Alcohol consumption per person in United States of America
United States of America: Alcohol consumption per person was 9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020. ▲ Rising
Latest (2020)
9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
Change on year
up 3.4%
World rank
29th
of 185 countries
All-time high
9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2020
All-time low
9.05 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age
in 2000
Years of data
21
2000–2020
Alcohol consumption per person in United States of America, 2000–2020
Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age.
Analysis
In 2020, alcohol consumption per person in United States of America stood at 9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.4% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol consumption per person in United States of America peaked at 9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020 and was at its lowest, 9.05 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age, in 2000.
That places United States of America 29th out of 185 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.
Alcohol consumption per person in United States of America, year by year
| Year | liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 9.05 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | — |
| 2001 | 9.05 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 9.11 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 9.17 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 9.24 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 9.3 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 9.37 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.8% |
| 2007 | 9.43 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 9.44 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.1% |
| 2009 | 9.37 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.7% |
| 2010 | 9.34 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.3% |
| 2011 | 9.39 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.5% |
| 2012 | 9.47 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.9% |
| 2013 | 9.5 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.3% |
| 2014 | 9.47 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | -0.3% |
| 2015 | 9.49 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 9.51 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 9.55 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 9.57 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 9.57 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | +3.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 9.25 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 9.05 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 9.44 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10 |
| 2010s | 9.49 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 9.34 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 9.57 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 10 |
| 2020s | 9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age | 1 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
- 26 Switzerland 10.07 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 27 New Zealand 10.02 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 28 Hungary 9.93 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 30 Canada 9.89 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 31 Andorra 9.68 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
- 32 Cameroon 9.6 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age compare
More economy & growth data for United States of America
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 1.63 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 2.12 Percent per annum (2029)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), annual growth rate 6.81 % change on previous year (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0079 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per capita 711.77 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 6 % change on previous year (2024)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.1363 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 11,741 current US$ per person (2024)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 6 % change on previous year (2024)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU), per 0.1363 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is alcohol consumption per person in United States of America?
- Alcohol consumption per person in United States of America was 9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest alcohol consumption per person recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 9.9 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2020.
- What is the lowest alcohol consumption per person recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 9.05 liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age in 2000.
- How does United States of America rank for alcohol consumption per person?
- United States of America ranks 29th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
- Is alcohol consumption per person rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is up 6.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from Global Health Observatory Data Repository - World Health Organization (WHO), via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Alcohol consumption per person. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Estimated consumption of alcohol is measured in liters of pure alcohol per person aged 15 or older, per year.