Fewer Americans are drinking alcohol, with just 54 percent now saying they consume alcohol—the lowest proportion Gallup has recorded in nearly 90 years of surveys. The drop coincides with growing evidence that even moderate drinking is harmful to health, according to the poll.
Gallup has surveyed Americans on drinking habits every year since 1939, and tracks trends across age, gender, race and ethnicity, political affiliation, household income, and other demographic groups, providing a detailed picture of how U.S. drinking habits and attitudes have shifted over time. It’s been a little over 20 years since views about the health effects of moderate drinking were added to the poll.
The downturn cuts across nearly all demographics but has been sharpest among women, down 11 percentage points since last year to 51 percent, and non-Hispanic White adults, also down 11 points. Men’s drinking dropped 5 points from 62 percent in 2023 to 57 percent in 2025.
Young adults, who have been trending away from alcohol for more than a decade, saw another steep decline, from 59 percent last year to just 50 percent today. For the first time, their drinking rate now trails that of middle-aged and older adults.
Politics appears to play a role, too. Republicans reported drinking less, as alcohol use among Republicans has fallen 19 points in two years to 46 percent today. Democrats' alcohol consumption has remained relatively steady and shifted only slightly from 62 percent in 2023 to 61 percent now.
Health Awareness Reshaping Attitudes
For the first time, a majority of Americans—53 percent—say that having one or two drinks a day is bad for health. Just 6 percent believe moderate drinking is beneficial, while 37 percent think it makes no difference. In 2018, only 28 percent considered it harmful.Drinking Less, Less Often
Even among those who drink, patterns are shifting. A record low of only 24 percent of drinkers reported having alcohol in the past day and 40 percent said it had been more than a week since their last drink—the highest share since 2000.Average weekly consumption has dropped to 2.8 drinks, down from 3.8 last year and far below the 2003 peak of 5.1. Drinkers who view moderate consumption as harmful average fewer drinks than those who do not share that concern.
Beer remains the most popular choice, with liquor and wine tied for second. Gender differences persist: men overwhelmingly favor beer, while women lean toward wine.
Gallup researchers say the shift could mirror the decades-long decline in smoking that began after the U.S. surgeon general’s warnings in the 1960s, adding that whether drinking continues to fall may depend on how firmly health experts and policymakers reinforce the message that no amount of alcohol is risk-free.