Total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol) in United States of America

United States of America: Total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol) was 9.9 in 2020. ▲ Rising

Latest (2020)
9.9
Change on year
up 3.4%
World rank
29th
of 185 countries
All-time high
9.9
in 2020
All-time low
9.05
in 2000
Years of data
21
2000–2020

Total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol) in United States of America, 2000–2020

02468102000201020202000: 9.12001: 9.12002: 9.12003: 9.22004: 9.22005: 9.32006: 9.42007: 9.42008: 9.42009: 9.42010: 9.32011: 9.42012: 9.52013: 9.52014: 9.52015: 9.52016: 9.52017: 9.62018: 9.62019: 9.62020: 9.9

Source: Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO).

Analysis

United States of America recorded 9.9 for total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol) in 2020. That is the highest value across all 21 years on record.

That represents a change of up 3.4% on the previous year and up 6.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol) in United States of America peaked at 9.9 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 9.05, in 2000.

United States of America ranks 29th of 185 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.

The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 21 years of available data.

Total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol) in United States of America, year by year

Annual values for Total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age) in United States of America, 2000 to 2020.
Year Value Change
2000 9.05
2001 9.05 +0.0%
2002 9.11 +0.7%
2003 9.17 +0.7%
2004 9.24 +0.8%
2005 9.3 +0.6%
2006 9.37 +0.8%
2007 9.43 +0.6%
2008 9.44 +0.1%
2009 9.37 -0.7%
2010 9.34 -0.3%
2011 9.39 +0.5%
2012 9.47 +0.9%
2013 9.5 +0.3%
2014 9.47 -0.3%
2015 9.49 +0.2%
2016 9.51 +0.2%
2017 9.55 +0.4%
2018 9.57 +0.2%
2019 9.57 +0.0%
2020 9.9 +3.4%

United States of America compared with similar countries

  • United States of America's 9.9 is above the median for high income countries, which is 8.8, 1.1× the median. (60 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2000s 9.25 9.05 9.44 10
2010s 9.49 9.34 9.57 10
2020s 9.9 9.9 9.9 1

Countries ranked near United States of America

  1. 26 Switzerland 10.07 compare
  2. 27 New Zealand 10.02 compare
  3. 28 Hungary 9.93 compare
  4. 30 Canada 9.89 compare
  5. 31 Andorra 9.68 compare
  6. 32 Cameroon 9.6 compare

See the full ranking of 232 places →

More health data for United States of America

All data for United States of America →

Frequently asked questions

What is total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol) in United States of America?
Total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol) in United States of America was 9.9 in 2020, according to Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO).
What is the highest total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol) recorded in United States of America?
The highest recorded value was 9.9 in 2020.
What is the lowest total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol) recorded in United States of America?
The lowest recorded value was 9.05 in 2000.
How does United States of America rank for total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol)?
United States of America ranks 29th out of 185 countries with data for 2020.
Is total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol) 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), published as part of Total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol) in United States of America. Statizoid, drawing on Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO). Retrieved 14 September 2026, from https://health.statizoid.com/stat/total-alcohol-consumption-per-capita-liters-of-pure-alcohol-projected-estimates-15-years/united-states/

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About this data

Indicator
Total alcohol consumption per capita (liters of pure alcohol, projected estimates, 15+ years of age)
Source
Global Health Observatory Data Repository, World Health Organization (WHO)
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage
232 places, 4,872 data points, 2000–2020
Last refreshed

Total alcohol per capita consumption is defined as the total (sum of recorded and unrecorded alcohol) amount of alcohol consumed per person (15 years of age or older) over a calendar year, in litres of pure alcohol, adjusted for tourist consumption.