January is the month when good intentions are at their strongest – and for many East Midlanders, that means rethinking their relationship with alcohol by going sober.

From swapping pints for alcohol-free alternatives to committing to a full month off drinking, Dry January has become a familiar post-Christmas reset. 

But while the challenge is nationwide, some cities are far more engaged with the idea than others.

New research from Vapeverse reveals which UK cities are most actively seeking information about Dry January – and our very own Lincoln makes the list!

The specialists analysed the monthly search volume for 21 related keywords in cities and towns with over 100,000 residents using Google Keyword Planner. The ranking was determined by the number of searches per 100,000 people.

In third place comes Lincoln, with 250 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. Considering its total of 260 searches in the period and a population of 103,813 people, 1 in every 399 Lincoln citizens searched about Dry January or related keywords.

On the other hand, Nottingham residents are least interested in Dry January this year, with only 58 monthly searches per 100,000 people. Considering its total of 190 searches and 323,632 inhabitants, only 1 in 1,703 of Nottingham residents searched for the topic.

According to the study, Croydon residents are the most interested in the Dry January challenge, with 277 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. Totalling 480 searches and a population of 173,314 people, this means 1 in every 361 Croydon residents has researched the topic online.

A spokesperson at Vapeverse commented on the findings, “Giving up alcohol in January can feel especially tough. It’s cold, dark and social plans often revolve around the pub. 

“But over the past few years, we’ve seen a big rise in people engaging with healthier trends, whether that’s walking more, cutting back on ultra-processed foods or trying alcohol-free alternatives. Dry January sits neatly alongside those shifts. It’s one of the easiest ways for people to test whether drinking less actually makes them feel better.

“It’s also notable that some of the biggest cities don’t dominate the rankings. Places like Edinburgh show stronger interest than London when population is taken into account, which suggests Dry January isn’t just a big-city trend, and smaller cities and commuter hubs may actually be where healthier habits are taking hold fastest.”

UK cities and towns least interested in Dry January

UK cities and towns least interested in Dry January