How Mesa County Ranks When It Comes to Unemployment and Drinking

Just like other counties across Colorado, some Mesa County residents are facing unemployment and other personal struggles.

According to a new report from the American Addiction Centers, Mesa County has one of the highest rates of unemployed heavy drinkers in the state of Colorado.

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Unemployment in Mesa County

Across the country, thousands of people faced unemployment when the pandemic hit. As of today, things seem to be on the up-and-up, but still aren't the same as they were before.

Mesa County is reported to have approximately 313 individuals that are unemployed which puts us at an employment rate of 3.7%.

Unfortunately sometimes when people lose their jobs, they also lose their sense of purpose. This can lead them to turn to unhealthy habits such as binge drinking.

Alcohol and Liquor in Mesa County

There is absolutely no shortage of alcoholic beverages in Mesa County such as beer, wine, and spirits.

In fact, Mesa County has a 23% excessive drinking rate which is equivalent to 1,575 excessive drinkers.

How Does Mesa County Rank Compare to Other Colorado Counties?

While the numbers are definitely not the best, they aren't exactly the worst either. Compared to other Colorado counties, Mesa County ranked at number 21 out of 64 counties.

The Colorado county that ranked highest for unemployed drinking problems is San Juan County. In San Juan, there are reportedly 13,080 unemployed individuals and 19,763 excessive drinkers. This puts San Juan County's percentage of unemployed at 18.3% and their percentage of heavy drinkers at 19%.

So Mesa County has room for improvement, but hey, at least we're not the worst.