Alcohol and Environmental Justice

The Density of Liquor Stores and Bars in Urban Neighborhoods in the United States

John A. Romley, Deborah A. Cohen, Jeanne S. Ringel, Roland Sturm

ResearchPublished 2007

Objective: This study had two purposes: (1) to characterize the density of liquor stores and bars that individuals face according to race, economic status, and age in the urban United States and (2) to assess alternative measures of retailer density based on the road network and population.

Method: We used census data on business counts and sociodemographic characteristics to compute the densities facing individuals in 9,361 urban zip codes.

Results: Blacks face higher densities of liquor stores than do whites. The density of liquor stores is greater among nonwhites in lower-income areas than among whites in lower- and higher-income areas and nonwhites in higher-income areas. Nonwhite youths face higher densities of liquor stores than white youths. The density of liquor stores and bars is lower in higher-income areas, especially for nonwhites.

Conclusions: Mismatches between alcohol demand and the supply of liquor stores within urban neighborhoods constitute an environmental injustice for minorities and lower-income persons, with potential adverse consequences for drinking behavior and other social ills. Our results for bars are sensitive to the measure of outlet density as well as population density. Although neither measure is clearly superior, a measure that accounts for roadway miles may reflect proximity to alcohol retailers and thus serve as a useful refinement to the per-capita measure. If so, alcohol policy might also focus on density per roadway mile. Further research on the existence, causes, and consequences of environmental injustice in alcohol retailing is warranted.

Reprinted with permission from: Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, (formerly called Journal of Studies on Alcohol), Vol. 68, No. 1, Jan. 2007, pp. 48-55. Copyright © 2007 Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc.

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Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Publisher: Alcohol Research Documentation, Inc.
  • Availability: Web-Only
  • Year: 2007
  • Pages: 8
  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.7249/RP1323
  • Document Number: RP-1323

Originally published in: Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, (formerly called Journal of Studies on Alcohol), Vol. 68, No. 1, Jan 2007, pp. 48-55.

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Version Note

This publication supersedes a previous version published in 2007 (EP-20070114).