Gallup: 43 percent of Kansans ‘very religious’

Kansans are more religious than the national average, with 43 percent classified as “very religious,” according to a new Gallup survey.

On average, Americans who are “very religious” have declined, from 41 percent in 2008 to 38 percent in 2016.

The results are based on interviews conducted by Gallup Daily tracking in 2016, classifying Americans based on responses to questions about religion and church attendance.

“Very religious Americans say religion is important to them and report attending services every week or almost every week,” wrote Frank Newport, Gallup editor-in-chief. “Nonreligious Americans are those for whom religion is not important and who seldom or never attend religious services. Moderately religious Americans meet just one of the criteria, saying either religion is important or that they attend services almost every week or more often.”

In Kansas, 29 percent of 1,769 respondents were classified as “moderately religious” while 29 percent were classified as nonreligious.

Mississippi remained the most religious state in the U.S. for the ninth year in a row, with 59 percent of its residents in 2016 classified as “very religious.” Vermont had only 21 percent who were considered “very religious.”

This story was originally published February 10, 2017 at 11:50 AM with the headline "Gallup: 43 percent of Kansans ‘very religious’."