Data / Rankings / Heavy drinking in adults / US states

US states by heavy drinking in adults

Montana had the highest heavy drinking in adults of 50 states in 2019, at 9.4%. Utah had the lowest, at 4.2%. The median was 6.5%. Source: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Keep it in a collection in your library.
Highest9.4Montana
Lowest4.2Utah
Median6.550 states

Map of states, 2019

Alabama: 5.7 %Alaska: 7.9 %Arizona: 5.6 %Arkansas: 5.8 %California: 6.2 %Colorado: 6.5 %Connecticut: 6.2 %Delaware: 7.3 %District of Columbia: 8.4 %Florida: 7.6 %Georgia: 5.8 %Hawaii: 8.3 %Idaho: 7.3 %Illinois: 7.6 %Indiana: 5.4 %Iowa: 6.7 %Kansas: 6.2 %Kentucky: 6.5 %Louisiana: 7.5 %Maine: 8.9 %Maryland: 5.2 %Massachusetts: 7.8 %Michigan: 6.2 %Minnesota: 6.9 %Mississippi: 6 %Missouri: 6.5 %Montana: 9.4 %Nebraska: 6.2 %Nevada: 6.4 %New Hampshire: 7 %New Mexico: 6 %New York: 5.9 %North Carolina: 5.6 %North Dakota: 7.4 %Ohio: 6.5 %Oklahoma: 4.3 %Oregon: 8.5 %Pennsylvania: 6.1 %Rhode Island: 6.1 %South Carolina: 9.2 %South Dakota: 6.9 %Tennessee: 5.7 %Texas: 6.1 %Utah: 4.2 %Vermont: 9.4 %Virginia: 5.6 %Washington: 5.6 %West Virginia: 5.2 %Wisconsin: 8.3 %Wyoming: 6.5 %
  • Under 5.6
  • 5.6 to 6.1
  • 6.1 to 6.5
  • 6.5 to 7
  • 7 to 7.9
  • 7.9 and over
  • No data
%, 2019. Hatched areas have no value for this period. 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, 2019

Montana: 9.4 %Montana9.4Vermont: 9.4 %Vermont9.4South Carolina: 9.2 %South Carolina9.2Maine: 8.9 %Maine8.9Oregon: 8.5 %Oregon8.5District of Columbia: 8.4 %District of Columbia8.4Hawaii: 8.3 %Hawaii8.3Wisconsin: 8.3 %Wisconsin8.3Alaska: 7.9 %Alaska7.9Massachusetts: 7.8 %Massachusetts7.8Florida: 7.6 %Florida7.6Illinois: 7.6 %Illinois7.6Louisiana: 7.5 %Louisiana7.5North Dakota: 7.4 %North Dakota7.4Delaware: 7.3 %Delaware7.3Idaho: 7.3 %Idaho7.3New Hampshire: 7 %New Hampshire7Minnesota: 6.9 %Minnesota6.9South Dakota: 6.9 %South Dakota6.9Iowa: 6.7 %Iowa6.7Colorado: 6.5 %Colorado6.5Kentucky: 6.5 %Kentucky6.5Missouri: 6.5 %Missouri6.5Ohio: 6.5 %Ohio6.5Wyoming: 6.5 %Wyoming6.5Nevada: 6.4 %Nevada6.4California: 6.2 %California6.2Connecticut: 6.2 %Connecticut6.2Kansas: 6.2 %Kansas6.2Michigan: 6.2 %Michigan6.2Nebraska: 6.2 %Nebraska6.2Pennsylvania: 6.1 %Pennsylvania6.1Rhode Island: 6.1 %Rhode Island6.1Texas: 6.1 %Texas6.1Mississippi: 6 %Mississippi6New Mexico: 6 %New Mexico6New York: 5.9 %New York5.9Arkansas: 5.8 %Arkansas5.8Georgia: 5.8 %Georgia5.8Alabama: 5.7 %Alabama5.7Tennessee: 5.7 %Tennessee5.7Arizona: 5.6 %Arizona5.6North Carolina: 5.6 %North Carolina5.6Virginia: 5.6 %Virginia5.6Washington: 5.6 %Washington5.6Indiana: 5.4 %Indiana5.4Maryland: 5.2 %Maryland5.2West Virginia: 5.2 %West Virginia5.2Oklahoma: 4.3 %Oklahoma4.3Utah: 4.2 %Utah4.2Montana: 9.4 %Montana9.4Vermont: 9.4 %Vermont9.4South Carolina: 9.2 %South Carolina9.2Maine: 8.9 %Maine8.9Oregon: 8.5 %Oregon8.5District of Columbia: 8.4 %District of Columbia8.4Hawaii: 8.3 %Hawaii8.3Wisconsin: 8.3 %Wisconsin8.3Alaska: 7.9 %Alaska7.9Massachusetts: 7.8 %Massachusetts7.8Florida: 7.6 %Florida7.6Illinois: 7.6 %Illinois7.6Louisiana: 7.5 %Louisiana7.5North Dakota: 7.4 %North Dakota7.4Delaware: 7.3 %Delaware7.3Idaho: 7.3 %Idaho7.3New Hampshire: 7 %New Hampshire7Minnesota: 6.9 %Minnesota6.9South Dakota: 6.9 %South Dakota6.9Iowa: 6.7 %Iowa6.7Colorado: 6.5 %Colorado6.5Kentucky: 6.5 %Kentucky6.5Missouri: 6.5 %Missouri6.5Ohio: 6.5 %Ohio6.5Wyoming: 6.5 %Wyoming6.5Nevada: 6.4 %Nevada6.4California: 6.2 %California6.2Connecticut: 6.2 %Connecticut6.2Kansas: 6.2 %Kansas6.2Michigan: 6.2 %Michigan6.2Nebraska: 6.2 %Nebraska6.2Pennsylvania: 6.1 %Pennsylvania6.1Rhode Island: 6.1 %Rhode Island6.1Texas: 6.1 %Texas6.1Mississippi: 6 %Mississippi6New Mexico: 6 %New Mexico6New York: 5.9 %New York5.9Arkansas: 5.8 %Arkansas5.8Georgia: 5.8 %Georgia5.8Alabama: 5.7 %Alabama5.7Tennessee: 5.7 %Tennessee5.7Arizona: 5.6 %Arizona5.6North Carolina: 5.6 %North Carolina5.6Virginia: 5.6 %Virginia5.6Washington: 5.6 %Washington5.6Indiana: 5.4 %Indiana5.4Maryland: 5.2 %Maryland5.2West Virginia: 5.2 %West Virginia5.2Oklahoma: 4.3 %Oklahoma4.3Utah: 4.2 %Utah4.2
%. 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

RankStates2019 (%)Change on 2018
1Montana9.4+2 pts
1Vermont9.4+1.9 pts
3South Carolina9.2+2.7 pts
4Maine8.9+1 pts
5Oregon8.5+0.1 pts
6District of Columbia8.4+0.4 pts
7Hawaii8.3-0.5 pts
7Wisconsin8.3+0.8 pts
9Alaska7.9+0.6 pts
10Massachusetts7.8-0.2 pts
11Florida7.60 pts
11Illinois7.6+0.7 pts
13Louisiana7.5+0.7 pts
14North Dakota7.4-0.1 pts
15Delaware7.3+0.9 pts
15Idaho7.3+0.6 pts
17New Hampshire7-0.3 pts
18Minnesota6.9+0.1 pts
18South Dakota6.9-1.6 pts
20Iowa6.7-1.5 pts
21Colorado6.5-0.8 pts
21Kentucky6.5+0.5 pts
21Missouri6.5-1.6 pts
21Ohio6.5+0.3 pts
21Wyoming6.5-0.5 pts
26Nevada6.4+0.5 pts
27California6.2+0.2 pts
27Connecticut6.2-0.2 pts
27Kansas6.2+0.4 pts
27Michigan6.2-0.2 pts
27Nebraska6.2-0.9 pts
32Pennsylvania6.1-0.1 pts
32Rhode Island6.1-0.7 pts
32Texas6.1-0.1 pts
35Mississippi6+1.2 pts
35New Mexico6+0.7 pts
37New York5.9+0.1 pts
38Arkansas5.8+0.5 pts
38Georgia5.80 pts
40Alabama5.7+0.3 pts
40Tennessee5.7-0.3 pts
42Arizona5.60 pts
42North Carolina5.6-0.8 pts
42Virginia5.6-0.2 pts
42Washington5.6-0.5 pts
46Indiana5.4-0.8 pts
47Maryland5.2+0.7 pts
47West Virginia5.2+1 pts
49Oklahoma4.3+0.1 pts
50Utah4.2+0.4 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. 1 states with data in other periods have no value for 2019 and are left out rather than filled from another source. 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, 2019) [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, 2019. 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=2019. 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, 2019. 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=2019.

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, 2019 [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=2019 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{centers_us_states_by_heavy_2019,
  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, 2019}},
  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=2019. 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, 2019
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=2019
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/adult-heavy-drinking-rate/us-states?period=2019.
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?

Montana, with 9.4% in 2019, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Which state has the lowest heavy drinking in adults?

Utah, with 4.2% in 2019.

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. 1 states have no value for 2019 and are not ranked.

US states: more rankings