The most popular religion in every state, after Christianity

According to the U.S. Religion Census of 2020, Christianity is still the largest religion in every state. For context, Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus. There are three main sects of Christianity: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Protestantism. Smaller sects fall under each of these branches.

The census survey noted that 62 percent of Americans identify as Christian, with 29 percent being religiously unaffiliated. So, what ranks as the second-place religion in each state tells a unique story about immigration, history, and demographics.

Below are the second-most popular religions in each state. Note that the census survey is only completed once per decade, so the next one will not be completed until 2030.

Image credit: Jacob Wackerhausen / iStock

Islam

Islam is a monotheistic religion with Arabic roots whose followers, Muslims, believe in one supreme God, Allah, and who follow the teachings of the Quran. Like Christianity, there are three main sects with several sub-groups: Sunni, Shia, and Ibadi.

Islam takes second place in 37 states across America. New York has the largest non-Christian community in the U.S., with around 725,000 Muslim residents of 1.7 million non-Christian residents across the state. Probably unsurprisingly, New York City is home to three of the top 10 most religiously diverse counties.

California comes in second, with over 500,000 Muslims, followed by Illinois with roughly 475,000.

States where Islam ranks second include:

Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Connecticut
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
New Jersey
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Wisconsin

Hinduism

Hinduism is the world’s oldest living religion, with origins in India. It has several religious and philosophical traditions that believe in Brahma, the Creator of the world, among several other gods and goddesses.

Hinduism ranks No. 2 in six states in America, mostly clustered around the Midwest and Mountain West.

States where Hinduism ranks second include:

Colorado
Delaware
Kansas
Nebraska
New Mexico
Oregon

Buddhism

Buddhism is a religion and philosophy with Indian roots that focuses on personal spiritual development and finding inner peace and wisdom, called nirvana. Buddhists believe in karma and rebirth and do not center their worship around one creator god.

Buddhism ranks second in five states, with Hawaii having the highest share: 3.2 percent of the state’s population, or roughly 47,000 Hawaiians. The state’s ties to Asian countries such as Japan and South Korea may explain its importance to the state.

States where Buddhism ranks second include:

Alaska
Hawaii
Montana
Nevada
Washington

Judaism

Judaism is one of the oldest monotheistic faiths and centers around the belief in a single God. The Torah records its laws, ethics and traditions.

Judaism comes in second in four states. Jewish Americans account for 2 percent of the country’s population, according to Pew Research.

States where Judaism ranks second include:

New Hampshire
Rhode Island
West Virginia
Washington, D.C.

The Bahá’í Faith

The Bahá’í Faith was founded in 19th-century Persia (Iran today) and believes in the unity of God and all religions, as well as the oneness of humanity. They believe in a single unknowable God and that all religions come from the same divine source.

Bahá’í comes in second for three states, including South Carolina, where the religion is said to have first gained popularity in the U.S. thanks to Louis G. Gregory, the son of freed slaves.

States where Bahá’í ranks second include:

South Carolina
South Dakota
Wyoming

The bottom line

Christianity still remains the most popular religion across America. However, these second-place religions offer a window into America’s migration patterns and history and remind us of the rich diversity across the country.

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The most popular religion in every state, after Christianity