These 2 Texas Counties Have the Highest Percentage of Excessive Drinkers in the State

Many of us Texans will make a stop on the way home after work on a Friday to enjoy an adult beverage or two to celebrate making it through another work week. For others, they need an adult beverage or ten to close out each day. That obviously is not a healthy way to live a life. A new study has been released that shows the percentage of excessive drinkers in each county in every state. In Texas, two counties lead the way for the percentage of excessive drinkers.

What is Considered Excessive Drinking

The CDC defines both binge drinking and heavy drinking as excessive drinking. To break those numbers down even more, binge drinking is four or more drinks in one sitting for women and five or more drinks in one sitting for men. Heavy drinking is eight or more drinks in a week for women and 15 or more drinks for men in a week.

Texans love to enjoy a drink. Surprisingly, among all 50 states, Texas ranked in the middle with an overall 18% of the population considered excessive drinkers. This study even broke it down by county.

Top Counties for Excessive Drinking in Texas

The small West Texas county of Loving tops the state for the percentage of excessive drinkers at 25%. Travis County, home to our capitol in Austin, came in second at 23%. Several counties tied for third at 21%.

If you wanted to break it down even further, the interactive map at kxan.com shows the percentage of excessive drinkers in each East Texas county.

Percentage, Highest to Lowest, of Excessive Drinkers Per County in East Texas

• Kaufman 20%
• Rusk 19%
• Franklin 19%
• Anderson 19%
• Hunt 18%
• Hopkins 18%
• Van Zandt 18%
• Rains 18%
• Upshur 18%
• Smith 18%
• Gregg 18%
• Harrison 18%
• Panola 18%
• Nacogdoches 18%
• Polk 18%
• Titus 17%
• Morris 17%
• Wood 17%
• Henderson 17%
• Cherokee 17%
• Tyler 17%
• Jasper 17%
• Cass 16%
• Shelby 16%
• Houston 16%
• Newton 16%
• Trinity 16%
• Angelina 15%
• Sabine 15%
• Marion 15%
• San Augustine 14%

Top Five States for Percentage of Excessive Drinkers

Coming in at number one in the country is Wisconsin with 25% of the population considered excessive drinkers. Washington, D.C. (so that's why our nation's government is such a laughing stock, they're always drunk), Montana, North Dakota and Iowa rounded out the top five.

I don't drink anywhere close to what I used to. I might have a single drink on a Saturday night at home. Even in my younger days, I didn't drink during the week but would tie one on on a Friday and/or Saturday night. Always remember, no matter if it's one drink or ten, do not get behind the wheel. Take a cab, an Uber, a Lyft or have a sober friend pick you up. Don't put your life and the lives of others around you in danger by drinking.

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