Alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in United States
United States: Alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days was 42.1% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in United States, 2000–2020
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
The most recent figure for alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in United States is 42.1%, measured in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 21 years on record.
That represents a change of down 0.5% on the previous year and down 6.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in United States peaked at 45.3% in 2008 and was at its lowest, 42.1%, in 2020.
That places United States 83rd out of 186 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 21 years of available data.
Alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 44.4% | — |
| 2001 | 44.4% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 44.5% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 44.7% | +0.3% |
| 2004 | 44.8% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 44.9% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 45.1% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 45.2% | +0.4% |
| 2008 | 45.3% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 45.1% | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 45.1% | -0.1% |
| 2011 | 44.6% | -1.0% |
| 2012 | 44.3% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 43.9% | -1.0% |
| 2014 | 43.5% | -0.9% |
| 2015 | 43.2% | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 42.9% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 42.6% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 42.5% | -0.3% |
| 2019 | 42.3% | -0.4% |
| 2020 | 42.1% | -0.5% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 42.1% is above the median for high income countries, which is 38.1%, 1.1× the median. (60 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 44.8% | 44.4% | 45.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 43.5% | 42.3% | 45.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 42.1% | 42.1% | 42.1% | 1 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 80 Georgia 43.9% compare
- 81 Jamaica 43.5% compare
- 82 Bahamas 43.1% compare
- 84 Mozambique 42.1% compare
- 85 South Africa 42.0% compare
- 86 Philippines 41.9% compare
More social development data for United States
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 457,647 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3,667 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 2 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 1 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 2 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 3,667 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.0013 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in United States?
- Alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days in United States was 42.1% in 2020, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 45.3% in 2008.
- What is the lowest alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 42.1% in 2020.
- How does United States rank for alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days?
- United States ranks 83rd out of 186 countries with data for 2020.
- Is alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is down 6.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Alcohol, heavy episodic drinking (15+), drinkers only, past 30 days (%), age-standardized. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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