indicator=adult_heavy_drinking_rate&level=region&within=United%20States&limit=10

Connect Claude, ChatGPT or Cursor in one step. The trial answers 25 calls a day without an account.

Questions

Which state has the highest heavy drinking in adults?

District of Columbia, with 9.5% in 2017, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which state has the lowest heavy drinking in adults?

West Virginia, with 3.6% in 2017.

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), heavy drinking in adults, crude prevalence, overall. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

US states: more rankings