Report Reveals America’s ‘Drunkest’ and ‘Driest’ Cities: Guess Which is #1

Report Reveals America’s ‘Drunkest’ and ‘Driest’ Cities: Guess Which is #1

Green Bay, Wis., has the highest percentage of adults who regularly drink heavily and the Provo-Orem, Utah, area the lowest percentage, according to a new study by 24/7 Wall Street that examined the percentage of adults who report binge or heavy drinking within the past 30 days.

A total of 381 metro area were included, with the Midwest having the highest number of “drunkest” cities and the South having the lowest percent of dry cities. Binge drinking is defined as four or more drinks on a single occasion for women and five or more for men. Heavy drinking is “eight or more drinks per week for women and 15 or more for men,” according to the study.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 18 percent of American adults regularly binge drink. According to the CDC, bring drinking is associated with more than average unintentional injuries, car crashes, violence, sexual assault, STDs, chronic diseases, cancer, and memory and learning problems.

Below are the Top 20 “drunkest” and Top 20 “driest” cities, according to the study.

The Drunkest Cities in America (According to 24/7 Wall Street)

1. Green Bay, Wis. – 26.5 percent of adults drink to excess
2. Eau Claire, Wis. – 26.2
3. Appleton, Wis. – 26.2
4. Madison, Wis. – 25.9
5. Fargo, N.D.-Minn. – 25.2
6. Oshkosh-Neenah, Wis. – 24.5
7. Missoula, Mont. – 24.3
8. Grand Forks, N.D.-Minn. – 24.2
9. Wausau, Wis. – 24.2
10. La Crosse-Onalaska, Wis.-Minn. – 23.8
11. Mankato-North Mankato, Minn. – 23.6
12. Fond du Lac, Wis. – 23.5
13. Iowa City, Iowa – 23.1
14. Dubuque, Iowa – 23.0
15. Sheboygan, Wis. – 23.0
16. Watertown-Fort Drum, N.Y. – 22.9
17. Lincoln, Neb. – 22.7
18. Fairbanks, Alaska – 22.7
19. Ames, Iowa – 22.7
20. Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, Wis. – 22.5

The Driest Cities in America (According to 24/7 Wall Street)

1. Provo-Orem, Utah – 8.5 percent of adults drink to excess
2. St. George, Utah – 10.8
3. Beckley, W.Va. – 10.8
4. Jackson, Tenn. – 10.9
5. Charleston, W.Va. – 11.1
6. Logan, Utah-Idaho – 11.6
7. Morristown, Tenn. – 11.9
8. Parkersburg-Vienna, W.Va. – 12.2
9. Pine Bluff, Ark. – 12.2
10. Cleveland, Tenn. – 12.2
11. Johnson City, Tenn. – 12.3
12. Knoxville, Tenn. – 12.3
13. Gadsden, Ala. – 12.4
14. Huntington-Ashland, W.Va.-Ky.-Ohio – 12.6
15. Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, Tenn.-Va. – 12.7
16. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Texas – 12.8
17. Fort Smith, Ark.-Okla. – 12.9
18. Ogden-Clearfield, Utah – 12.9
19. Rocky Mount, N.C. – 12.9
20. Dothan, Ala. – 13.0

Michael Foust is a freelance writer. Visit his blog, MichaelFoust.com.

Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstock/vadimguzhva

Publication date: May 16, 2018