Last week Gallup released the newest list of how religious residents of each state are based on the percentage of respondents who self-identified as “very religious.”
A majority (51% or more) are very religious in seven states:
- Mississippi (59%)
- Utah (57%)
- Alabama (56%)
- Louisiana (54%)
- Arkansas (54%)
- South Carolina (54%)
- Tennessee (52%)
A relatively small minority (less than 3 in 10) are very religious in five states:
- Vermont (23%)
- New Hampshire (23%)
- Maine (25%)
- Massachusetts (28%)
- Alaska (28%)
The following map provides a visual image of religiosity by state:
So What?
Frank Newport succinctly summarizes the larger picture of American religiosity:
America remains a generally religious nation, with more than two-thirds of the nation’s residents classified as very or moderately religious.
Additionally, he places the state totals in context by providing the overall survey responses nationwide:
- Very Religious (40%)
- Moderately Religious (28%)
- Nonreligious (32%)
Questions to Ponder
- Which of the three categories do you feel best represents you at this stage in life? the majority of your congregation’s members? your community?
- Locate each state in which you have lived and note its color code. Are any states more or less religious than you would have guessed?
- Do you think the average American is aware how religious the United States is (more than two-thirds of the nation’s residents classified as very or moderately religious) or how this compares to religiosity in other countries? What can you to help increase awareness of this data?