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United States Value:
Percentage of adults age 65 and older who reported binge drinking (four or more drinks on one occasion in the past 30 days for females or five or more for males) or heavy drinking (eight or more drinks per week for females or 15 or more for males)
Percentage of straight adults age 65 and older who reported binge drinking (four or more drinks on one occasion in the past 30 days for females or five or more for males) or heavy drinking (eight or more drinks per week for females or 15 or more for males)
4.1% - 6.6%
6.7% - 7.4%
7.5% - 8.1%
8.2% - 8.9%
9.0% - 11.5%
No Data
Percentage of adults age 65 and older who reported binge drinking (four or more drinks on one occasion in the past 30 days for females or five or more for males) or heavy drinking (eight or more drinks per week for females or 15 or more for males)
US Value: 7.6%
Top State(s): Utah: 4.1%
Bottom State(s): Alaska: 11.1%
Definition: Percentage of adults age 65 and older who reported binge drinking (four or more drinks on one occasion in the past 30 days for females or five or more for males) or heavy drinking (eight or more drinks per week for females or 15 or more for males)
Data Source and Years(s): U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, 2024
Suggested Citation: America's Health Rankings analysis of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, United Health Foundation, AmericasHealthRankings.org, accessed 2026.
Excessive drinking is responsible for more than 178,000 deaths annually in the United States, based on data from 2020-2021. In 2022-2023, 40.9% of alcohol-attributable deaths occurred among people age 65 and older. Alcohol-induced death rates for adults ages 65–74 reached record highs in 2021 and remained abnormally elevated through 2023. During this period, mortality rates rose significantly faster among older women than men, largely driven by a surge in alcohol-related liver disease.
Older adults face heightened risks because alcohol tolerance typically decreases with age — a sensitivity that is frequently compounded by the widespread use of prescription medications. Furthermore, most older adults take one or more prescription medications, many of which interact negatively with alcohol. More than 87% of people age 65 and older have used at least one prescription drug within the last 30 days, and nearly 40% have used five or more. A 2015 study found that 20% of older adults reported consuming at least one alcoholic drink a week while taking medications known to interact with alcohol.
Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with many adverse health outcomes, including:
Excessive alcohol use cost the U.S. an estimated $249 billion in 2010, the most recent year with data available.
According to America’s Health Rankings analysis, the prevalence of excessive drinking is higher among:
Alcohol misuse among older adults is often underreported, underdetected and misdiagnosed. Treatment options for older adults who misuse alcohol include support groups, rehabilitation facilities and therapy.
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends clinicians screen adults for unhealthy alcohol use and provide behavioral counseling interventions when appropriate. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a free online alcohol screening tool that individuals can use to check their drinking anonymously, identify barriers to and motivators for drinking less and make a personalized change plan.
Some evidence-based policy strategies to reduce excessive drinking and lower the associated health and social costs include the following:
Healthy People 2030 has multiple alcohol-related goals, including:
National Center for Health Statistics. Health, United States, 2018. Chartbook. Hyattsville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2019. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus18.pdf.
Qato, Dima Mazen, Beenish S. Manzoor, and Todd A. Lee. “Drug–Alcohol Interactions in Older U.S. Adults.” Journal of the American Geriatrics Society 63, no. 11 (2015): 2324–31. https://doi.org/10.1111/jgs.13787.
Wong, Tony, Lucas Böttcher, Tom Chou, and Maria R. D’Orsogna. “Alcohol-Induced Deaths in the United States across Age, Race, Gender, Geography, and the COVID-19 Pandemic.” Edited by Parvati Singh. PLOS Global Public Health 5, no. 9 (September 17, 2025): e0004623. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0004623.
Worcester, Sharon. “Study Shines Light on ‘Invisible Epidemic’ of Alcohol Use.” Caring for the Ages 17, no. 7 (July 1, 2016): 6.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.carage.2016.06.007.
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We have developed detailed analyses on the health of key populations in the country, including women and children, seniors and those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces, in addition to a deep dive into health disparities across the country.
