
A comprehensive study examining adult alcohol consumption across the United States reveals that Wisconsin ranks sixth in binge drinking rates, with 20.2 percent of its adult population reporting excessive alcohol use. The research, conducted by the Valley Spring Recovery Center using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from 2011 through 2023, highlights significant regional variation in drinking habits throughout the country.
Iowa leads the nationwide survey with the highest overall binge drinking rate at 22.5 percent, followed closely by North Dakota at 22.4 percent and Montana at 21.9 percent. South Dakota and Nebraska round out the top five states, while Wisconsin shares its sixth-place position with Hawaii. At the opposite end of the spectrum, Utah recorded the lowest prevalence of excessive drinking in the nation at 11.9 percent, nearly half the rate observed in Iowa.

Adam Hess has been involved in radio broadcasting since 1990, with many of those years spent on the air at WRCO FM in Richland Center. Currently, Adam hosts the Weekend Wake-up and Prime Mover Saturdays on WRCO FM, jumps in and helps out with news duties, handles Social Media duties for WRCO and WRCE, and is the Director of Technology at a Southwest Wisconsin School District. Reach him at [email protected].
