States and Religion

A new Gallup Poll, based on more than 350,000 interviews, finds that [Mississippi} is the one where the most people -- 85 percent -- say yes when asked, "Is religion an important part of your daily life?" Less than half of Vermonters, meanwhile -- 42 percent -- answered that same question in the affirmative.

Joining Mississippi in the top "most religious" states are other notches in the Bible Belt: Alabama (82 percent), South Carolina (80 percent), Tennessee (79 percent), Louisiana (78 percent) and Arkansas (78 percent).

New England predominates in the top "least religious" states: Following Vermont are New Hampshire (46 percent), Maine (48 percent), Massachusetts (48 percent), Alaska (51 percent) and Washington (52 percent).

North Carolina is at 76, Pennsylvania is at 65, New York is at 56, and Colorado is at 57.