Top 14 Drunkest Counties In New York State

These 14 counties are officially the drunkest in New York State. Listen, I'm not completely judging. The older I get the more I understand that adulting needs an antidote. Most of us pick out poison, for some, it's excessive drinking. New York State keeps track of the percentage of people in each county who drink excessively. County Health Rankings has compiled the data.

Nearly 1 in 5 adults in NYS (18.4%) reported excessive alcohol use in the form of either binge or heavy drinking, with an estimated 16.6% of adult in New York State reporting binge drinking and 6.1% reporting heavy drinking.

When considering heavy drinking by age range, New Yorkers aged 25 to 34 drink excessively the most.

Age Range: 18-24 / Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers: 26.6%
Age Range: 25-34 / Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers: 27.1%
Age Range: 35-44 / Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers: 21.8%
Age Range: 45-54 / Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers: 20.1%
Age Range: 55-64 / Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers: 14.5%
Age Range: 65+ / Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers: 8.1%

Health Concerns Of Excessive Drinking

Before we get to the county rankings, let's take a look at some of the negative health risks of getting drunk regularly. According to the Centers for Disease Control, there are quite a few health risks of excessive drinking, including, but not limited to:

- High blood pressure
- Heart disease
- Stroke
- Liver disease
- Cancer of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.
- Learning and memory problems
- Mental health problems
- Social problems
- Alcohol dependency

A report on binge and heavy drinking by the New York Department of Health says,

"Excessive alcohol use, both in the form of heavy drinking or binge drinking, is associated with an increased risk for several chronic diseases and conditions. Excessive alcohol use has been linked to an increased risk for various types of cancer including those of the oral cavity and pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colon, rectum, and female breast. Research indicates the more alcohol a person drinks regularly over time, the higher their risk of developing an alcohol-associated cancer."

These Are The 14 Counties In New York State That Get The Drunkest

(Based on the percentage of the population who are drinking excessively)

[Tie] Tompkins County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 20%

[Tie] Erie County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 20%

[Tie] Rensselaer County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 20%

[Tie] Oswego County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 20%

[Tie] Clinton County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 20%

[Tie] Washington County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 20%

[Tie] Herkimer County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 20%

[Tie] Ontario County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 20%

[Tie] Greene County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 20%

[Tie] Saratoga County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 21%

[Tie] Jefferson County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 21%

[Tie] St. Lawrence County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 21%

[Tie] New York County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 21%

[Tie] Franklin County - Percent Who Are Excessive Drinkers 21%

*Data from 2021 was used

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