Washington City Ranked Among The Drunkest Cities In America

By Zuri Anderson

December 8, 2023

Heavy drinking in bar
Photo: South_agency / E+ / Getty Images

Americans love their alcohol, whether it's a nice glass of wine or the rustic taste of bubbly beer. Sometimes, people can enjoy their drinks too much, almost to a detrimental degree. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reported that 29.5 million people ages 12 and older had alcohol use disorder in the past year. While Americans across the nation deal with this debilitating condition, some places may grapple with it more than others.

If you're curious about which U.S. cities are struggling with alcohol the most, 24/7 Tempo revealed the 50 drunkest cities in the country. Here's how researchers conducted their study:

"To identify the U.S. metro areas with the highest excessive drinking rates, 24/7 Tempo reviewed the percentage of adults 18 and older who report binge or heavy drinking within a 30-day period across all 382 metro areas in the country. Data came from theĀ 2023 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute joint program."

Bellingham, Washington ranked at No. 45. With a population of over 360,000 people, 22.9% of adults drink excessively, compared to the national rate of 18.9%, according to analysts. The study said 24.7% of fatal car accidents in this city involved alcohol.

Here are the Top 10 drunkest cities in America:

  1. Dubuque, Iowa
  2. Wausau-Weston, Wisconsin
  3. Madison, Wisconsin
  4. Eau Claire, Wisconsin
  5. Green Bay, Wisconsin
  6. La Crosse-Onalaska, Wisconsin-Minnesota
  7. Oshkosh-Neenah, Wisconsin
  8. Fond du Lac, Wisconsin
  9. Appleton, Wisconsin
  10. Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Visit 247tempo.com for the full report.

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