America's Drunkest Cities

[Nate tha\\\' Great]

My apoligies if this has been posted before, but this is essential reading:

http://www.forbes.com/entrepreneurs/2006..._0822intro.html

The Top 10:

1 of 35. Milwaukee, WI
2. Minnapolis, MN
3. Columbus, OH
4. Boston, MA
5. Austin, TX
6. Chicago, IL (yeah bitches!)
7. Cleveland, OH
8. Pittsburgh, PA
9. Philadelphia, PA
9(tie). Providence, RI
...
12. Seattle
14. Las Vegas
20(tie). SFO
20(tie). DC
23. Los Angeles
32. New York
33. Miami
35. Nashville

I can confirm from personal experience that Milwaukee revolves around drinking. Everyone I've ever met from Wisconsin, including my maternal grandmother, is a heavy drinker.

Chicago is very much a work hard, play hard city and its place on this list is no surprise.

Things that seem to be associated with heavy drinking:

1. A high % of colleges (no surprise)
2. A high % of white people
3. A depressing, northerly location
4. A concentrated urban area that deters drinking and driving (Milwaukee, sadly, is an exception.)

I'm surprised that New York is near the bottom, but I suspect this has to do with the large immigrant population; few cultures are as tolerant of drinking as European Americans. Or maybe everyone's just too fricking busy to drink. In any event, you NYC guys have some catching up to do.