Caitlin Moyer

U.S. counties with the highest and lowest rates of excessive drinking. The map draws on the most recent annual data from the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System and the County Health Rankings & Roadmaps program. Wisconsin’s elevated drinking rates are influenced by a mix of historical, cultural, and policy factors. Large waves of German immigration in the 19th century helped cement a strong beer-brewing tradition, particularly in Milwaukee, which grew into a major brewing hub with companies like Pabst, Schlitz, Blatz, and Miller, all founded or shaped by German immigrants. Tavern culture became ingrained in both urban and rural communities, supported by relatively lenient alcohol laws, long winters, and social life often centered around bars. Fittingly, the state’s Major League Baseball team is even called the Brewers.