Report · Culture

A slim majority of Americans say they rarely or never consume alcohol

Reading

In a Verasight survey of 1,000 U.S. adults conducted in August 2025, 54% of Americans said they rarely or never consume alcohol. Including 23% who never drink and 31% who drink very rarely or rarely.

Another 46% said they drink at least occasionally, with 27% who said occasionally and 19% who said regularly, frequently, or very frequently.

Topline

single choice

Topline distribution

54% of Americans say they rarely or never consume alcohol.

How often do you consume alcohol?

  • Occasionally 26.7%
  • Never 23.3%
  • Very rarely 20.0%
  • Regularly 10.9%
  • Rarely 10.8%
  • Frequently 5.0%
  • Very frequently 3.3%

2025 · base n 1,000 · +/- 3.1%

Verasight JSM Omnibus Survey

View source

Methodology

Full methodology
Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting
Field dates
2025-08-13 → 2025-08-18
Base (unweighted)
1,000
Margin of error
+/- 3.1%
Module
Verasight JSM Omnibus Survey

Source

  • 01
    A slim majority of Americans say they rarely or never consume alcoholreports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-jsm-omnibus-survey

Citation

Verasight JSM Omnibus Survey, fielded August 13-18, 2025, N=1,000 United States adults, +/- 3.1%.

https://reports.verasight.io/reports/verasight-jsm-omnibus-survey#how-often-do-you-consume-alcohol

Verasight survey methodology

How Verasight conducts surveys.

This page describes the Verasight general survey contract, separate from how the Data Library packages it. Each wave's specific field dates, sample sizes, and module breakdown are listed in that wave's report.

Mode
Verasight panel recruited via random address-based sampling, random person-to-person text messaging, and dynamic online targeting.
Population
US adults age 18+.
Sample design
Surveys are run as omnibus or single-topic waves. Omnibus waves are split into modules with their own respondent set, typically around one thousand respondents per module.
Field window
Each wave specifies its own field dates. Most omnibus waves field across roughly two weeks.
Weighting
Per-module weighting to CPS targets including age, race and ethnicity, sex, income, education, region, and metropolitan status.
Partisanship benchmark
Pew Research Center's NPORS benchmarking surveys, three-year running average.
Vote benchmark
2024 presidential vote population benchmarks.
Margin of error
Typically about plus or minus 3.4 to 3.6 percent per module at standard module sizes. Question-level MoE is recomputed when a base shrinks materially below the module baseline.
Reporting
Every wave is published as a standalone report at verasight.io/reports with full instrument and methodology.
Transparency
AAPOR transparency standards.

Wave-specific methodology, full weighting variable lists, and verbatim instrument text live in each report at verasight.io/reports.