The degree of religiosity in the population of the United States can be compared to that in other countries and compared state-by-state, based on individual self-assessment and polling data.
Methodologies
editThe Gallup Poll assesses religiosity around the world,[1] asking "Is religion important in your daily life?" and in the United States by state, asking the degree to which respondents consider themselves to be religious. The Pew Research Center and Public Religion Research Institute have conducted studies of reported frequency of attendance to religious service.[2] The Harris Poll has conducted surveys of the percentage of people who believe in God.[3]
Results
editReligious Denominations (Pew Research 2014)
editRegion | Net Religious (%) | Protestant (%) | Catholic (%) | Latter-day Saint (%) | Other Christian (%) | Other (%) | Irreligious (%) | Don't know (%) | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mississippi | 89 | 79 | 4 | 1 | <1 | 2 | 10 | 1 | [4] |
Alabama | 87 | 80 | 7 | 1 | <1 | 1 | 12 | 1 | [5] |
Louisiana | 86 | 58 | 26 | <1 | 2 | 2 | 13 | 1 | [6] |
Tennessee | 85 | 77 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 14 | 1 | [7] |
South Dakota | 82 | 58 | 22 | <1 | <1 | 3 | 18 | <1 | [8] |
Texas | 82 | 50 | 23 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 18 | <1 | [9] |
Arkansas | 81 | 75 | 8 | 1 | <1 | 3 | 18 | 1 | [10] |
Georgia | 81 | 70 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 18 | 1 | [11] |
New Jersey | 81 | 31 | 34 | 1 | 2 | 14 | 18 | 1 | [12] |
Oklahoma | 81 | 70 | 8 | 1 | <1 | 2 | 18 | 1 | [13] |
West Virginia | 81 | 73 | 6 | 2 | <1 | 3 | 18 | 1 | [14] |
Kansas | 80 | 58 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 20 | <1 | [15] |
Nebraska | 80 | 53 | 23 | 1 | <1 | 4 | 20 | <1 | [16] |
North Dakota | 80 | 52 | 26 | <1 | <1 | 3 | 20 | <1 | [17] |
South Carolina | 80 | 68 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 19 | 1 | [18] |
Virginia | 80 | 59 | 12 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 20 | <1 | [19] |
Missouri | 79 | 60 | 16 | 1 | <1 | 3 | 20 | 1 | [20] |
New Mexico | 79 | 38 | 34 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 21 | <1 | [21] |
North Carolina | 79 | 69 | 9 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 1 | [22] |
Rhode Island | 79 | 30 | 42 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 20 | 1 | [23] |
Iowa | 78 | 65 | 18 | <1 | <1 | 1 | 21 | 1 | [24] |
Minnesota | 78 | 50 | 22 | 1 | <1 | 5 | 20 | 2 | [17] |
Ohio | 78 | 55 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 22 | <1 | [25] |
Pennsylvania | 78 | 47 | 24 | <1 | 1 | 6 | 21 | 1 | [26] |
Illinois | 77 | 43 | 28 | <1 | 2 | 6 | 22 | 1 | [27] |
Kentucky | 77 | 67 | 10 | <1 | <1 | 2 | 22 | 1 | [28] |
Maryland | 77 | 54 | 15 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 23 | <1 | [29] |
Utah | 77 | 13 | 5 | 55 | <1 | 4 | 22 | 1 | [30] |
United States | 76.6 | 46.5 | 20.8 | 1.6 | 1.7 | 5.9 | 22.8 | 0.6 | [31] |
Connecticut | 76 | 35 | 33 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 23 | 1 | [32] |
Delaware | 76 | 46 | 22 | <1 | 1 | 6 | 23 | 1 | [33] |
Florida | 76 | 46 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 24 | <1 | [34] |
Michigan | 75 | 54 | 18 | <1 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 1 | [35] |
Wisconsin | 75 | 44 | 25 | <1 | 2 | 4 | 25 | <1 | [36] |
District of Columbia | 74 | 41 | 20 | 2 | 1 | 9 | 25 | 1 | [37] |
Indiana | 74 | 55 | 18 | 1 | <1 | 2 | 26 | <1 | [38] |
Wyoming | 74 | 43 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 26 | <1 | [39] |
Arizona | 73 | 39 | 21 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 27 | <1 | [40] |
Hawaii | 73 | 38 | 20 | 3 | 2 | 10 | 26 | 1 | [41] |
Idaho | 73 | 37 | 10 | 19 | 1 | 4 | 27 | <1 | [42] |
California | 72 | 32 | 28 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 27 | 1 | [43] |
New York | 72 | 26 | 31 | <1 | 2 | 12 | 27 | 1 | [44] |
Nevada | 71 | 35 | 25 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 28 | 1 | [45] |
Montana | 70 | 42 | 17 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 30 | <1 | [46] |
Colorado | 69 | 43 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 29 | 2 | [47] |
Alaska | 68 | 37 | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 31 | 1 | [48] |
Oregon | 68 | 43 | 12 | 4 | 2 | 7 | 31 | 1 | [49] |
Maine | 67 | 37 | 21 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 31 | 2 | [50] |
Massachusetts | 67 | 21 | 34 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 32 | 1 | [51] |
Washington | 67 | 40 | 17 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 32 | 1 | [52] |
New Hampshire | 64 | 30 | 26 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 36 | <1 | [53] |
Vermont | 61 | 30 | 22 | <1 | 1 | 8 | 37 | 2 | [54] |
Religions by metropolitan areas
editMetro area | Net Religious (%) | Total Christian (%) | Evangelical Protestant (%) | Mainline Protestant (%) | Historically Black Protestant (%) | Catholic (%) | Latter-day Saint (%) | Other (%) | None (%) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dallas | 82 | 78 | 38 | 14 | 7 | 15 | 1 | 4 | 18 |
Atlanta | 80 | 76 | 33 | 12 | 18 | 11 | 1 | 3 | 20 |
Houston | 80 | 73 | 30 | 11 | 9 | 19 | 1 | 4 | 20 |
Miami | 79 | 68 | 20 | 11 | 8 | 27 | <1 | 10 | 21 |
Chicago | 78 | 71 | 16 | 11 | 8 | 34 | <1 | 7 | 22 |
Minneapolis | 77 | 70 | 15 | 27 | 4 | 21 | 1 | 5 | 23 |
Detroit | 76 | 67 | 20 | 14 | 15 | 16 | <1 | 8 | 24 |
New York City | 76 | 59 | 9 | 8 | 6 | 33 | <1 | 16 | 24 |
Philadelphia | 76 | 68 | 13 | 17 | 11 | 26 | <1 | 8 | 24 |
Washington, D.C. | 76 | 65 | 14 | 15 | 12 | 19 | 1 | 10 | 24 |
Los Angeles | 75 | 65 | 18 | 9 | 3 | 32 | <1 | 9 | 25 |
Riverside, Calif. | 75 | 71 | 30 | 10 | 3 | 22 | 3 | 4 | 25 |
Phoenix | 74 | 66 | 25 | 11 | 1 | 21 | 6 | 7 | 26 |
San Diego | 73 | 68 | 14 | 16 | 2 | 32 | 2 | 5 | 27 |
Boston | 67 | 57 | 9 | 13 | 3 | 29 | <1 | 10 | 33 |
San Francisco | 65 | 48 | 10 | 6 | 4 | 25 | 1 | 15 | 35 |
Seattle | 63 | 52 | 23 | 10 | 1 | 15 | 1 | 10 | 37 |
Attendance
edit ≥50% attending weekly 45-49% attending weekly 40-44% attending weekly 35-39% attending weekly | 30-34% attending weekly 25-29% attending weekly 20-24% attending weekly 15-19% attending weekly |
A 2013 survey by the Public Religion Research Institute reported that 31% of Americans attend religious services at least weekly.[2] In 2006, a world-wide online Harris Poll surveyed 2,010 U.S. adults[56] and found that 26% of those surveyed attended religious services "every week or more often", 9% went "once or twice a month", 21% went "a few times a year", 3% went "once a year", 22% went "less than once a year", and 18% never attend religious services. A 2013 Harris Poll reported an 8% decline in a belief in God, since a prior 2009 poll.[3]
According to a 2011 Gallup poll, the state with the greatest percentage of respondents identifying as "very religious" was Mississippi (59%), and the state with the smallest percentage were Vermont and New Hampshire (23%), while Florida (39%) and Minnesota (40%) were near the median.[57] A 2014 Pew Research poll found that the states with the greatest percentage of respondents who stated that religion was "very important" or "somewhat important" to their lives were Alabama (90%) and Louisiana (90%), while the state with the smallest percentage was Vermont (57%).[58]
U.S. states and Washington, D.C.
editRank | State | Percent |
---|---|---|
1 | Utah | 53% |
2 | Alabama | 51% |
2 | Tennessee | 51% |
4 | Mississippi | 49% |
5 | South Carolina | 47% |
6 | Louisiana | 46% |
6 | West Virginia | 46% |
8 | Virginia | 44% |
9 | Oklahoma | 43% |
10 | Georgia | 42% |
10 | Texas | 42% |
12 | Arkansas | 41% |
13 | North Carolina | 39% |
13 | Kentucky | 39% |
13 | Nebraska | 39% |
16 | Ohio | 38% |
16 | Wyoming | 38% |
18 | Missouri | 37% |
18 | Kansas | 37% |
18 | Indiana | 37% |
21 | South Dakota | 36% |
21 | New Mexico | 36% |
21 | Iowa | 36% |
21 | Rhode Island | 36% |
25 | New Jersey | 35% |
25 | Florida | 35% |
25 | Idaho | 35% |
28 | Arizona | 34% |
28 | Pennsylvania | 34% |
28 | Delaware | 34% |
28 | Illinois | 34% |
28 | Minnesota | 34% |
33 | Michigan | 33% |
33 | North Dakota | 33% |
35 | Maryland | 31% |
35 | California | 31% |
35 | Nevada | 31% |
35 | Montana | 31% |
39 | Colorado | 30% |
39 | Alaska | 30% |
39 | Washington | 30% |
42 | Oregon | 29% |
42 | New York | 29% |
44 | District of Columbia | 28% |
44 | Hawaii | 28% |
44 | Connecticut | 28% |
47 | Wisconsin | 27% |
48 | Massachusetts | 23% |
49 | Maine | 22% |
49 | New Hampshire | 22% |
51 | Vermont | 21% |
Rank | State | Percent |
---|---|---|
1 | Utah | 51% |
2 | Mississippi | 47% |
3 | Alabama | 46% |
4 | Louisiana | 46% |
5 | Arkansas | 45% |
6 | South Carolina | 42% |
7 | Tennessee | 42% |
8 | Kentucky | 41% |
9 | North Carolina | 40% |
10 | Georgia | 39% |
11 | Texas | 39% |
12 | Oklahoma | 39% |
13 | New Mexico | 36% |
14 | Nebraska | 35% |
15 | Indiana | 35% |
16 | Virginia | 35% |
17 | Delaware | 35% |
18 | Missouri | 35% |
19 | Idaho | 34% |
20 | West Virginia | 34% |
21 | Arizona | 33% |
22 | Kansas | 33% |
23 | Michigan | 32% |
24 | Ohio | 32% |
25 | Illinois | 32% |
26 | North Dakota | 32% |
27 | Pennsylvania | 32% |
28 | Iowa | 32% |
29 | Florida | 32% |
30 | Maryland | 31% |
31 | South Dakota | 31% |
32 | Minnesota | 31% |
33 | New Jersey | 30% |
34 | Wisconsin | 29% |
35 | Rhode Island | 28% |
36 | Wyoming | 28% |
37 | California | 28% |
38 | New York | 27% |
39 | Nevada | 27% |
40 | Montana | 27% |
41 | Alaska | 26% |
42 | Connecticut | 25% |
43 | Colorado | 25% |
44 | Hawaii | 25% |
45 | Oregon | 24% |
46 | Washington | 24% |
47 | District of Columbia | 23% |
48 | Massachusetts | 22% |
49 | Maine | 20% |
50 | New Hampshire | 20% |
51 | Vermont | 17% |
The table below displays the results of a 2014 survey by Pew Research:[61]
State or District |
Overall Religiosity Rank | Believe in God with Certainty | Consider Religion Important | Pray Daily | Attend Weekly Worship Services |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
California | 35 | 54% | 47% | 51% | 31% |
Texas | 11 | 69% | 63% | 63% | 42% |
Florida | 22 | 64% | 53% | 56% | 35% |
New York | 43 | 56% | 45% | 48% | 29% |
Illinois | 33 | 61% | 50% | 51% | 34% |
Pennsylvania | 27 | 61% | 51% | 54% | 34% |
Ohio | 17 | 67% | 56% | 57% | 38% |
Georgia | 8 | 74% | 64% | 64% | 42% |
Michigan | 27 | 63% | 50% | 53% | 33% |
North Carolina | 10 | 73% | 62% | 66% | 39% |
New Jersey | 19 | 60% | 50% | 53% | 35% |
Virginia | 14 | 67% | 60% | 60% | 44% |
Washington | 44 | 55% | 44% | 46% | 30% |
Massachusetts | 50 | 40% | 33% | 37% | 23% |
Arizona | 27 | 62% | 51% | 55% | 34% |
Indiana | 22 | 63% | 53% | 52% | 37% |
Tennessee | 3 | 78% | 71% | 70% | 51% |
Missouri | 15 | 70% | 56% | 59% | 37% |
Maryland | 22 | 64% | 50% | 51% | 31% |
Wisconsin | 44 | 56% | 44% | 46% | 27% |
Minnesota | 35 | 56% | 46% | 47% | 34% |
Colorado | 41 | 55% | 47% | 50% | 30% |
South Carolina | 5 | 74% | 69% | 66% | 47% |
Alabama | 1 | 82% | 77% | 73% | 51% |
Louisiana | 4 | 75% | 71% | 68% | 46% |
Kentucky | 13 | 75% | 63% | 63% | 39% |
Oregon | 39 | 57% | 45% | 45% | 29% |
Oklahoma | 8 | 71% | 64% | 65% | 43% |
Connecticut | 47 | 54% | 42% | 47% | 28% |
Iowa | 19 | 66% | 53% | 50% | 36% |
Mississippi | 1 | 82% | 74% | 75% | 49% |
Arkansas | 5 | 77% | 70% | 65% | 41% |
Utah | 11 | 61% | 58% | 61% | 53% |
Kansas | 19 | 66% | 50% | 53% | 37% |
Nevada | 35 | 59% | 44% | 48% | 31% |
New Mexico | 18 | 63% | 59% | 55% | 36% |
Nebraska | 22 | 66% | 54% | 52% | 39% |
West Virginia | 7 | 77% | 64% | 68% | 46% |
Idaho | 33 | 62% | 51% | 50% | 35% |
Hawaii | 41 | 62% | 44% | 52% | 28% |
Maine | 48 | 48% | 34% | 35% | 22% |
New Hampshire | 50 | 43% | 33% | 36% | 22% |
Rhode Island | 35 | 60% | 48% | 48% | 36% |
Montana | 39 | 64% | 44% | 51% | 31% |
Delaware | 32 | 61% | 46% | 49% | 34% |
South Dakota | 16 | 69% | 57% | 56% | 36% |
Alaska | 44 | 55% | 41% | 49% | 30% |
North Dakota | 27 | 64% | 53% | 51% | 33% |
District of Columbia | 27 | 55% | 50% | 51% | 28% |
Vermont | 48 | 41% | 32% | 33% | 21% |
Wyoming | 22 | 66% | 49% | 53% | 38% |
U.S. territories
editThe following is the percentage of Christians and all religions in the U.S. territories as of 2015 (according to the ARDA):[62]
Note that CIA World Factbook data differs from the data below. For example, the CIA World Factbook says that 99.3% of the population in American Samoa is religious.[63]
Territory | Percent religious (all religions) |
Percent Christian |
Percent religious (non-Christian) |
Percent non-religious |
Unknown / Unspecified |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
American Samoa | 98.5% | 97.37% | 1.13% | 0.88% | 0.62% |
Guam | 95.4% | 91.1% | 4.3% | 1.8% | 2.8% |
Northern Mariana Islands | 98.85% | 81.13% | 17.72% | 1.11% | 0.04% |
Puerto Rico | 91.53% | 91.2% | 0.33% | 3.16% | 5.31% |
US Virgin Islands | 83.3% | 81.83% | 1.47% | 4.04% | 12.66% |
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Truss, Catherine; Alfes, Kerstin; Delbridge, Rick; Shantz, Amanda; Routledge, Emma Soane (October 2013), "Employee engagement across cultures", Employee Engagement in Theory and Practice, Business & Economics, p. 336
- ^ a b Kaleem, Jaweed (May 20, 2014). "Americans Exaggerate How Much They Go To Religious Services, According To Study". Religion. The Huffington Pos. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- ^ a b Willett, Megan (December 17, 2013). "A Fascinating New Poll Shows That Americans Are Losing Faith In God". Business Insider Inc. Retrieved 2015-01-27.
- ^ "Adults in Mississippi". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Alabama". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Louisiana". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Tennessee". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in South Dakota". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Texas". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Arkansas". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Georgia". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in New Jersey". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Oklahoma". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in West Virginia". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Kansas". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Nebraska". Pew Research Center.
- ^ a b "Adults in North Dakota". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in South Carolina". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Virginia". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Missouri". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in New Mexico". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in North Carolina". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Rhode Island". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Iowa". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Ohio". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Pennsylvania". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Illinois". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Kentucky". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Maryland". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Utah". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "America's Changing Religious Landscape". Pew Research Center: Religion & Public Life. May 12, 2015.
- ^ "Adults in Connecticut". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Delaware". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Florida". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Michigan". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Wisconsin". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in the District of Columbia". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Indiana". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Wyoming". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Arizona". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Hawaii". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Idaho". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in California". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in New York". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Nevada". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Montana". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Colorado". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Alaska". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Oregon". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Maine". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Massachusetts". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Washington". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in New Hampshire". Pew Research Center.
- ^ "Adults in Vermont". Pew Research Center.
- ^ Major U.S. metropolitan areas differ in their religious profiles, Pew Research Center
- ^ "Religious Views and Beliefs Vary Greatly by Country, According to the Latest Financial Times/Harris Poll". Harrisinteractive.com. 2006-12-20. Archived from the original on 2012-05-23. Retrieved 2012-03-17.
- ^ Newport, Frank (27 March 2012). "Mississippi Is Most Religious U.S. State Vermont and New Hampshire are the least religious states". gallup.com/poll. Gallup. Retrieved 13 October 2014.
- ^ a b Importance of religion by state Pew forum
- ^ "How religious is your state?". pewforum.org. February 29, 2016.
- ^ "Frequent Church Attendance Highest in Utah, Lowest in Vermont". Gallup.com. February 17, 2015.
- ^ "Most and least religious U.S. States". 29 February 2016.
- ^ http://thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_5_2.asp
http://thearda.com/internationalData/compare2.asp?c=97
http://thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_169_2.asp
http://thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_182_2.asp
http://thearda.com/internationalData/countries/Country_240_2.asp
thearda.com. The ARDA (Association of Religion Data Archives). American Samoa / Guam / Northern Mariana Islands / Puerto Rico / Virgin Islands (U.S.) Retrieved September 13, 2021. - ^ https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/american-samoa/ CIA World Factbook. American Samoa. Retrieved September 13, 2021.