Remember when we got all those warnings early in the pandemic about being careful about how much wine, beer, and/or booze we were pouring down our throats while we were forced into locking down at home?

It seems as though some states' residents heeded the warning, while others thought that if people in other states cut back on their drinking there would be more liquor for the rest of us.

Which group do you think Illinois and our Midwestern neighbors falls into?

Easy kiddo, this is an IPA. (Getty Images)
Easy kiddo, this is an IPA. (Getty Images)
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It's No Secret That Midwesterners Enjoy Some Elbow-Bending Fun, But If You Want To Hang With The Big-Time Drinkers, You've Gotta Leave The Midwest

If that's all it takes for you to start making travel arrangements, I would suggest setting my navigation system for the state of...New Hampshire, of all places.

According to WorldPopulationReview.com, the "Granite State" (see, I pay attention every presidential election when an undue amount of attention is focused on New Hampshire's presidential primary, which is how I know Granite State, if you care) leads the United States in per capita alcohol consumption with 4.67 gallons.

The state that polishes off the least amount of hooch shouldn't be hard to guess. If you shouted "Utah" pat yourself on the back and go grab a nice, un-caffeinated soft drink. The folks in Utah manage to put away 1.35 gallons of alcohol per capita per year.

Since we're in Utah, we'll just have one drink. (Getty Images)
Since we're in Utah, we'll just have one drink. (Getty Images)
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That's not Utah, and they aren't the Osmonds. (Getty Images)
That's not Utah, and they aren't the Osmonds. (Getty Images)
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Let's Get To Illinois' And The Midwest's Drinking Numbers

Illinois is ranked 28th out of the 50 states in alcohol consumption, with the average drinking-age Illinoisan consuming 2.32 gallons per year.

If you've ever spent more than 10 minutes north of the cheddar curtain in Wisconsin, it shouldn't be the slightest bit shocking to learn that Wisconsin residents easily outdrink us FIBs in Illinois. Per capita, Wisconsinites finish off almost three gallons (2.93). That number is good enough to put Wisconsin at #8 overall in the United States.

Obviously, our other Midwestern neighbors aren't as important as Illinois and Wisconsin, but here are their numbers and overall rankings anyway:

    • Iowa: 2.4 gallons/#24
    • Indiana: 2.15 gallons/#37
    • Michigan: 2.36 gallons/#25
    • Minnesota: 2.79 gallons/#12
    • Missouri: 2.52 gallons/#21
    • Kentucky: 1.95 gallons/#44

What Are the Signature Drinks From Every State?

 

READ ON: See the States Where People Live the Longest

Stacker used data from the 2020 County Health Rankings to rank every state's average life expectancy from lowest to highest. The 2020 County Health Rankings values were calculated using mortality counts from the 2016-2018 National Center for Health Statistics. The U.S. Census 2019 American Community Survey and America's Health Rankings Senior Report 2019 data were also used to provide demographics on the senior population of each state and the state's rank on senior health care, respectively.

Read on to learn the average life expectancy in each state.

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