PS: The red color is not a bad thing. Blue and Red just contrast better than other colors. This is not meant to offend anyone. Also this about Believe in God with absolute certainty
compare this with a quality of life map with the same colors
ComfortableLate1525 on
I find this hard to believe. Sure, people aren’t as overtly religious as they used to be, but there’s no way 44% of people in Indiana are atheistic. I live here. That’s definitely not true.
delugetheory on
The title is somewhat misleading. These numbers represent the number of respondents who said that they “believe in God or a universal spirit with *absolute* certainty”. So, for one thing, the responses here aren’t limited to the Judeo-Christian concept of God, nor do they include respondents who reported *less than* absolute certainty. When you include respondents who hold any belief in a higher power, the numbers go up by about 30% on average. [(source)](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/religious-and-spiritual-beliefs/)
slytherinspy1960 on
Wow, I really didn’t think there’d be that much of a difference between the most and least religious. 44% is huge.
rptanner58 on
Looks to correspond pretty closely with broad measures of education level. Higher education, lower proportion believe in a supernatural God.
Distinct_Ad_7619 on
Now overlay “people with advanced degrees.”
JohnySilkBoots on
I would like to see how this ties in with education. I guarantee the states with the highest percents are some of the least educated.
Cultural_Grass_6479 on
So glad I live in Vermont.
balzstein on
Overlay this with household income, education, and life expectancy.
CaptainNipplesMcRib on
Iowa lower than Illinois is surprising to me
Particular_Bet_5466 on
lol I like your PS because I thought the same thing at first, even though I know it’s just a color scheme.
LightBeerOnIce on
If you have the misfortune of living in Mississippi, believing in God is all you have left. Womp, womp.
RhythmWeaver on
As a Mainer, I always find it interesting that we have the oldest population yet we are one of the least religious states. Of course, people of all ages can be any religion, but I always think of the older generation headed to church every Sunday. I used to volunteer at my grandma’s church in coastal Maine, but my dad’s side of the family is mostly atheist and from the inland parts of the state. There’s also a decent Seventh Day Adventist community in Western Maine.
goochgrease2 on
I should move to VT
Malfeitor1 on
I was thrust into the catholic school system from 5th to 8th grade having never had any prior religious experience. I bought into it for a short time but now I can even understand the concept of believing in a god ( or any other supernatural belief)
Danilo-11 on
Poverty = hope that God will help
tentative_ghost on
I keep getting more and more evidence that Vermont is the place for me
StrongAsMeat on
Guessing it’s the same education levels
hybridaaroncarroll on
I live in 74% and I can assure you it’s far higher than that. More like 97.4%.
roofie_Rubio7 on
You can’t tell me voodoo doesn’t play a role in the boot
Classic_Mammoth4211 on
South Carolina is surprising. They seem to be getting less religious and conservative transplants compared to other states. I wonder how it is higher than Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky.
And West Virginia is surprising low.
Aggravated_Skag_733 on
It’s interesting the way it tracks with political left and right. I mean, conservatives tend to be more religious but does being more religious tend to make one more conservative if liberalism says it’s about caring for humanity? Correlation is not necessarily causation, but the relationship between religion and political leanings never seemed clear to me.
blackweebow on
Now I would love to see how this pairs with higher education rates but apparently higher ed is just indoctrination now and something to avoid lol
RigamortisRooster on
Surprised Utah aint higher
PokesBo on
I really wish they’d start adding “Don’t know”
silly_rt on
Tornado valley kinda has to
BeenDragonn on
And if you look and the education rankings of these states you will see a direct relation to religion and poorly educated!
swlindz1 on
Now cross compare to state education rankings
Ontilt1492 on
I’ve been to Portland and always said it was the most godless place I had ever seen.
MADDOGCA on
I’m actually surprised it’s that low in Iowa.
Honest-Writer-8992 on
New Jersey is the most religious state in the tri-state region.
nikmo86 on
Definitely misleading. No way NH is that low. It’s the Alabama of New England
Ok_Function2282 on
Scale of the shading is incredibly weird. Why is the lowest end 30%?
Horn1960-002 on
I wonder what the numbers would be to the question, “Do you believe in organized religion?”
notsleepsherp on
All most all black people believe in God. No surprise two of three of blackest states lead the way Mississippi, Louisiana and South Carolina.
Geog_Master on
Bivariate color schemes are not appropriate for this type of data.
Dear_Milk_4323 on
You really expect me to believe that 1 in 3 people in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee do not believe in God?
xXDingoDangoXx on
Red to beige to blue isnt the best color scheme. I would love to see this in a different gradient. Maybe just use two colors?
40 Comments
Utah is kinda surprising
compare this with a quality of life map with the same colors
I find this hard to believe. Sure, people aren’t as overtly religious as they used to be, but there’s no way 44% of people in Indiana are atheistic. I live here. That’s definitely not true.
The title is somewhat misleading. These numbers represent the number of respondents who said that they “believe in God or a universal spirit with *absolute* certainty”. So, for one thing, the responses here aren’t limited to the Judeo-Christian concept of God, nor do they include respondents who reported *less than* absolute certainty. When you include respondents who hold any belief in a higher power, the numbers go up by about 30% on average. [(source)](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2025/02/26/religious-and-spiritual-beliefs/)
Wow, I really didn’t think there’d be that much of a difference between the most and least religious. 44% is huge.
Looks to correspond pretty closely with broad measures of education level. Higher education, lower proportion believe in a supernatural God.
Now overlay “people with advanced degrees.”
I would like to see how this ties in with education. I guarantee the states with the highest percents are some of the least educated.
So glad I live in Vermont.
Overlay this with household income, education, and life expectancy.
Iowa lower than Illinois is surprising to me
lol I like your PS because I thought the same thing at first, even though I know it’s just a color scheme.
If you have the misfortune of living in Mississippi, believing in God is all you have left. Womp, womp.
As a Mainer, I always find it interesting that we have the oldest population yet we are one of the least religious states. Of course, people of all ages can be any religion, but I always think of the older generation headed to church every Sunday. I used to volunteer at my grandma’s church in coastal Maine, but my dad’s side of the family is mostly atheist and from the inland parts of the state. There’s also a decent Seventh Day Adventist community in Western Maine.
I should move to VT
I was thrust into the catholic school system from 5th to 8th grade having never had any prior religious experience. I bought into it for a short time but now I can even understand the concept of believing in a god ( or any other supernatural belief)
Poverty = hope that God will help
I keep getting more and more evidence that Vermont is the place for me
Guessing it’s the same education levels
I live in 74% and I can assure you it’s far higher than that. More like 97.4%.
You can’t tell me voodoo doesn’t play a role in the boot
South Carolina is surprising. They seem to be getting less religious and conservative transplants compared to other states. I wonder how it is higher than Tennessee, Alabama, and Kentucky.
And West Virginia is surprising low.
It’s interesting the way it tracks with political left and right. I mean, conservatives tend to be more religious but does being more religious tend to make one more conservative if liberalism says it’s about caring for humanity? Correlation is not necessarily causation, but the relationship between religion and political leanings never seemed clear to me.
Now I would love to see how this pairs with higher education rates but apparently higher ed is just indoctrination now and something to avoid lol
Surprised Utah aint higher
I really wish they’d start adding “Don’t know”
Tornado valley kinda has to
And if you look and the education rankings of these states you will see a direct relation to religion and poorly educated!
Now cross compare to state education rankings
I’ve been to Portland and always said it was the most godless place I had ever seen.
I’m actually surprised it’s that low in Iowa.
New Jersey is the most religious state in the tri-state region.
Definitely misleading. No way NH is that low. It’s the Alabama of New England
Scale of the shading is incredibly weird. Why is the lowest end 30%?
I wonder what the numbers would be to the question, “Do you believe in organized religion?”
All most all black people believe in God. No surprise two of three of blackest states lead the way Mississippi, Louisiana and South Carolina.
Bivariate color schemes are not appropriate for this type of data.
You really expect me to believe that 1 in 3 people in Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, and Tennessee do not believe in God?
Red to beige to blue isnt the best color scheme. I would love to see this in a different gradient. Maybe just use two colors?
Religion is a fucking disease.