A new snapshot of religion in America

The American Values Atlas from the Public Religion Research Institute has some fascinating findings.

1. For the first time ever, America is not a majority Protestant nation. Only 47 percent of America identified as Protestant in 2014. ...

2. White Christians are the minority in 19 states.

Only 25% of Californians are white Christians, for example. We're a majority-minority state now anyway. 

3. More than 1-in-5 Americans are religiously unaffiliated.

This is the same number as are Catholic, and are disproportionately young (over 1/3 of young people are unaffilitated.)  Wow, if they would just vote.....

4. In fact, the religiously unaffiliated is the largest religious groups in 13 states, including Oregon (37 percent), New Hampshire (35 percent), Washington State (33 percent), and Vermont (32 percent).

No wonder Portland is so popular.  Though there's a certain woo-woo element that goes with that "unaffiliated" -- not all are atheists, not by a long shot.

5. The Northeast is still Catholic country. Over one-third (34 percent) of Northeast residents identify as Catholic—and 77 percent of the Catholics are white. ....

6. Consistent with national trends, Evangelical Protestants are becoming less white. Today, roughly two-thirds (66 percent) of Protestants who identify as evangelical or born again are non-Hispanic whites. ....

7. Hispanic Catholics make up an increasing proportion of Catholics...

This is keeping the numbers up in Roman Catholicism.  There's a real drop-off in the participation by cradle Catholics as they become adults;  fewer weddings and baptisms, and more likely to marry outside the faith.

8. White evangelical Protestants are facing a generational divide on same-sex marriage, but not abortion. ....

9. Buddhists are the most likely to be single and Mormons are most likely to be married.

Do you know any practicing Buddhists?  The ones I know have all made vows of some sort.

10. Unitarians and white evangelical Protestants are aging, while Hindus and Muslims tend to be younger. Unitarians have an average age of 55, 7 years older than the national average (48 years). White evangelical Protestants and white Catholics also tend to be older than average, with 54 years old as adherents’ average age. Hindus and Muslims, on the other hand, have an average age of 36.

Great maps of the data at the Washington Post.