Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United States of America
United States of America: Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) was 3.61 in 2024. ▬ Flat
Latest (2024)
3.61
Change on year
down 2.7%
World rank
34th
of 188 countries
All-time high
5.26
in 1981
All-time low
3.61
in 2024
Years of data
65
1960–2024
Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United States of America, 1960–2024
Source: World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
Analysis
United States of America recorded 3.61 for alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 65 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and down 13.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United States of America peaked at 5.26 in 1981 and was at its lowest, 3.61, in 2024.
United States of America ranks 34th of 188 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United States of America, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 3.75 | — |
| 1961 | 3.67 | -2.1% |
| 1962 | 3.75 | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 3.82 | +1.9% |
| 1964 | 3.94 | +3.1% |
| 1965 | 3.94 | +0.0% |
| 1966 | 4.01 | +1.8% |
| 1967 | 4.05 | +1.0% |
| 1968 | 4.13 | +2.0% |
| 1969 | 4.24 | +2.7% |
| 1970 | 4.31 | +1.7% |
| 1971 | 4.35 | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 4.43 | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 4.54 | +2.5% |
| 1974 | 4.73 | +4.2% |
| 1975 | 4.77 | +0.8% |
| 1976 | 4.81 | +0.8% |
| 1977 | 4.88 | +1.5% |
| 1978 | 5.03 | +3.1% |
| 1979 | 5.19 | +3.2% |
| 1980 | 5.22 | +0.6% |
| 1981 | 5.26 | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 5.22 | -0.8% |
| 1983 | 5.19 | -0.6% |
| 1984 | 5.22 | +0.6% |
| 1985 | 5.03 | -3.6% |
| 1986 | 5.07 | +0.8% |
| 1987 | 5.07 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 5.03 | -0.8% |
| 1989 | 4.96 | -1.4% |
| 1990 | 5.07 | +2.2% |
| 1991 | 4.88 | -3.7% |
| 1992 | 4.88 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 4.77 | -2.3% |
| 1994 | 4.73 | -0.8% |
| 1995 | 4.66 | -1.5% |
| 1996 | 4.66 | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 4.62 | -0.9% |
| 1998 | 4.62 | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 4.66 | +0.9% |
| 2000 | 4.76 | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 4.75 | -0.3% |
| 2002 | 4.74 | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 4.67 | -1.4% |
| 2004 | 4.67 | -0.2% |
| 2005 | 4.61 | -1.2% |
| 2006 | 4.61 | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 4.64 | +0.8% |
| 2008 | 4.6 | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 4.48 | -2.5% |
| 2010 | 4.36 | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 4.29 | -1.6% |
| 2012 | 4.32 | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 4.26 | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 4.17 | -2.0% |
| 2015 | 4.15 | -0.5% |
| 2016 | 4.11 | -1.0% |
| 2017 | 4.01 | -2.2% |
| 2018 | 3.97 | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 3.94 | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 3.93 | -0.1% |
| 2021 | 4 | +1.7% |
| 2022 | 3.84 | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 3.71 | -3.3% |
| 2024 | 3.61 | -2.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 3.93 | 3.67 | 4.24 | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.7 | 4.31 | 5.19 | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.13 | 4.96 | 5.26 | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.75 | 4.62 | 5.07 | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.65 | 4.48 | 4.76 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.16 | 3.94 | 4.36 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.82 | 3.61 | 4 | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States of America
More social development data for United States of America
- 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, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United States of America?
- Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) in United States of America was 3.61 in 2024, according to World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory.
- What is the highest alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) recorded in United States of America?
- The highest recorded value was 5.26 in 1981.
- What is the lowest alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) recorded in United States of America?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.61 in 2024.
- How does United States of America rank for alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure)?
- United States of America ranks 34th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure) rising or falling in United States of America?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
- Where does this United States of America data come from?
- The figures come from World Health Organization, Global Health Observatory, published as part of Alcohol, recorded per capita (15+) consumption (in litres of pure alcohol), by beverage type. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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