Each year, alcohol misuse is directly linked to diseases and accidents that kill an estimated 95,000 Americans. Excessive drinking also costs the economy hundreds of billions of dollars annually, mostly in lost productivity.
Excessive drinking — along with tobacco use, inadequate exercise, and poor nutrition — is one of four main risk factors for preventable disease identified by the CDC. In addition to short-term consequences, such as impaired judgement and motor skills, excessive alcohol consumption is associated with liver disease, certain cancers, increased risk of a heart attack or stroke, and poor mental health. Here is a look at 23 ways a drinking habit can harm you.
Still, each day, millions of American adults enjoy alcohol responsibly. Moderate drinking — defined as two standard drinks per day for men and one standard drink for women — carries relatively little risk, and may even have some health benefits.
Using data from County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a joint program between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, 24/7 Tempo identified the U.S. metropolitan areas with the lowest excessive drinking rates.
Metro areas are ranked on the share of adults who either binge drink or drink heavily. CHR defines binge drinking as consumption of more than four drinks in a single occasion for women and more than five drinks for men, while heavy drinking is defined as more than one drink a day on average for women and more than two drinks a day for men. No metro area on this list has a higher excessive drinking rate than 16.1%. Nationwide, the excessive drinking rate stands at 19.2%.
The majority of metro areas on this list are located in the South, including eight in Alabama alone.
It is important to note that alcohol affects everyone differently, and as a general rule, drinking less is better than drinking more. Additionally, the vast majority of Americans who drink excessively — about 90% of them — do not have a severe alcohol use disorder, a chronic disease commonly referred to as alcoholism.
Click here to see America’s least drunk metro areas
Click here to read our detailed methodology
50. Rome, GA
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 16.1%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 8.4% — the lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $50,880 — 74th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.0% — 65th highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad]
49. Muncie, IN
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 16.0%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 9.1% — 2nd lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $45,065 — 14th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.3% — 83rd highest of 384 metros
48. Clarksville, TN-KY
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 16.0%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 30.4% — 146th highest of 384 metros (tied)
> Median household income: $53,547 — 107th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.3% — 53rd highest of 384 metros
47. Laredo, TX
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.9%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 22.0% — 71st lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $56,084 — 139th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 34.9% — the highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad-2]
46. Cleveland, TN
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.9%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 28.2% — 188th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $52,178 — 89th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.5% — 47th highest of 384 metros
45. Johnson City, TN
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.9%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 29.2% — 176th highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $45,917 — 18th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.8% — 68th highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad]
44. Elizabethtown-Fort Knox, KY
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.9%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 26.2% — 142nd lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $55,246 — 127th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.7% — 74th highest of 384 metros
24/7 Wall St.
43. Bowling Green, KY
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.8%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 23.2% — 92nd lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $51,198 — 77th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.9% — 42nd highest of 384 metros
42. Sumter, SC
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.8%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 40.0% — 19th highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $49,263 — 48th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.9% — 67th highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad-2]
41. Brownsville-Harlingen, TX
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.7%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 16.5% — 22nd lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $41,123 — 3rd lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 34.1% — 2nd highest of 384 metros
40. Dalton, GA
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.7%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 14.7% — 14th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $51,967 — 88th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 25.7% — 13th highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad]
39. Florence, SC
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.6%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 35.9% — 49th highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $48,547 — 37th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.5% — 78th highest of 384 metros
38. Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.6%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 23.3% — 96th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $45,824 — 17th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.9% — 95th highest of 384 metros
37. Huntsville, AL
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.5%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 28.7% — 184th highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $67,157 — 95th highest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.3% — 181st lowest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad-2]
36. Goldsboro, NC
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.5%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 24.4% — 108th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $44,596 — 11th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.6% — 30th highest of 384 metros
35. Hattiesburg, MS
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.5%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 10.8% — 4th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $48,359 — 33rd lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.9% — 94th highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad]
34. Spartanburg, SC
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.4%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 29.4% — 170th highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $55,339 — 128th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 18.9% — 177th highest of 384 metros
33. Morristown, TN
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.3%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 25.0% — 118th lowest of 384 metros (tied)
> Median household income: $47,326 — 23rd lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 24.1% — 20th highest of 384 metros
32. Oklahoma City, OK
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.3%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 27.1% — 169th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $60,605 — 175th highest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 19.5% — 152nd highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad-2]
31. Warner Robins, GA
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.2%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 22.0% — 70th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $61,936 — 148th highest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 19.7% — 138th highest of 384 metros
30. Rocky Mount, NC
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.1%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 29.5% — 168th highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $46,466 — 20th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.5% — 34th highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad]
29. Memphis, TN-MS-AR
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.1%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 19.6% — 48th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $54,859 — 123rd lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.8% — 44th highest of 384 metros
28. Jonesboro, AR
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.1%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 22.1% — 72nd lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $44,998 — 13th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 24.1% — 21st highest of 384 metros
27. Tulsa, OK
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.1%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 29.2% — 177th highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $57,859 — 173rd lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 19.9% — 132nd highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad-2]
26. Macon-Bibb County, GA
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.0%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 20.9% — 57th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $48,435 — 34th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.2% — 60th highest of 384 metros
25. Gadsden, AL
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.0%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 16.2% — 19th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $41,447 — 4th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.0% — 64th highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad]
24. Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 15.0%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 23.2% — 91st lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $48,329 — 32nd lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.2% — 36th highest of 384 metros
24/7 Wall St.
23. Lawton, OK
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.9%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 28.2% — 185th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $51,332 — 80th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.2% — 58th highest of 384 metros
22. Farmington, NM
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.9%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 36.9% — 36th highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $44,321 — 10th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.5% — 32nd highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad-2]
21. Charleston, WV
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.9%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 21.0% — 59th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $47,500 — 25th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.9% — 43rd highest of 384 metros
20. Jackson, MS
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.7%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 18.8% — 42nd lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $52,426 — 94th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.4% — 82nd highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad]
19. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.7%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 35.0% — 58th highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $41,800 — 6th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 33.1% — 3rd highest of 384 metros
18. Parkersburg-Vienna, WV
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.6%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 25.0% — 118th lowest of 384 metros (tied)
> Median household income: $48,680 — 40th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.1% — 39th highest of 384 metros
17. Enid, OK
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.6%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 32.3% — 99th highest of 384 metros (tied)
> Median household income: $64,929 — 113th highest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 20.5% — 108th highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad-2]
16. Valdosta, GA
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.5%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 25.0% — 118th lowest of 384 metros (tied)
> Median household income: $43,787 — 9th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.4% — 50th highest of 384 metros
15. Fort Smith, AR-OK
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.4%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 28.4% — 189th highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $45,157 — 15th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 26.2% — 10th highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad]
14. Tuscaloosa, AL
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.3%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 32.1% — 103rd highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $49,721 — 54th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.4% — 51st highest of 384 metros
13. Jackson, TN
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.2%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 30.6% — 140th highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $48,700 — 42nd lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.7% — 26th highest of 384 metros
12. Beckley, WV
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.2%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 16.0% — 18th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $44,785 — 12th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 25.6% — 15th highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad-2]
11. Albany, GA
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.1%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 12.1% — 7th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $40,625 — 2nd lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 24.2% — 19th highest of 384 metros
10. Decatur, AL
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.0%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 24.6% — 112th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $53,447 — 103rd lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 21.1% — 89th highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad]
9. Dothan, AL
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 14.0%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 27.8% — 178th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $50,010 — 58th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.9% — 24th highest of 384 metros
8. Pine Bluff, AR
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 13.9%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 21.7% — 66th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $41,541 — 5th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 28.0% — 7th highest of 384 metros
7. Anniston-Oxford, AL
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 13.7%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 15.1% — 15th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $48,156 — 30th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 23.7% — 29th highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad-2]
6. Salt Lake City, UT
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 13.6%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 24.5% — 109th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $80,196 — 27th highest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 16.3% — 101st lowest of 384 metros
5. Montgomery, AL
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 13.3%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 33.2% — 83rd highest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $53,834 — 112th lowest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 22.1% — 62nd highest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad]
4. St. George, UT
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 10.9%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 24.6% — 113th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $63,595 — 121st highest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.9% — 83rd lowest of 384 metros
3. Ogden-Clearfield, UT
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 10.8%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 16.6% — 23rd lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $79,251 — 31st highest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 14.1% — 36th lowest of 384 metros
2. Logan, UT-ID
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 10.7%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 17.2% — 25th lowest of 384 metros (tied)
> Median household income: $61,467 — 153rd highest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 15.2% — 63rd lowest of 384 metros
[in-text-ad-2]
1. Provo-Orem, UT
> Adults binge or heavy drinking: 6.6%
> Driving deaths involving alcohol: 18.0% — 35th lowest of 384 metros
> Median household income: $79,152 — 32nd highest of 384 metros
> Adults reporting poor or fair health: 13.3% — 21st lowest of 384 metros
Methodology
To determine America’s least drunk metros, 24/7 Tempo reviewed rates of excessive drinking from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program’s 2021 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report.
The rate of excessive drinking is defined as the share of adults who report either binge drinking or heavy drinking in the past 30 days. Binge drinking is defined as a woman consuming more than four drinks or a man consuming more than five drinks in a single occasion. Heavy drinking is defined as a woman consuming more than one drink per day on average or a man consuming more than two drinks per day on average.
We aggregated county-level statistics to metropolitan statistical areas. While the CHR report is from 2021, excessive drinking rate figures published in the report are from 2018.
We used the 384 metropolitan statistical areas as delineated by the United States Office of Management and Budget and used by the Census Bureau as our definition of metros.
Metros were ranked based on the excessive drinking rate. Additional information on the share of driving deaths with alcohol involvement and the share of adults who report fair or poor health are also from the 2021 CHR. Median household income data are one-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 American Community Survey.
Get Ready To Retire (Sponsored)
Start by taking a quick retirement quiz from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes, or less.
Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.
Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future
Get started right here.
Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.
Latest from 24/7
