Surveys show U.S. religiosity, from least religious states to most
Associated Press
A recent Gallup poll revealed that Mississippi is the most religious U.S. state, and is one of eight states where at least half of the residents are classified as "very religious."
Gallup's "very religious" designation is based on statements of religion as an important part of an individual's daily life, as well as worship services attendance. Around 40 percent of Americans nationwide are classified as very religious, while another 32 percent are nonreligious. The remaining 28 percent are moderately religious.
As the Gallup data shows, eight of the 10 most religious states in 2011 are in the South, with one located in the Midwest (Oklahoma) and the final state in the West (Utah). Six of the least religious states are in New England and four are in the West.
America as a whole remains a religious nation, Gallup states, with more than two-thirds of U.S. residents classified as very or moderately religious.
* Data taken from the 2008 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life/U.S. Religious Landscape Survey and the Gallup Religiosity by State 2011 survey
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Interesting list I thought. No big surprise to see Utah at the top and then other states in the South region of the US there right up with it. Interesting seeing the percentages though.
Can anyone see a pattern? Religiosity = backwardness. Pretty picture of DC.
One curious thing I notices is that as the percentage of Catholics go down, religious activity in that state goes up. All of the high religious states have low numbers of Catholics. Catholics are notoriously poor church attenders, they stay true to their church, but the rarely attend, and do not consider themselves "very active."
Silal Brill of Heber, where do you get your statistics? Or are you being snarky?
I would be interested in seeing how this list correlates with other rankings such as education spending, crime rates, volunteerism, etc. Just because someplace claims to believe in God more doesn't mean they practice what they preach.
Honest, there is a direct relationship between the number of WalMarts and religiosity of the state.
Check it out.
I've complained about this before, but here goes again: To find the state I want to read about I may have to click up to 51 times. I have a faster computer that loads pages faster than my old computer the last time I complained, but you could put all this on one page that I could scroll down. It seems like every day there is a very interesting list, but in the click format it is hard to use. Then I have to go back 51 pages to get back home.
@RG-I agree. I think it would be cool to see a sortable table of stats, with filters for region, etc. That would be much more interesting to tinker with.
No surprise that "Ben and Jerry-land" of Vermont and many other Northeastern States, and the Left Coast, are non-religious. These blue states are populated by a high population of liberal elitist-types who think so much of themselves and their intellects that they have no need of the Diety. I would quote scripture but then, again, those of you who are religious know what the scriptures (prophecies) are, and those of you who scoff, wouldn't believe them anyway.
Sneaky Jimmy. Duh. Sam Walton opened his first Wal-Mart in Arkansas, and then spread into markets outward from there. Glad you don't work for Gallup and misinterpret that data also.
Is Utah a part of the old confederacy? You would think so based upon this survey.
Afghanistan, Iran, Yemen and Syria beat us all in religiosity. We gotta get back to basics!
Did you see the other pattern, Silas? Wealthy, educated states are less religious, more into money, higher infidelity and less personal satisfaction...