Nevada Outspends U.S. Average on Off-Premises Alcohol, Third Nationally in Consumption

Nevada ranks 19th among U.S. states in per capita spending on off-premises alcoholic beverages. These are purchases made at retail outlets such as grocery stores, liquor stores, convenience stores, and gas stations for consumption at home or elsewhere. Last year, Nevada adults spent an average of around $950 per person buying alcohol. This marked a 2.6% increase from the prior year and puts Nevada above the national average of $898 per adult. Total off-premises alcohol expenditure in Nevada was approximately $2.35 billion. Nationally, Americans spent $228 billion on alcohol in 2024.

Spending increased in most states from the previous year, with Montana recording the largest rise of 4.2%. The state with the highest per capita spending is Alaska at $1,250, while the lowest is Utah at $607.

State rankings are derived from annual per capita personal consumption expenditure data, sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, and supplemented with population demographics from the U.S. Census Bureau. Differences among states stem from a combination of cultural, social, geographic, demographic, and economic influences. Alcohol excise taxes further contribute to these variations, as they generate significant revenue for states while helping to mitigate related public health and safety risks, including drunk driving.

Due to heavy tourism, much of Nevada's alcohol consumption occurs on-premises in bars, casinos, and hotels rather than through off-premises purchases captured in the spending analysis above. Datasets that include on-premises consumption consistently rank Nevada among the top states nationwide. According to the latest National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism surveillance report, Nevada places third nationally in overall per capita alcohol consumption behind New Hampshire and Delaware, while the bottom three states are Utah, West Virginia, and Arkansas.

Nevada maintains some of the most permissive alcohol laws in the country, allowing 24/7 sales and public consumption in certain areas. These policies support the state's tourism-driven entertainment economy. The state imposes liquor excise taxes of $0.16 per gallon on beer, $0.70 to $1.30 per gallon on wine (depending on alcohol content), and $3.60 per gallon on spirits. These taxes generate roughly $50 million annually for the state. Additionally, alcohol purchases are subject to Nevada's average combined state and local sales tax rate of approximately 8.23%, providing substantial additional revenue.