Most Religious States 2024

Many people around the world and within the United States describe themselves as religious. Although there are many different religions, most are centered around the belief that there is a higher power. Some regions worldwide are very religious, while others are not so religious. In the United States, some states are more religious than other states.

There is not a comprehensive way to determine what states are the most religious. However, Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape Study gives us the best picture of what states are the most religious.

State	Religious Adults
Alabama	77%
Mississippi	77%
Tennessee	73%
Louisiana	71%
Arkansas	70%
South Carolina	70%
West Virginia	69%
Georgia	66%
Oklahoma	66%
North Carolina	65%

This study looks at four measures to determine what states are the most religious. These four measures include:

Religious attendance
Frequency of prayer
Belief in God
Self-assessment of the importance of religion

Based on these measures, two states were determined to be the most religious. Both Alabama and Mississippi came on top. In each state, 77% of residents were believed to be “highly religious.” We can also take a look at the individual factors that contributed to this overall score.

Seventy-seven percent of Alabama residents stated that religion was very important within their own lives, compared to just 74% of people who said the same in Mississippi. Mississippi topped Alabama when it came to prayers, with 75% of Mississippi people stating they pray daily compared to just 73% of people in Alabama.

When it comes to attending worship services, neither Alabama nor Mississippi came out on top. That honor went to the state of Utah, where 53% of residents attend worship services at least weekly. Alabama came in second place with 51% of residents regularly attending services, while Mississippi came in 4th with 49%.

For belief in God, both states were tied. 82% of people in each state believe in God with absolute certainty.

These two states aren’t the only ones that are very religious, though. In Tennessee, 73% of adults are seen as “highly religious” based on the four measures. Louisiana is also very religious, with an overall score of 71%. Arkansas and South Carolina are tied for 5th place with scores of 70%.