Where alcohol is most and least popular Last year, Americans spent $228 billion on alcoholic beverages for private consumption, with the average adult spending $898 each, according to data from the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis. But cultural, social, geographic, demographic, and economic differences all contribute to the divergence of popularity of alcohol in each state. This may have resounding impacts on local communities, ranging all the way from contributions to their tax base — as most alcohol is specifically taxed — to the risk of drunk drivers.