Michigan’s Drunkest County Doesn’t Make Sense

Alcohol is an important part of Michigan. Understandably, that might be a controversial statement to say, but given the number of different cultures, breweries, wineries, cider mills, and distilleries in the state... there's no denying it's important to this state.

Thankfully, Michigan doesn't seem to have as big of a drinking problem as some of our neighbors (we're looking at your Wisconsin). That's not to say though, that we don't have our own problem children in the state, but our drunkest county is kind of a strange one.

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Michigan tends to be above average when it comes to most things in the United States of America. But some lists, you don't really want to be on the high side of things. Case and point, reports show approximately 20% of adults in Michigan report excessive drinking. The U.S. average is about 19%.

But when it comes to one county, they pour'em just a little strong - Bay County, right up inside the Thumb.

It's an interesting spot. You'd think the areas with more breweries, wineries, or even higher population would contribute to more drinkers. But no, Bay County, which has the booming metropolis of Bay City, just inside the crook of Saginaw Bay, is it.

It's an interesting spot in the state, too. Your about equal distances from Detroit, Traverse City, and Grand Rapids. So going to "The City," consists of taking a quick trip to Saginaw, unless you're thinking of a day trip to one of the other major spots. So not exactly a bustling metro.

To make it even stranger, Bay City isn't even the drunkest city in Michigan. That WOULD be Traverse City. Bay City is only the 10th drunkest city in the state.

So what makes Bay County the drunkest county in Michigan? It's difficult to tell. The State of Michigan also reported that 30% of motor vehicle crashes between 2016 and 2020 were related to drunk driving. So maybe Bay County has a higher rate of that?

It's also possible there's just not that much to do except... drink. I mean, look at Wisconsin. All but nine of the drunkest counties in the United States are there, and there's almost NOTHING to do in Wisconsin except being cold and attend Packers Games.

So it's possible that's just what people do in Bay County. Bottom line... if you're looking for a party in Michigan, you know where to go.