It would be an understatement to say that Montanans enjoy a drink or two.

READ MORE: Which Montana county is the drunkest?

For years, whenever those lists of the "drunkest cities in America" come out, Montana always has one or two towns that make the list. We recently learned that the drunkest county in the country is also here in Montana.

Bozeman and Missoula often make the list, which makes sense because they're both university towns. However, is that the only reason?  Looking over the annual lists, many towns on the list have universities, the other thing they have in common is cold weather.

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States like Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana are well represented. However, according to some new data, Big Sky Country leads the nation in a couple of categories.

Where does Montana rank when it comes to booze and bars?

According to research from HeadBox Montana just might be the most happening state in the country for a good time. Of course, there was some actual data used to figure all of this out, including the following:

  • Bars and Clubs per 100,000 people
  • Excessive Drinking Rates
  • College and Universities per 100,000 people
  • Last Call Times

To find out where each state ranks, they compiled the data into a total score, and let's just say that the gap between 1st and 2nd place was pretty wide.

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With a total score of just over 82 Montana was the clear winner over second place North Dakota which had a total score of just over 60. In case you're curious, Montana leads the nation in excessive drinking rates, however, when you add up all the other factors...well, you get the picture.

Rounding out the Top 5 behind Montana and North Dakota are Oregon, Vermont, and Maine.

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While this might not seem like a big deal to most, I suppose it's a bit of a catch-22. It's good to see that the social scene is alive and well in The Treasure State, however, we also lead the nation in DUI fatalities, and that no doubt is a direct result of the high drinking rate in the state.

What do you think? Is drinking an issue here in Montana? Should there be stricter laws or is it up to the individual to police themselves? Let us know your thoughts by sending us a message on our app.

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