Alcohol's relationship to poverty in our national consciousness is well established. Many studies have historically shown that substance abuse and poverty are instrinscally linked. That being said, on a national level we actually find that overall consumption of alcohol is inversely related to poverty. So, even though the poorest individuals are the most likely to become victims of alcoholism, wealthier communities have a "healthier" relationship with the depressant. This could be related to having more time and money to spend drinking socially, but also the culture of binge drinking on college campuses and at various sporting events point toward a more privileged class in general.
The dependency ratio is a measure showing the ratio of the number of dependents aged zero to 14 and over the age of 65 to the total population aged 15 to 64. This indicator gives insight into the amount of people of nonworking age compared to the number of those of working age. A high dependency ratio means those of working age, and the overall economy, face a greater burden in supporting the aging population. This explains the ratio's -0.53 correlation with alcohol consumption. Those states whose workforces have less who are dependent upon them have more time and money to spend on alcohol.
Our post-industrialized, capitalist society has made the country wealthier than ever with an unexpected consequence. For the first time in human history, the poorest members of a society are the least physically active. Of all the trends within the census data, physical activity's -0.77 correlation with poverty and its 0.69 correlation with median household income are by far the strongest. With technological advancements of the modern and post modern era, wage earning positions across corporations are proving more and more sedentary. Our poorest citizens are often cogs somewhere between advanced robotics systems and the assembly line. What's worse is that for all their hyper-specific roles and time spent standing still, their wages have not improved in over a generation. As trends go, this is one that will continue with no evidence to the contrary.