The Most Popular Light Beers in the U.S. [2020 Survey]

Domestic light beers are a staple of American culture. While the rise of craft and local breweries have cut into their market share, beers such as Bud Light or Miller Lite still dominate the shelves, taps, and advertising throughout the United States. While many of these beers have a lot of similarities (most are pilsner and low calories), every American tends to have their preference when it comes to their brand of choice.

With that in mind, we asked over 3,900 Americans which of the domestic macro brewery light beers they prefer. We asked respondents to choose from: Bud Light, Busch Light, Coors Light, Keystone Light, Michelob, Miller Lite, Natural “Natty” Light, or Yuengling Light. While not all-encompassing, this list represents most of the major brands and options. Here’s what we found:

Main Findings

What we found is that Bud Light is the most popular light beer in America. In all, it was the most popular in 25 states and by overall percentage. Coors Light was second by count of states at 11. Interestingly, Colorado, where Coors was originally exclusively brewed, did not choose Coors Light as their favorite. Instead, Coloradoans opted for Bud Light. However, there is a clear regional trend as most of the western United States does prefer their regional brew.

Likewise Wisconsin, home to Miller Lite, prefers their native beer along with nearby states Illinois and Indiana. Pennsylvania, home to Yuengling, also chose their local option.

The chart above shows the most popular beer by count of states. After Bud Light (25 states) and Coors Light (11), Miller Lite was 3rd with 7 states. Yuengling Light and Mich Ultra were fourth and fifth with 4 states and 4 states, respectively. None of the other beer options were the most popular in a state, despite most receiving votes.

Next, we wanted to take a look at the results overall when looking at the percent of responses. Including in this is an additional option that was not included in the first part of our analysis: none of the above. More specifically, the answer respondents could select was, “I would never drink any of these beers, ever.” Our goal was to weed out folks who may not favor a domestic light beer but still might have a preference on a brand.

Interestingly, this emphatic none of the above answer was the most common at 29%. Bud Light was second at 18% and Coors was third at 14%. What this data shows is that craft breweries and local breweries are making a real impact when it comes to beer selection.

Let’s take a look at the percent of ‘never ever’ responses by state:

The above map shows the percentage of respondents who responded with, ““I would never drink any of these beers, ever,” in each state. The results are overall mixed with some interesting findings. Rhode Island was the state with the highest response at 60%. Oregon, known for a thriving beer scene, was second at 54%. Alaska was the least picky with only a 9% ‘never ever’ response, or perhaps they only have a limited amount of choices.

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Below is a list of every state and their survey results:

State-By-State Results

Alabama

Bud Light – 28%
Busch Light -: 0%
Coors Light – 11%
Keystone Light – 2%
Michelob Ultra – 15%
Miller Lite – 2%
Natural “Natty” Light – 4%
Yuengling Light – 20%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 17%

Alaska

Bud Light – 14%
Busch Light – 8%
Coors Light – 22%
Keystone Light – 3%
Michelob Ultra – 3%
Miller Lite – 25%
Natural “Natty” Light – 8%
Yuengling Light – 8%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 8%

Arizona

Bud Light – 18%
Busch Light – 2%
Coors Light – 23%
Keystone Light – 3%
Michelob Ultra – 3%
Miller Lite – 11%
Natural “Natty” Light – 4%
Yuengling Light – 5%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 30%

Arkansas

Bud Light – 15%
Busch Light – 4%
Coors Light – 15%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 15%
Miller Lite – 15%
Natural “Natty” Light – 0%
Yuengling Light – 17%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 19%

California

Bud Light – 15%
Busch Light – 1%
Coors Light – 22%
Keystone Light – 1%
Michelob Ultra – 9%
Miller Lite – 12%
Natural “Natty” Light – 6%
Yuengling Light – 8%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 27%

Colorado

Bud Light – 20%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 19%
Keystone Light – 11%
Michelob Ultra – 13%
Miller Lite – 8%
Natural “Natty” Light – 2%
Yuengling Light – 5%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 23%

Connecticut

Bud Light – 22%
Busch Light – 7%
Coors Light – 7%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 4%
Miller Lite – 4%
Natural “Natty” Light – 9%
Yuengling Light – 13%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 35%

Delaware

Bud Light – 6%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 13%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 13%
Miller Lite – 16%
Natural “Natty” Light – 6%
Yuengling Light – 19%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 28%

Florida

Bud Light – 25%
Busch Light – 3%
Coors Light – 13%
Keystone Light – 2%
Michelob Ultra – 8%
Miller Lite – 9%
Natural “Natty” Light – 6%
Yuengling Light – 11%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 24%

Georgia

Bud Light – 23%
Busch Light – 2%
Coors Light – 16%
Keystone Light – 1%
Michelob Ultra – 7%
Miller Lite – 11%
Natural “Natty” Light – 4%
Yuengling Light – 6%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 30%

Hawaii

Bud Light – 24%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 16%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 0%
Miller Lite – 12%
Natural “Natty” Light – 8%
Yuengling Light – 12%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 28%

Idaho

Bud Light – 14%
Busch Light – 3%
Coors Light – 21%
Keystone Light – 3%
Michelob Ultra – 7%
Miller Lite – 0%
Natural “Natty” Light – 0%
Yuengling Light – 7%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 45%

Illinois

Bud Light – 19%
Busch Light – 1%
Coors Light – 14%
Keystone Light – 3%
Michelob Ultra – 11%
Miller Lite – 19%
Natural “Natty” Light – 6%
Yuengling Light – 5%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 22%

Indiana

Bud Light – 19%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 10%
Keystone Light – 4%
Michelob Ultra – 2%
Miller Lite – 23%
Natural “Natty” Light – 1%
Yuengling Light – 19%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 22%

Iowa

Bud Light – 29%
Busch Light – 9%
Coors Light – 11%
Keystone Light – 2%
Michelob Ultra – 9%
Miller Lite – 16%
Natural “Natty” Light – 0%
Yuengling Light – 0%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 24%

Kansas

Bud Light – 12%
Busch Light – 3%
Coors Light – 12%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 15%
Miller Lite – 12%
Natural “Natty” Light – 12%
Yuengling Light – 0%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 35%

Kentucky

Bud Light – 19%
Busch Light – 2%
Coors Light – 5%
Keystone Light – 2%
Michelob Ultra – 12%
Miller Lite – 2%
Natural “Natty” Light – 7%
Yuengling Light – 12%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 38%

Louisiana

Bud Light – 6%
Busch Light – 8%
Coors Light – 8%
Keystone Light – 2%
Michelob Ultra – 18%
Miller Lite – 15%
Natural “Natty” Light – 3%
Yuengling Light – 12%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 28%

Maine

Bud Light – 13%
Busch Light – 4%
Coors Light – 17%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 9%
Miller Lite – 13%
Natural “Natty” Light – 0%
Yuengling Light – 9%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 35%

Maryland

Bud Light – 12%
Busch Light – 1%
Coors Light – 8%
Keystone Light – 4%
Michelob Ultra – 16%
Miller Lite – 10%
Natural “Natty” Light – 3%
Yuengling Light – 16%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 29%

Massachusetts

Bud Light – 19%
Busch Light – 3%
Coors Light – 9%
Keystone Light – 3%
Michelob Ultra – 8%
Miller Lite – 14%
Natural “Natty” Light – 8%
Yuengling Light – 8%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 29%

Michigan

Bud Light – 22%
Busch Light – 1%
Coors Light – 17%
Keystone Light – 1%
Michelob Ultra – 8%
Miller Lite – 12%
Natural “Natty” Light – 2%
Yuengling Light – 8%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 29%

Minnesota

Bud Light – 31%
Busch Light – 2%
Coors Light – 8%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 14%
Miller Lite – 12%
Natural “Natty” Light – 4%
Yuengling Light – 6%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 24%

Mississippi

Bud Light – 20%
Busch Light – 2%
Coors Light – 18%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 14%
Miller Lite – 8%
Natural “Natty” Light – 2%
Yuengling Light – 8%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 29%

Missouri

Bud Light – 28%
Busch Light – 3%
Coors Light – 8%
Keystone Light – 2%
Michelob Ultra – 13%
Miller Lite – 15%
Natural “Natty” Light – 3%
Yuengling Light – 8%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 18%

Montana

Bud Light – 17%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 42%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 0%
Miller Lite – 0%
Natural “Natty” Light – 8%
Yuengling Light – 8%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 25%

Nebraska

Bud Light – 18%
Busch Light – 15%
Coors Light – 20%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 6%
Miller Lite – 10%
Natural “Natty” Light – 1%
Yuengling Light – 6%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 24%

Nevada

Bud Light 24%
Busch Light 3%
Coors Light 14%
Keystone Light 0%
Michelob Ultra 9%
Miller Lite 7%
Natural “Natty” Light 9%
Yuengling Light 2%
I would never drink any of these, ever 33%

New Hampshire

Bud Light – 32%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 0%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 11%

New Jersey

Bud Light – 19%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 19%
Keystone Light – 1%
Michelob Ultra – 6%
Miller Lite – 10%
Natural “Natty” Light – 1%
Yuengling Light – 16%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 28%

New Mexico

Bud Light – 7%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 3%
Keystone Light – 7%
Michelob Ultra – 13%
Miller Lite – 20%
Natural “Natty” Light – 10%
Yuengling Light – 7%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 33%

New York

Bud Light – 18%
Busch Light – 4%
Coors Light – 11%
Keystone Light – 2%
Michelob Ultra – 7%
Miller Lite – 15%
Natural “Natty” Light – 6%
Yuengling Light – 11%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 27%

North Carolina

Bud Light – 21%
Busch Light – 2%
Coors Light – 9%
Keystone Light – 2%
Michelob Ultra – 11%
Miller Lite – 9%
Natural “Natty” Light – 3%
Yuengling Light – 9%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 34%

North Dakota

Bud Light – 12%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 12%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 0%
Miller Lite – 24%
Natural “Natty” Light – 0%
Yuengling Light – 6%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 47%

Ohio

Bud Light – 25%
Busch Light – 2%
Coors Light – 15%
Keystone Light – 1%
Michelob Ultra – 7%
Miller Lite – 11%
Natural “Natty” Light – 2%
Yuengling Light – 13%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 24%

Oklahoma

Bud Light – 26%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 11%
Keystone Light – 5%
Michelob Ultra – 13%
Miller Lite – 21%
Natural “Natty” Light – 3%
Yuengling Light – 0%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 21%

Oregon

Bud Light – 12%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 14%
Keystone Light – 1%
Michelob Ultra – 1%
Miller Lite – 11%
Natural “Natty” Light – 1%
Yuengling Light – 5%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 54%

Pennsylvania

Bud Light – 14%
Busch Light – 1%
Coors Light – 13%
Keystone Light – 2%
Michelob Ultra – 9%
Miller Lite – 10%
Natural “Natty” Light – 5%
Yuengling Light – 23%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 23%

Rhode Island

Bud Light – 12%
Busch Light – 4%
Coors Light – 4%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 8%
Miller Lite – 4%
Natural “Natty” Light – 4%
Yuengling Light – 4%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 60%

South Carolina

Bud Light – 8%
Busch Light – 1%
Coors Light – 3%
Keystone Light – 1%
Michelob Ultra – 16%
Miller Lite – 14%
Natural “Natty” Light – 4%
Yuengling Light – 23%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 29%

South Dakota

Bud Light – 20%
Busch Light – 5%
Coors Light – 17%
Keystone Light – 2%
Michelob Ultra – 5%
Miller Lite – 10%
Natural “Natty” Light – 5%
Yuengling Light – 10%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 27%

Tennessee

Bud Light – 11%
Busch Light – 2%
Coors Light – 15%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 8%
Miller Lite – 19%
Natural “Natty” Light – 4%
Yuengling Light – 9%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 32%

Texas

Bud Light – 21%
Busch Light – 1%
Coors Light – 11%
Keystone Light – 1%
Michelob Ultra – 11%
Miller Lite – 11%
Natural “Natty” Light – 4%
Yuengling Light – 7%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 32%

Utah

Bud Light – 9%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 14%
Keystone Light – 2%
Michelob Ultra – 7%
Miller Lite – 7%
Natural “Natty” Light – 9%
Yuengling Light – 0%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 52%

Vermont

Bud Light – 36%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 18%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 0%
Miller Lite – 0%
Natural “Natty” Light – 0%
Yuengling Light – 0%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 45%

Virginia

Bud Light – 14%
Busch Light – 2%
Coors Light – 17%
Keystone Light – 1%
Michelob Ultra – 8%
Miller Lite – 10%
Natural “Natty” Light – 7%
Yuengling Light – 14%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 28%

Washington

Bud Light – 14%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 22%
Keystone Light – 3%
Michelob Ultra – 7%
Miller Lite – 9%
Natural “Natty” Light – 9%
Yuengling Light – 8%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 28%

West Virginia

Bud Light – 22%
Busch Light – 0%
Coors Light – 4%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 13%
Miller Lite – 11%
Natural “Natty” Light – 4%
Yuengling Light – 11%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 35%

Wisconsin

Bud Light – 13%
Busch Light – 2%
Coors Light – 16%
Keystone Light – 0%
Michelob Ultra – 9%
Miller Lite – 31%
Natural “Natty” Light – 0%
Yuengling Light – 2%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 27%

Wyoming

Bud Light – 14%
Busch Light – 6%
Coors Light – 31%
Keystone Light – 3%
Michelob Ultra – 3%
Miller Lite – 3%
Natural “Natty” Light – 6%
Yuengling Light – 6%
I would never drink any of these, ever – 31%

Methodology

Grill Cook Bake surveyed 3,950 Americans in May 2020. The respondents were a mix of ages and genders. We estimate the margin of error is less than 3% with a confidence level of 90%.

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