Evangelicals are America’s most powerful religious affiliation. As a group, white evangelicals form one-fifth of all registered voters in the United States and make up one-third of all voters who identify or lean Republican.
With such a prominent group influencing U.S. politics and democracy, 24/7 Wall St. found the share of each state’s population who identify as evangelical with data from public policy think tank Pew Research Center.
While there are many different evangelical sects, they are unified by certain core beliefs. Central to evangelism is the belief that only conversion, or a personal “born again” experience, leads to salvation. The emphasis is also on spreading the word of God (or evangelizing) through one-on-one sessions or organized missions.
Compared with other high income nations, the U.S. stands out as exceptionally religious. Of the 70.6% of Americans who consider themselves Christian, evangelism has consistently been the most popular denomination. In fact, at least one quarter of the population in nearly 30 states is affiliated with the evangelical faith.
The global pattern of low religious affiliation in high income nations can also be observed among states. The median household income exceeds the national median in only four of the 25 states with the higher shares of people identifying as evangelicals. The opposite is true among the states with relatively low shares of evangelicals.
As a whole, evangelism has shrunk in the United States. While still accounting for 25% of all U.S. religious affiliation, the share of evangelicals has decreased a whole percentage point in just seven years. Notably, the largest decline occurred in the evangelical stronghold region of the South, where self-identified evangelicals dropped from 37% to 34% of the population between 2007 and 2014.
Meanwhile, the religious affiliation that has flourished the most during this period is no religion at all. The “no association” group, which comprised 16% of the population in 2007, today comprises 23% of the population — the second largest belief system in the United States.
Click here to see the most evangelical states in America.
To identify the most and least evangelical states, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed a 2014 survey of all 50 states and their religious makeup by the Pew Research Center. Growth trends were determined by comparing the percentage of adherents to the religion in a previous survey conducted in 2007. The sample size was over 35,000 Americans.
Source: Thinkstock
50. Utah
> Pct. evangelical: 7%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: 0%
> Most common religion: Mormon
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +6%
> Median household income: $65,977
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Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/masstravel/
49. Massachusetts
> Pct. evangelical: 9%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -2%
> Most common religion: Catholic
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +15%
> Median household income: $75,297
Source: Thinkstock
48. New York
> Pct. evangelical: 10%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -1%
> Most common religion: Catholic
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +10%
> Median household income: $62,909
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mar_ibert/
47. Vermont
> Pct. evangelical: 11%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: N/A
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: N/A
> Median household income: $57,677
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Source: Ken Lund / Flickr
46. New Hampshire
> Pct. evangelical: 13%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -1%
> Most common religion: Catholic
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +9%
> Median household income: $73,433
Source: Thinkstock
45. New Jersey
> Pct. evangelical: 13%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +1%
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +6%
> Median household income: $70,936
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Source: Thinkstock
44. Connecticut
> Pct. evangelical: 13%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +4%
> Most common religion: Catholic
> Fastest growing religion: Evangelical & mainline Protestant, +4%
> Median household income: $76,126
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Source: Thinkstock
43. Rhode Island
> Pct. evangelical: 14%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: N/A
> Most common religion: Catholic
> Fastest growing religion: N/A
> Median household income: $53,079
Source: Thinkstock
42. Maine
> Pct. evangelical: 14%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -1%
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +6%
> Median household income: $60,596
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Source: Thinkstock
41. Delaware
> Pct. evangelical: 15%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: N/A
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: N/A
> Median household income: $61,757
Source: Thinkstock
40. Maryland
> Pct. evangelical: 18%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +3%
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +6%
> Median household income: $78,945
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Source: Thinkstock
39. Minnesota
> Pct. evangelical: 19%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -2%
> Most common religion: Catholic
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +7%
> Median household income: $65,599
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Source: Thinkstock
38. Pennsylvania
> Pct. evangelical: 19%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +1%
> Most common religion: Mainline Protestant
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +8%
> Median household income: $56,907
Source: Thinkstock
37. Illinois
> Pct. evangelical: 20%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +1%
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +7%
> Median household income: $67,739
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Source: Thinkstock
36. California
> Pct. evangelical: 20%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +2%
> Most common religion: Catholic
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +6%
> Median household income: $60,960
Source: Thinkstock
35. Nevada
> Pct. evangelical: 20%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +7%
> Most common religion: Catholic
> Fastest growing religion: Evangelical & unaffiliated, +7%
> Median household income: $55,180
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Source: Thinkstock
34. Idaho
> Pct. evangelical: 21%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -1%
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +9%
> Median household income: $51,807
Source: Thinkstock
33. North Dakota
> Pct. evangelical: 22%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: N/A
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: N/A
> Median household income: $76,440
Source: Thinkstock
32. Alaska
> Pct. evangelical: 22%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -4%
> Most common religion: Mainline Protestant
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +4%
> Median household income: $60,656
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Source: Thinkstock
31. Wisconsin
> Pct. evangelical: 22%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -2%
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +9%
> Median household income: $56,811
Source: Thinkstock
30. New Mexico
> Pct. evangelical: 23%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -2%
> Most common religion: Catholic
> Fastest growing religion: Catholic, +8%
> Median household income: $46,748
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Source: Thinkstock
29. Florida
> Pct. evangelical: 24%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -1%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +8%
> Median household income: $50,860
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Source: Thinkstock
28. South Dakota
> Pct. evangelical: 25%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: N/A
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: N/A
> Median household income: $74,511
Source: Thinkstock
27. Hawaii
> Pct. evangelical: 25%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -1%
> Most common religion: Mainline Protestant
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +9%
> Median household income: $52,492
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Source: Thinkstock
26. Michigan
> Pct. evangelical: 25%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -1%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +7%
> Median household income: $56,927
Source: Thinkstock
25. Washington
> Pct. evangelical: 25%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: 0%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +9%
> Median household income: $54,467
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Source: Thinkstock
24. Nebraska
> Pct. evangelical: 25%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +4%
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: Evangelical & unaffiliated, +4%
> Median household income: $67,106
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Source: Thinkstock
23. Arizona
> Pct. evangelical: 26%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +3%
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +5%
> Median household income: $53,558
Source: Thinkstock
22. Colorado
> Pct. evangelical: 26%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +3%
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +4%
> Median household income: $65,685
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Source: Thinkstock
21. Wyoming
> Pct. evangelical: 27%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: N/A
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: N/A
> Median household income: $45,146
Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/prayitnophotography/
20. Louisiana
> Pct. evangelical: 27%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -4%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +5%
> Median household income: $59,882
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Source: Thinkstock
19. Iowa
> Pct. evangelical: 28%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +4%
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +6%
> Median household income: $56,247
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Source: Thinkstock
18. Montana
> Pct. evangelical: 28%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +5%
> Most common religion: Mainline Protestant
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +8%
> Median household income: $50,027
Source: Thinkstock
17. Oregon
> Pct. evangelical: 29%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -1%
> Most common religion: Unaffiliated
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +4%
> Median household income: $52,334
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Source: Thinkstock
16. Ohio
> Pct. evangelical: 29%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +3%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +5%
> Median household income: $57,532
Source: Thinkstock
15. Virginia
> Pct. evangelical: 30%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -1%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Mainline Protestant & unaffiliated, +2%
> Median household income: $68,114
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Source: Thinkstock
14. Indiana
> Pct. evangelical: 31%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -3%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +10%
> Median household income: $52,314
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Source: Thinkstock
13. Texas
> Pct. evangelical: 31%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -3%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +6%
> Median household income: $54,935
Source: Thinkstock
12. Kansas
> Pct. evangelical: 31%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +2%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +6%
> Median household income: $56,565
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Source: Thinkstock
11. South Carolina
> Pct. evangelical: 35%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -10%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +9%
> Median household income: $50,584
Source: Thinkstock
10. North Carolina
> Pct. evangelical: 35%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -6%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +8%
> Median household income: $49,501
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Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/teamperks/
9. Missouri
> Pct. evangelical: 36%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -1%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +4%
> Median household income: $51,746
Source: Schnitzel_bank / Flickr
8. Georgia
> Pct. evangelical: 38%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +0%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +5%
> Median household income: $53,559
Source: Thinkstock
7. West Virginia
> Pct. evangelical: 39%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +3%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Evangelical, +3%
> Median household income: $43,385
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Source: Thinkstock
6. Mississippi
> Pct. evangelical: 41%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -6%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +8%
> Median household income: $41,754
Source: Thinkstock
5. Arkansas
> Pct. evangelical: 46%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -7%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +5%
> Median household income: $44,334
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Source: Thinkstock
4. Oklahoma
> Pct. evangelical: 47%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: -6%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +6%
> Median household income: $49,176
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Source: Thinkstock
3. Alabama
> Pct. evangelical: 49%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: 0%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +4%
> Median household income: $46,257
Source: Thinkstock
2. Kentucky
> Pct. evangelical: 49%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +0%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +10%
> Median household income: $46,659
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Source: Thinkstock
1. Tennessee
> Pct. evangelical: 52%
> 2007-2014 change, evangelical: +1%
> Most common religion: Evangelical
> Fastest growing religion: Unaffiliated, +2%
> Median household income: $48,547
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