The Second-Largest Religion in Each State

Debbie Holloway | Contributing Writer | Published: Jun 05, 2014

The Second-Largest Religion in Each State

The Washington Post has released a batch of statistical data looking at the major religions in the United States at the regional at county level. It’s no surprise that three fourths of Americans identify as Christians (protestant, Roman Catholic, or Mormon), so this study focuses on the second-largest religious population in each state. As of 2010, Buddhism was the largest religious runner-up in west-coast states and much of the heartland. Judaism was the second-largest religion in the northeast, and most of the other states identified as secondarily Islamic.

The ASARD also looked at those living and practicing their identified faith (those who attend religious services). The state with the highest number of adherents is Utah (overwhelmingly Mormon) and the states with the lowest number of adherents were found to be Oregon, Vermont, Alaska, Nevada, and Washington.

Also noted by this census is the major religious affiliation by country across the entire country. According to the Post:

“Catholicism dominates the Northeast and the Southwest, and Southern Baptists have a strong foothold in the South. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints dominates Utah and surrounding counties in Idaho, Wyoming and parts of Nevada. Lutheranism has a strong following in Minnesota and the Dakotas, while Methodists make their presence felt in parts of West Virginia, Iowa, Nebraska and Kansas.”



The Second-Largest Religion in Each State