Surprising Stat: Iowans and Alcohol, It's Not What You Think

When it comes to Iowa stereotypes, some are pretty accurate. We have a lot of corn. We have a TON of hogs. We have farm fields galore (and we like it that way).

What about when it comes to stereotypes about Iowans though? One I hear a lot from my out-of-state friends is that Iowans like to drink.

But while it may seem logical we enjoy Busch Latte's and other various intoxicants, are we a group of folk that drink much more than those in other states? Obviously, I mean per capita since we're a small state population-wise. Well, I decided to look into it.

Do Iowans Drink as Much As People Think?

When it comes to boozing it up, Iowans drink, like folks in all 50 states, but how do we compare? I went to the folks at Vinepair to find out how we rank.

Photo by Andrew Seaman on Unsplash

The folks at Vinepair did some research and as of 2023, Iowans are not at the top of the list. We're actually... in the middle. Almost exactly.

Get our free mobile app

Iowa ranked #24 out of 51 (D.C. was counted separately) and was below fellow Midwestern states like North Dakota (6 on the list) Wisconsin (7), Minnesota (14), and Missouri (17). Illinois was just behind us at 26.

So with that in mind, are Iowans lushes? The statistics from the study say we consume 2.49 million gallons per capita. It seems like a lot, but as I showed you earlier, it's not as bad as many neighboring states.

When it comes to buying the hooch, we spend an estimated 6.6 million a year on alcohol. That's good for #30 (out of 51). You can see the full results here.

Why not pair that beer with some tasty options from one of these great, new restaurants?