Study finds Alabama to be ‘Most Religious State in America’

A recent study by the nonprofit organization SmileHub has rated the Yellowhammer State as the most religious state in America.

SmileHub ranked Alabama first for religious interest and places of worship, fifth for its available religious educational opportunities and careers, and 13th for the number of religiously affiliated organizations within a state. The cumulative scores earned Alabama the title of most religious state in the country.

The ranking came as no surprise to many, including Gov. Kay Ivey who attributed it to everyday Alabama values.

Alabama has long been a state where strong faith and community are deeply intertwined, and being named the most religious speaks to the values that lie close to our people. It’s a blessing to live where faith plays a significant role in our daily lives, guiding us in all we do. pic.twitter.com/mAQVWUja4M

— Governor Kay Ivey (@GovernorKayIvey) August 7, 2024

The dimensions were evaluated using 11 metrics; each graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the highest level of religiousness.

The dimensions along with their corresponding metrics can be found below. For metrics marked with an asterisk (*), the square root of the population was used to calculate the population size in order to avoid overcompensating for population differences across states.

Religious Interest and Places of Worship

• Share of Adults Who Consider Religion Very Important in Their Lives: Triple Weight (~15.00 Points)
• Share of Adherents: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Share of People Who Attend Religious Services at Least Once a Week: Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
• Congregations per Capita*: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)
• Places of Worship per Capita*:Double Weight (~10.00 Points)
• Google Search Interest Index for Faith and Religion Terms: Full Weight (~5.00 Points)

Religious Education and Careers-Total Points: 30

• Religious Studies Degrees Awarded per Capita: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
  Note: A program that focuses on the nature of religious belief and specific religious and quasi-religious systems. Includes instruction in phenomenology; the sociology, psychology, philosophy, anthropology, literature and art of religion; mythology; scriptural and textual studies; religious history and politics; and specific studies of particular faith communities and their behavior.
• Religious and Sacred Music Degrees Awarded per Capita: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
  Note: A program that focuses on the history, theory, composition, and performance of music for religious or sacred purposes, and that prepares individuals for religious musical vocations such as choir directors, cantors, organists, and chanters.
• Share of Religion-Related Careers: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)

Religion-Affiliated Organizations-Total Points: 20

• Faith and Religious Support Charities per Capita*: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)
• Religious Establishments per Capita*: Full Weight (~10.00 Points)

Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can follow him on X @ShipleyAusten