50 States Ranked in Order of Drunkenness, Where Did Massachusetts Land?

Historians agree that bars in Massachusetts are about as old as the state itself. Early settlers wasted no time setting up local taverns before schoolhouses in some cases.

In fact, Massachusetts is home to what are believed to be the oldest bars in the United States like the Green Dragon Tavern which dates back to 1654, or Warren Tavern in Charlestown which was the first building to be erected in Charlestown after the British burned the whole town during the Battle of Bunker Hill in June of 1775.

In 2019, Massachusetts was home to 828 bars and 1,645 beer, wine, and liquor stores. That's a lot of drunk people. And don't forget to add in the 114 colleges and beer-guzzling Boston sports fans.

So, Just How Drunk is Massachusetts?

A recent study reported by 24/7 Wallstreet says that Massachusetts is the seventh drunkest state in the U.S. finishing just behind Illinois. Check out the complete list below and then we'll get into what that actually means.

What is the Drunkest State in the U.S.?

1. Wisconsin
2. North Dakota
3. Iowa
4. Nebraska
5. Minnesota
6. Illinois
7. Massachusetts
8. Alaska
9. Hawaii
10. Montana
11. New Hampshire
12. Colorado
13. Maine
14. Ohio
15. Wyoming
16. Missouri
17. Rhode Island
18. Michigan
19. Louisiana
20. Texas
21. Vermont
22. Nevada
23. California
24. Pennsylvania
25. South Dakota
26. New York
27. Kansas
28. Oregon
29. New Jersey
30. Indiana
31. Washington
32. Virginia
33. South Carolina
34. Kentucky
35. Florida
36. Connecticut
37. North Carolina
38. Delaware
39. Arizona
40. Maryland
41. Idaho
42. New Mexico
43. Arkansas
44. Georgia
45. Tennessee
46. Oklahoma
47. Alabama
48. Mississippi
49. West Virginia
50. Utah

24/7 Wall Street says the study is "based on a number of factors including binge drinking rates and alcohol-related deaths" using statics compiled in 2020 by County Health Rankings.

So Massachusetts cracked the top ten for the entire county and now holds the title of the drunkest state in New England. Proud of us.

On a serious note, the Food and Drug Administration reports about 60% of men and 51% of women drink regularly, while at the same time 19 % of adults in the U.S. report regularly consuming unhealthy amounts of alcohol. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines "Binge Drinking" as four or more drinks on a single occasion for women, and five or more for men. "Heavy Drinking" is defined as at least eight drinks per week for women and 15 for men.