Idaho and Washington: A Tale of Two Religious States

Idaho and Washington, two neighboring states, present a striking contrast in religious beliefs. Idaho ranks higher in religiosity, while Washington ranks lower. This disparity can be attributed to various factors, including political beliefs, migration patterns, and historical religious influences.

The Pew Research Center's Findings

The Pew Research Center's study on religiosity in the U.S. reveals that Idaho is more religious than Washington. The study measured religiosity based on factors such as:

• Prayer frequency
• Belief in God
• Importance of religion in daily life
• Religious attendance

Idaho scored higher in all these areas, indicating a stronger religious presence in the state.

Political Beliefs and Religiosity

One possible reason for this difference is the political beliefs of the residents. The study found that:

• Highly religious individuals tend to lean Republican.
• Less religious individuals tend to lean Democrat.

This correlation between religion and politics could explain why Idaho, a more conservative state, is more religious than Washington, a more liberal state.

Migration Patterns and Religious Identity

Another factor contributing to the difference in religiosity is migration patterns. People tend to move to states where their political beliefs align with the state's political leaning. Since religion and politics are increasingly correlated, this could lead to a higher concentration of religious people in conservative states like Idaho.

Historical Religious Influences

Historical religious influences also play a role in the religiosity of a state:

• Idaho has a significant population of Latter-day Saints, who have been instrumental in shaping the state's religious identity.
• Washington has a higher percentage of people who identify as religiously unaffiliated, often referred to as "nones."

Declining Importance of Religion

The study also found that the importance of religion in people's lives is declining:

• In Idaho, the percentage of people who say religion is very important in their lives has dropped from 58% in 2007 to 45% in 2023-24.
• In Washington, the percentage has dropped from 48% in 2007 to 30% in 2023-24.

This decline in religiosity could be due to various factors, including the increasing association of religion with politics.

Perception of Religion's Influence

Despite the decline in religiosity, the perception of religion's influence in American life is on the rise:

• According to the study, 68% of people still feel that religion is losing influence.
• However, the perception of its influence has significantly increased in 2025.

This could be due to the loud voices of the most religious people in politics.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the difference in religiosity between Idaho and Washington can be attributed to various factors, including:

• Political beliefs
• Migration patterns
• Historical religious influences
• The declining importance of religion in people's lives

However, interpreting the data is all speculation, as there are many different layers to this complex issue.