Good Question: Why Do We Drink So Much In The Midwest?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- A new report revealed the drunkest cities in America, and our neighbors to the east are well represented.

Twelve of the top 20 cities are in Wisconsin, and seventeen of the top 20 are in the Upper Midwest – and a lot has to do with colleges.

A lot of the cities on the list are actually college towns: Madison, Fargo, Mankato, Grand Forks, Ames, and Iowa City – just to name a few. But the college atmosphere is only one contributing factor.

The report was done by 24/7 Wall Street, and it shows the top-four drunkest cities in America all come from the Badger State:

1. Appleton
2. Oshkosh-Neenah
3. Green Bay
4. Madison

"As a Badger alum, I went to graduate school there, I can't say I was entirely shocked," said John Tauer, a social psychology professor at the University of St. Thomas.

Tauer thinks the weather of the Upper Midwest also plays a role.

"Some of it is probably due to climate. Whether the seasons give people a reason to drink, or if it's because during the winter people hunker down and there aren't a lot of other things to do in the winter," Tauer said.

The study took in a number of factors, including the number of adults who are considered binge drinkers or heavy drinkers. It also looked at bars per capita, and health issues related to drinking.

"The larger cities like Minneapolis, Milwaukee and St. Paul aren't on the list," he said.

Tauer thinks some of the bigger cities might not be listed because there is more to do than just drink.

Social norms are another reason.

"Personally, it's a social thing. Meeting up with friends and having a drink is kind of what we do. It's how we socialize," said a customer at Brit's Pub in Minneapolis.

Both North Dakota and Wisconsin are near the top of the nation when it comes to bars per capita. There is also a lot of German and Irish ancestry in the region -- cultures whose celebrations often come with a beer or two.

Tauer says all those variables likely add up to the rankings you see.

Heavy drinking is considered 15 or more drinks per week for men, eight or more for women.

Drunk-driving convictions are also higher in some of these states, compared to the national average.