Albany metro among "least religious"

Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception spires Albany from State Museum mezzanineThe Albany metro is among the "least religious" metros in the nation, according to a recent Gallup poll. Twenty-six percent of people were categorized as "very religious" based on their answers to a phone survey -- the national average was 40 percent.

Gallup tagged people as "very religious" if they said "religion is an important part of their daily life and that they attend religious services every week or almost every week."

The most religious metro in the nation in the poll was Provo-Orem, Utah -- at 77 percent. Burlington, Vermont was least religious, at 17 percent. From Gallup's write up of the poll:

Relatively few metro areas match the national religiousness average, instead reflecting substantial diversity, with a 60-percentage-point range between the most and least religious cities. This generally mirrors the variation in the average religiousness among the states of the union. Mississippi is the most religious state (58% very religious), while Utah is tied with Alabama in second place. Vermont (19% very religious) is the least religious state.

The Record's Danielle Sanzone talked with a few local religious officials about the results of poll -- it sounds like they weren't surprised.

Earlier on AOA: Report: New York the "least free" state

Comments

I wonder about their sample - a lot of people just hang up the phone on pollsters.

Gallup's research sounds accurate. Vermont as a whole is the least religious state on many measures. In polling over the phone, places like Gallup will keep calling the same random selection of people until they respond. Sometimes they have to call 20 times. But they will do so because they have a lot of resources. I think most people, however, respond to organizations like Gallup. It has a lot of cultural cache. I know if CBS or NPR called me, I would talk to them.

Does a direct correlation exist between a region being "least religious" and "most educated?"

Just curious.

Duh.

Any area who's leading cultural publication runs articles about how chicken is better than pork or brisket when it comes to slow and low smoked BBQ obviously is a town of heathens.

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The mission of Grace Fellowship Church is to make more and better disciples by representing Christ well.
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Freedom from religion. Now that's a freedom I value.

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