United States
Mapped: Beer Consumption in the U.S.
Mapped: Beer Consumption in the U.S.
Beer consumption spans almost the entire world, and is a staple in much of the United States.
When stacked up next to other alcoholic beverages, beer is America’s preferred drink of choice, closely followed by wine and spirits. In fact, it is the fifth most-consumed drink overall in the country, behind coffee, water, soft drinks and tea.
At the end of 2021, beer in the U.S. was a $94.1 billion industry. Alongside massive multinational conglomerations, it is also driven by over 9,000 breweries of different types.
This visualization, created by Victor Dépré of Hypntic Data, maps the consumption of beer by gallons per capita across the U.S. using data from Top Agency and The Beer Institute.
What is Beer?
Beer is produced from the fermentation of combined water, malt, and yeast. It was first produced 12,000 years ago with the emergence of grain agriculture.
Today, beer is made from several different malted grains: wheat, corn, rice, oats, and most commonly, barley. Hops, a type of flower, are added for flavor, balancing out the malt’s sweetness with a bitter taste while also preserving the beer’s freshness and giving a good amount of foam.
American Beer Consumption By State
So which states drank the most beer, and what was their preferred brand?
The annual consumption stats come from the Beer Institute’s Brewer’s Almanac report, while the preferred beer of choice was compiled by Data Agency’s 2021 Beer Rankings report, which is based on a combination of surveys combined with Google search analysis from all over the country.
Beer Consumption By State (2020) | Annual Gallons Per Capita | Preferred Beer |
---|---|---|
Alabama | 29.1 | Budweiser |
Alaska | 26.1 | |
Arizona | 27.0 | Dos Equis |
Arkansas | 23.9 | Budweiser |
California | 24.5 | Budweiser |
Colorado | 28.1 | Denver Beer Co |
Connecticut | 19.8 | Bud Light |
Delaware | 27.9 | Dogfish Head |
District of Columbia | 18.2 | |
Florida | 25.4 | Stella |
Georgia | 23.0 | Terrapin |
Hawaii | 26.7 | |
Idaho | 25.0 | Budweiser |
Illinois | 25.9 | Goose Island |
Indiana | 23.6 | Miller Light |
Iowa | 31.0 | Budweiser |
Kansas | 27.8 | Coors Light |
Kentucky | 23.1 | Budweiser |
Louisiana | 28.4 | Abita |
Maine | 32.5 | Budweiser |
Maryland | 19.7 | Budweiser |
Massachusetts | 21.1 | Budweiser |
Michigan | 23.6 | Budweiser |
Minnesota | 27.1 | Budweiser |
Mississippi | 31.6 | Lazy Magnolia |
Missouri | 26.9 | Budweiser |
Montana | 41.1 | Budweiser |
Nebraska | 31.6 | Nebraska Black Betty |
Nevada | 29.0 | Coors Light |
New Hampshire | 41.5 | Budweiser |
New Jersey | 20.0 | Miller Light |
New Mexico | 27.7 | La Cumbre |
New York | 20.2 | Budweiser |
North Carolina | 25.8 | Bud Light |
North Dakota | 37.5 | Fargo |
Ohio | 25.5 | Heineken |
Oklahoma | 26.8 | Budweiser |
Oregon | 27.7 | Budweiser |
Pennsylvania | 24.9 | Bud Light |
Rhode Island | 20.1 | Narragansett |
South Carolina | 32.5 | Budweiser |
South Dakota | 37.3 | Budweiser |
Tennessee | 24.2 | Budweiser |
Texas | 31.9 | Lone Star |
Utah | 20.0 | Budweiser |
Vermont | 34.0 | Bud Light |
Virginia | 24.2 | Budweiser |
Washington | 23.7 | Bud Light |
West Virginia | 27.8 | Budweiser |
Wisconsin | 33.7 | Spotted Cow |
Wyoming | 29.8 | Snake River |
New Hampshire took the top spot in 2020, outdrinking other states with 41.5 gallons of beer consumed annually per capita. In contrast, the lowest consuming state was Maryland which only consumed 19.7 gallons per capita, about half as much.
The most popular beer?
Despite the growing trend of craft breweries in some states, the most popular beer across the country was Budweiser of Anheuser-Busch, which took the top spot in 23 states.
Which State Has The Most Breweries?
Each state also has varying numbers of breweries operating within, and there are many different types.
Larger breweries, including those run by some of the world’s largest companies, are also called macrobreweries. They are usually defined as having an annual production greater than 6 million barrels of beer, compared to craft breweries and other types of microbreweries which have a lower annual production.
Craft breweries are also usually independently owned, and through both positioning and general perception, have come to be associated with specialties and originality, adding unique and interesting ingredients to traditional brews.
Breweries By State (2020) | # of Breweries |
---|---|
Alabama | 70 |
Alaska | 68 |
Arizona | 170 |
Arkansas | 73 |
California | 1,466 |
Colorado | 565 |
Connecticut | 163 |
Delaware | 49 |
District of Columbia | 17 |
Florida | 505 |
Georgia | 191 |
Hawaii | 46 |
Idaho | 116 |
Illinois | 406 |
Indiana | 283 |
Iowa | 151 |
Kansas | 83 |
Kentucky | 119 |
Louisiana | 67 |
Maine | 201 |
Maryland | 177 |
Massachusetts | 304 |
Michigan | 611 |
Minnesota | 291 |
Mississippi | 26 |
Missouri | 215 |
Montana | 130 |
Nebraska | 74 |
Nevada | 73 |
New Hampshire | 133 |
New Jersey | 188 |
New Mexico | 154 |
New York | 680 |
North Carolina | 514 |
North Dakota | 31 |
Ohio | 497 |
Oklahoma | 91 |
Oregon | 431 |
Pennsylvania | 642 |
Rhode Island | 50 |
South Carolina | 135 |
South Dakota | 59 |
Tennessee | 196 |
Texas | 532 |
Utah | 54 |
Vermont | 106 |
Virginia | 425 |
Washington | 633 |
West Virginia | 37 |
Wisconsin | 364 |
Wyoming | 52 |
California has the highest number of breweries in the country, more than double any other state, at 1,466.
On the flip side, Mississippi has the fewest breweries, with the most recent Beer Institute’s 2021 almanac only listing 26 in the entire state.
Beer Sales During the Pandemic
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, commonplace items saw massive spikes in sales across the world.
As lockdowns were implemented and people were forced to stay at home, household items like toilet paper, soap, and pastas began to disappear from store shelves at alarmingly fast rates. Beer was no exception, and sales have continued to increase, going up by 8.9% in the U.S. since 2020.
This is a worrisome fact to many researchers, as it could be a strong indicator that alcohol was used as a coping mechanism against anxiety and isolation felt during the pandemic. This rise could be a result of increased consumption, but may also indicate increased stockpiling.
Regardless of why beer sales increased, it will be interesting to see which way the trend swings with the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions and the attempted return to normalcy in the months to come.

This article was published as a part of Visual Capitalist's Creator Program, which features data-driven visuals from some of our favorite Creators around the world.
Markets
Visualizing the Most Sought-After Entry Level Jobs in 2023
Some jobs need a degree, while others don’t. Here are the top 20 most sought-after entry level jobs with and without a degree.

The Most Sought-After Entry Level Jobs of 2023
In the fast-paced realm of job hunting, staying ahead of the curve is crucial. And if you are an entry-level job applicant, the pressure is a notch higher.
New entrants in any job market today compete with groundbreaking technology like ChatGPT in addition to their peers. In the United States, these applicants have to also wade through an uncertain labor market, inflation, and long lists of job requirements.
Indeed.com has identified the most sought-after entry level positions for applicants both with and without a degree in the U.S., and the year-on-year growth of these job postings.
Most Sought-After Entry-Level Jobs With a Degree
As the U.S. job market recovers from its pandemic slump, some careers are now booming. This in turn has opened up numerous opportunities for entry-level job applicants.
Rank | Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Change in Postings (2022‒2023) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Outside Sales Representative | $60,000 | +258% |
2 | Transportation Coordinator | $47,500 | +227% |
3 | Quality Auditor | $84,500 | +131% |
4 | Accounting | $52,000 | +125% |
5 | Tax Preparer | $67,500 | +123% |
6 | Loan Processor | $55,000 | +100% |
7 | Retention Specialist | $50,000 | +100% |
8 | Network Operations Technician | $85,500 | +94% |
9 | Mental Health Manager | $42,000 | +93% |
10 | Speech-Language Pathologist | $60,000 | +84% |
11 | Geotechnical Engineer | $65,000 | +80% |
12 | Patient Access Manager | $90,000 | +77% |
13 | HR Coordinator | $67,500 | +75% |
14 | Lead Generation Specialist | $62,500 | +73% |
15 | Design Coordinator | $55,000 | +73% |
16 | Pharmaceutical Sales Representative | $74,378 | +71% |
17 | Behavioral Therapist | $50,000 | +68% |
18 | Special Events Coordinator | $54,000 | +67% |
19 | IT Engineer | $92,500 | +67% |
20 | Structural Engineer | $90,000 | +63% |
The demand for sales jobs multiplied this year as customer-facing businesses slowly returned to their pre-pandemic levels.
At the top of this list is the job for an Outside Sales Representative. Paying upwards of $60,000, postings for this job have grown by over 250% in a year, making it the most sought-after position for applicants with a degree.
The healthcare industry has secured its place in the top ranks too. Careers including mental health case managers, speech pathologists, behavioral therapists, and patient access managers dominate the Top 20 list.
Let’s not forget about the tech sector. While entry-level network technicians can earn upwards of $85,000 on average, while IT engineers are paid an entry package of over $90,000.
Most Sought-After Entry-Level Jobs Without a Degree
Nearly 65% of the U.S. working population does not have a four-year degree. However, millions of these workers continue to be highly skilled across professions and have a shot at some of the most sought-after entry level jobs in the country.
Rank | Job Title | Average Annual Salary | Change in Postings (2022‒2023) |
---|---|---|---|
1 | Inventory Manager | $59,000 | +189% |
2 | Auto Body Technician | $82,500 | +100% |
3 | Environmental Health and Safety Specialist | $65,000 | +100% |
4 | Salon Manager | $41,000 | +95% |
5 | Drafting Technician | $50,000 | +94% |
6 | Business Analyst | $72,500 | +82% |
7 | Sheet Metal Mechanic | $62,140 | +67% |
8 | Aircraft Maintenance Technician | $57,500 | +64% |
9 | Catering Manager | $47,500 | +56% |
10 | Transportation/Logistics Coordinator | $62,500 | +53% |
11 | Route Sales Representative | $50,000 | +51% |
12 | Rental Agent | $45,520 | +50% |
13 | Distribution Center Coordinator | $52,500 | +47% |
14 | General Maintenance Technician | $40,650 | +46% |
15 | Patient Care Coordinator | $43,152 | +44% |
16 | Forestry Technician | $45,760 | +43% |
17 | Relationship Banker | $43,576 | +43% |
18 | Field Sales Representative | $57,018 | +42% |
19 | Park Ranger | $45,912 | +42% |
20 | Warehouse Receiver | $45,000 | +39% |
One example of this job is that of an Inventory Manager. The demand for skilled inventory managers in warehouses and companies post-pandemic has doubled the position’s job share in a year.
One of the highest paying non-degree jobs in this list—Auto Body Technician—can fetch highly-skilled entry-level workers a salary of $82,000 per year.
These jobs don’t seem to require a degree according to Indeed. However, the rising competition for these positions might give the upper edge to applicants with one, especially for jobs on the list such as Business Analyst and Relationship Banker.
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