How Religious is NC?

North Carolina is considered a highly religious state, with 65 percent of adults being highly religious according to Pew’s index, and nearly half of the state’s population, approximately 48% or 4.5 million people, identifying as adherents to some religion. The state’s religious landscape is dominated by the Southern Baptist Convention, which has more than 1.5 million members, representing a third of all religious adherents in the state.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Information About North Carolina’s Religion

1. What percent of North Carolina is religious?: Nearly half of the North Carolina’s population (48% or 4.5 million) are adherents to some religion.
2. What is the most common religion in North Carolina?: The Southern Baptist Convention is the largest religious body in North Carolina, accounting for fully half of the state’s number of religious adherents.
3. Is North Carolina a Bible Belt state?: Yes, North Carolina is considered a Bible Belt state, with a strong evangelical influence in the region.

Comparing North Carolina to Other States

4. Which state is the most atheist?: According to the 2008 American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS), Vermont has the highest percentage of residents claiming no religion, at 34%.
5. Is there an atheist state in the US?: While there isn’t an officially atheist state in the US, some states like Oregon have a high percentage of residents who identify as non-religious.

Global Perspective on Religion

6. Is there an atheist state in the world?: North Korea is often considered an atheist state, with the government’s Juche ideology being described as “state-sanctioned atheism”.
7. What percent of the US population is atheist?: Between 6% and 15% of Americans demonstrate non-religious attitudes and naturalistic worldviews, with around 4% identifying as atheists or agnostics.

Impact of Religion on Society

8. Does religion affect lifespan?: Studies have shown that individuals with documented religious affiliations tend to live longer than those without, with an average increase in lifespan of 6.48 to 9.45 years.
9. What is the main religion in the US?: Christianity is the most widely professed religion in the US, with the majority of Americans identifying as Evangelicals, Mainline Protestants, or Catholics.

Demographic Information

10. What is the racial makeup of North Carolina?: The state’s population is approximately 60% White, 20% Black or African American, 11% Hispanic or Latinx, and 3.9% Multiracial.
11. Is North Carolina a white state?: Yes, according to the Census data, North Carolina has a higher percentage of “white” residents than any other race.

Religious Tolerance and Freedom

12. Does North Carolina have religious tolerance?: The North Carolina supreme court has held that the state constitution guarantees freedom of religious profession and worship and establishes a separation of religion and government.
13. What is the fastest growing religion in the US?: Pentecostalism, a Protestant Christian movement, is considered the fastest growing religion in the world, with 35,000 people becoming Pentecostal or “Born again” every day.

Religion and Geography

14. What states are in the Bible Belt?: The Bible Belt typically includes states such as Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, North Carolina, Georgia, and Oklahoma.
15. Where do most atheists live?: Atheists are relatively common in Europe, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, East Asia, and present communist states, with China alone accounting for 200 million atheists and agnostics.