America’s Drunkest Cities of 2011, From Las Vegas to Boston (Photos)

With New Year’s Eve around the corner, The Daily Beast ranks which cities drink the most all year ’round.

Patrick Lane / Corbis

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---tallahassee_kckg4j — ’Tis the season to throw back a few—eggnog for the holidays, hot toddies for the chill air, and Champagne for the New Year’s festivities. But for some urbanites, every season is drinking season. Certain cities, like Milwaukee, have a strong beer-brewing industry. Others may just have a thriving bar culture.

To compile the second annual list of the “drunkest” cities in the U.S., The Daily Beast first analyzed data from Experian Simmons, a leading market-research firm, which provided data on the average number of alcoholic drinks per month the residents of more than 200 cities across the country reported to have consumed in a survey from earlier this year. As well, we considered the percent of the population that are either binge drinkers or heavy drinkers for each metro area, according to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control. The average number of drinks was given twice the weight of the heavy- and binge-drinking population for the final rank.
Phil Coale / AP Photo

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/houston-drunkest-cities_firvaw — Population over age 21: 4,175,896
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 14.3
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 6.1%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 15.4%

Joseph Sohm, Visions of America / Corbis

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/norfolk-drunkest-cities_dmvq1m — Population over age 21: 1,326,795
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 13.5
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 5.2%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 20.2%

Wolfgang Kaehler / Corbis

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---cleveland_niweld — Population over age 21: 2,799,291
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 13.2
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 6.3%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 18.2%
Amy Sancetta / AP Photo

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/san-francisco-drunkest-cities_randck — Population over age 21: 5,090,928
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 14.9
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 6.1%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 14%

Alison Yin / AP Photo

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/worst-real-estate-cities---providence_k0jxea — Population over age 21: 1,171,508
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 13.9
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 5.7%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 17.6%
iStockPhoto.com

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/bismarck-north-dakota-drunkest-cities_jooqve — Population over age 21: 246,759
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 14.3
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 4.7%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 18.4%

Patrick Lane / Corbis

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---seattle_bjwprf — Population over age 21: 3,489,568
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 14.1
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 6.1%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 16.9%
Ted S. Warren / AP Photo

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/lincoln-nebraska-drunkest-cities_fxovea — Population over age 21: 503,509
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 13.4
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 5.9%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 22.7%
Bill Wolf / AP Photo

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/sioux-falls-south-dakota-drunkest-cities_dw5duz — Population over age 21: 482,254
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 13.3
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 6.4%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 19%
Bob Krist / Corbis

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/football-fans---buffalo_g5qmdi — Population over age 21: 1,170,570
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 13.1
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 8.7%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 19.4%
Rick Stewart / Getty Images

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/ft-myers-drunkest-cities_svypy1 — Population over age 21: 892,047
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 13.9
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 9.5%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 15.6%
Russell Underwood / Corbis

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---las-vegas_q0dzd8 — Population over age 21: 1,378,179
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 14.6
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 5.1%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 17.5%
Jae C. Hong / AP Photo

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---denver_beqgqf — Population over age 21: 2,934,772
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 15.3
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 5.1%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 16.8%
David Zalubowski / AP Photo

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/charleston-drunkest-cities_drxl5r — Population over age 21: 568,139
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 13.8
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 8.7%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 17.3%
Andrea Pistolesi / Corbis

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---burlington_xldxbs — Population over age 21: 636,937
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 13.5
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 7.5%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 19.4%
Toby Talbot / AP Photo

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/skin-cancer-cities-tucson-arizona_enfsny — Population over age 21: 851,516
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 14.2
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 8%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 16.8%

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---san-diego_fokarl — Population over age 21: 2,170,760
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 14.1
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 7.3%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 17.7%
Chris Schneider / AP Photo

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---st-louis_ndhwkn — Population over age 21: 2,274,944
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 14.4
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 6.1%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 18%
Jeff Roberson / AP Photo

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---austin_ltwfm4 — Population over age 21: 1,307,021
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 15.5
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 5%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 18.4%
Bill Hatcher / Getty Images

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---chicago_e2pif9 — Population over age 21: 6,829,793
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 15.5
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 6.1%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 17.2%
CHARLES REX ARBOGAST

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---san-antonio_abvdwl — Population over age 21: 1,617,338
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 14.2
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 8.2%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 19.4%
Newscom

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---reno_ovl8zc — Population over age 21: 488,524
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 14.5
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 8.5%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 18.1%
Hiroyuki Matsumoto / Getty Images

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---milwaukee_fookxu — Population over age 21: 1,642,230
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 15.7
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 6.7%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 18.9%
Darren Hauck / Getty Images

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---springfield_rptmjw — Population over age 21: 507,679
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 14.6
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 9.2%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 19.5%
Denis Tangney Jr / Getty Images

galleries/2011/12/28/america-s-drunkest-cities-photos/drunkest-cities---boston_jphslm — Population over age 21: 4,750,296
Avg. monthly drinks consumed per person: 15.5
Percent of population that are heavy drinkers: 7.4%
Percent of population that are binge drinkers: 20.1%
Michael Dwyer / AP Photo

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