Here’s where NJ ranks among the drunkest states

I saw that there was a list of the drunkest states in America, and I honestly couldn’t guess where New Jersey would rank. Sure, we have a lot of bars and drunken revelry at the Shore isn’t exactly a secret, but I also realize that only represents a small percentage of the populace.

Spoiler alert: compared to other states, we’re pretty sedated; we rank 43rd out of the fifty states for drunkenness, according to 24/7 Wall Street.

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

According to their research, adults drink excessively at a national average rate of 19.8%, and exactly half of the states drink that much or more. New Jersey’s rate is 16.1%; we have the ninth-lowest rate of alcohol-related driving deaths, and our median household income (which apparently matters) is third highest.

I may have buried the lede by not starting by telling you which New Jersey town they deemed the “drunkest.”

Ready?

It’s Ocean City, yes the Ocean City that is a dry town. It turns out that it’s not so dry. According to 24/7 Wall Street, 21.4% of OC’s residents drink excessively.

BTW, Wisconsin is the drunkest state and Utah is the least drunk.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Bill Doyle only.

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