The Best States for NA and AA Members

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are among the most widely known community-based support groups for people seeking help in recovery from alcohol or drug use.

With local meetings held across the country, these programs offer free spaces where anyone can share personal experiences and find encouragement from others who understand the challenges of recovery.

Since their beginnings more than 60 years ago, AA and NA have become widely recognized cultural institutions. They’re recognized not only for the extensive peer support they provide but also for their shared 12-Step approach to addressing the impacts of substance use.

Each year, tens of thousands of AA and NA groups meet worldwide. But an important question remains: how accessible are these support groups to the people who may need them most?

To explore this, we analyzed data on all recorded AA and NA meeting locations in the United States, alongside state-level estimates of alcohol and drug use.

Our goal was to identify which areas offer the greatest access to support relative to the prevalence of substance use. So, where is the need for recovery support best met, and where are the gaps?

Read on to find out.

AA Meeting Availability by State

The number of AA meeting locations per capita varies widely by state.

• Vermont ranks first, with approximately 1.92 AA meeting locations per 100,000 residents—the highest rate in the country.
• Alaska follows in second place with 0.81 locations per 100,000 residents, less than half of Vermont’s availability.
• Wyoming, the least populous state, ranks third with 0.68 meeting locations per 100,000 residents.

Not every state offers the same level of access. While some AA meetings may operate unofficially, South Dakota has no AA meeting locations listed on AA.org. It's the only state absent from AA.org’s local meeting search, though local groups may exist outside the directory.

New Jersey ranks second-lowest, with just 0.06 meeting locations per 100,000 residents. Texas ranks third-lowest; despite having many listed meetings, its large population (nearly 27 million people) reduces per-capita availability. Surprisingly, New Hampshire ranks fourth-lowest with only 0.075 locations per 100,000 residents, despite bordering Vermont, the top-ranked state.

Travel Distance to AA Meetings

Access isn’t just about the number of meetings, but about distance. State size plays a significant role in how far someone may need to travel to attend a meeting.

Rhode Island ranks first for proximity, with an average travel distance of just 18.7 miles to an AA meeting. Connecticut follows closely at 19.3 miles, and Delaware ranks third at 25.5 miles. Vermont, which leads the nation in AA meeting availability, also ranks fourth for travel distance at 27.8 miles.

Larger states tend to present greater travel challenges. Alaska, despite ranking second in meeting availability per capita, places last for travel distance. Residents may need to travel an average of 308.7 miles to reach an AA meeting. Nevada ranks second-worst, with an average distance of 191.3 miles. Wyoming also faces challenges; although it ranks third in meeting availability, residents may still travel an average of 155.8 miles to attend a meeting.

AA Availability Compared to Binge Drinking Rates

To better understand potential need, we compared AA availability with state-level estimates of binge drinking. Binge drinking, defined as consuming five or more alcoholic drinks in one sitting, can increase the risk of alcohol-related health concerns, including injury and impaired driving.

Wisconsin, North Dakota, Illinois, South Dakota, and Colorado have the highest rates of binge drinking per 100,000 adult residents. None of these states ranks in the top five for AA meeting availability, and South Dakota has no listed AA meetings at all.

Conversely, Utah, Tennessee, West Virginia, Kentucky, and Mississippi report the lowest binge drinking rates in the country. Utah ranks first, which aligns with the state’s large Mormon population, where alcohol use is less common.

NA Meeting Availability by State

NA meetings show a different national pattern than AA meetings. Delaware ranks first in NA availability, with 7.59 meeting locations per 100,000 residents, which is nearly four times the rate of AA’s top-ranked state.

Wyoming ranks second with 7.36 locations per 100,000 residents, followed by Pennsylvania and Maryland in third and fourth place. The high density of NA meetings in these states may reflect increased demand for support related to opioid and heroin use, particularly in parts of the Northeast.

At the other end of the spectrum, Texas ranks last with only 1.82 NA meeting locations per 100,000 residents, followed by Alabama at 2.15 and Mississippi at 2.54. Even so, these rates still approach the per-capita availability of AA meetings in Vermont.

Travel Distance to NA Meetings

Greater NA meeting density often translates to shorter travel distances. New Jersey ranks first, with attendees traveling an average of just 3.9 miles to reach an NA meeting. Rhode Island ranks second at 4.7 miles, and Maryland follows at 4.8 miles.

Overall, 28 states have a shorter average distance to an NA meeting than the state with the shortest distance to an AA meeting, highlighting how widespread NA meetings have become. Alaska again ranks last for travel distance, with an average of 124.3 miles. Montana also faces geographic challenges, with attendees traveling an average of 58.2 miles.

NA Availability Relative to Drug Use

We also examined how NA meeting availability compares to the estimated number of people experiencing drug use challenges in each state.

Alabama ranks first for the highest number of people per NA meeting location, with each meeting serving up to 944 individuals. Even so, this ratio still reflects greater availability than AA meetings provide in states with the highest alcohol use rates. Wyoming offers the lowest ratio, with one NA meeting location for every 212 individuals. Hawaii follows with one location per 288 individuals, while Maryland ranks third with roughly 290 individuals per meeting.

Cities With the Most NA Meetings

Finally, we looked at cities with the highest number of weekly NA meetings. Baltimore ranks first with more than 400 meetings each week, followed by Philadelphia with over 300. Brooklyn ranks third with nearly 200 weekly meetings. These cities share a common challenge: high rates of opioid and heroin use, which increases demand for accessible recovery support.

Pittsburgh and Manhattan also reflect this trend. On the West Coast, Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego, and Sacramento all rank among the top 20 cities for weekly NA meetings. While Texas and Arizona rank low overall for NA availability, major cities such as Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston, and Phoenix still appear in the top 20.

Finding Help and Support for Recovery From Drugs and Alcohol

Recovery from alcohol or drug use can feel overwhelming, but no one has to navigate it alone. Millions of people find connection and hope through peer support groups like AA and NA, and many also benefit from professional addiction treatment and personalized care.

Recovery.com helps you find compassionate, evidence-based treatment options and support programs that fit your needs and your life. When you’re ready, explore rehab centers near you and take the next step toward healing.

Methodology

Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meeting locations and schedules were collected by scraping AA.org and NA.org in late January. Meeting availability may have changed since data collection, and some meetings may exist outside these directories.

State population data and under-18 population percentages came from July 1, 2014 U.S. Census Bureau estimates. We calculated average travel distances using state land area and meeting density. Estimates of binge drinking and drug use among adults aged 18 and older came from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.

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