# A Question of Demographics (religion)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-demographics-religion/251488>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 21, 2004, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-demographics-religion/251488 "2004-06-21T18:38:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![outside\_artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@outside\_artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outside_artist)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-demographics-religion/251488/1 "2004-06-21T18:38:09Z")

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I want to find out where in the United States are people the least religious. How would I go about doing so, or, does anyone happen to know?

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**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-demographics-religion/251488/2 "2004-06-21T19:11:26Z")

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> [@Not a Well Woman](#):
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> I want to find out where in the United States are people the least religious. How would I go about doing so, or, does anyone happen to know?

First, you’ll have to define for us what you mean by “the least religious”, if you want any kind of a meaningful answer.

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**Author:** ![BaldTaco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/47e85d/32.png) [@BaldTaco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldTaco)\
**Post date:** [June 21, 2004, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-demographics-religion/251488/3 "2004-06-21T19:40:02Z")

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The [US Census Bureau](http://www.census.gov/prod/www/religion.htm) “is not the source for information on religion.” However, they’re kind enough to point to this  
[document (PDF)](http://www.census.gov/prod/2001pubs/statab/sec01.pdf).

Based on the table on page 62, it looks like Nevada, Alaska, Hawaii, Oregon, & Washington are the least religious with about 30-35% Christian & Jewish populations.

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**Author:** ![outside\_artist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7993a0/32.png) [@outside\_artist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outside_artist)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-demographics-religion/251488/4 "2004-06-23T00:11:44Z")

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I probably should have said ‘where the fewest number of people exist who practice their belief in a supreme being’, or something.  
Thank you, **Taco** , that is very helpful.

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**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\
**Post date:** [June 23, 2004, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-question-of-demographics-religion/251488/5 "2004-06-23T00:19:09Z")

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Perhaps a starting point would be somethign like “percentage of people who regularly attend a place of worship”. Obviously this is _only_ a starting point, but it avoids the vagueness of ‘adherence’ as in the PDF linked above. Many many people will answer ‘Catholic’ (or whatever) when asked ‘what is your religion’, but on even slight probing, they’ll admit to many heretical views. Are they ‘adherents’ or not?