Texas ranks third most religious state

FORT WORTH -The Fort Worth Report says that despite declining religious-affiliation numbers across the U.S., a new study reveals how Texas has remained one of the country’s most faithful states. Texas ranks as the third most religious state in the U.S., according to a recent study by the nonprofit tech company SmileHub. The findings, released in early August, used U.S. Census data and research from religious nonprofits to rank states based on the number of people who adhere to a particular faith, religious studies degrees awarded per capita and faith support charities per capita. A majority of Texans are Catholic or Southern Baptist, with over 9 million combined adherents, according to a 2020 membership report from the Association of Religion Data Archives. The two denominations also share the largest number of worshippers in Tarrant County. Leaders of the Catholic and Baptist faiths said the study’s statewide findings mirror Tarrant County.

Texas ranked second in the study’s first category, which looked at the share of adults who consider religion important in their lives, people who attend service at least once a week and places of worship per capita. Southern Baptists are the largest evangelical Protestant group in the United States, according to Pew Research Center. Tarrant County is home to 325 Baptist churches affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention and the Baptist General Convention of Texas, according to a spokesperson with the Tarrant Baptist Association. Jason Whitehead, director of evangelization and catechesis for the Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth, said he believes the poll reflects Tarrant County because of how large a reach the diocese has. The Catholic Diocese of Fort Worth comprises 92 parishes and 17 schools across several counties in North Texas. Fort Worth is home to St. Patrick Cathedral, which was dedicated in 1892 and is known as the “mother church” of the diocese. There is also a devotion to attending mass within the Catholic faith, which can contribute to regular attendance numbers, Whitehead said.