Half of Virginians don't go to religious services
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If you skipped Easter Sunday service on Sunday, you weren't alone — half of all adults in Virginia never or seldom attend religious services.
Why it matters: More than three-quarters of Americans say religion's role in public life is shrinking, per a recent Pew Research Center survey — the highest level since the group first started tracking such sentiment in 2001.
By the numbers: Among Virginia adults, 50%, or nearly 3.3 million people, attend religious services never or less than once a year, compared to the national average of 49%, per a new analysis of Household Pulse Survey data from Axios' Alex Fitzpatrick and Alice Feng.
- 12% of Virginia residents attend services 1-3 times a year, 7% attend 4-11 times per year, and 21% attend 12 or more times.
Zoom out: Vermont (75%), New Hampshire (66%) and Maine (66%) have the highest share of adults who say they never or seldom attend services.
- Mississippi (32%), Alabama (36%) and Louisiana (37%) have the lowest shares.
Fun fact: A separate Gallup survey published this week found that Latter-day Saints are the only religious group wherein a majority say they attend services weekly, at 54%.
- 30% of Protestants say they attend services weekly, compared to 28% of Muslims, 23% of Catholics and 16% of Jews.