Sources of guidance on right and wrong among adults who seldom or never read scripture by state (2014) Switch to: State among adults who seldom or never read scripture by sources of guidance on right and wrong

% of adults who seldom or never read scripture who say they look to…most for guidance on right and wrong

StateReligionPhilosophy/reasonCommon senseScienceDon't knowSample size
Alabama22%7%67%2%2%109
Alaska9%9%61%16%4%166
Arizona11%12%56%16%4%299
California10%16%55%16%2%1,943
Colorado14%21%50%12%3%271
Connecticut7%14%64%13%1%232
Delaware13%13%64%8%2%150
District of Columbia10%22%47%18%3%158
Florida13%13%60%12%1%912
Georgia16%13%58%12%2%300
Hawaii10%12%64%12%3%165
Idaho8%11%71%10%< 1%130
Illinois13%14%57%14%2%638
Indiana14%10%58%15%3%284
Iowa15%13%61%6%4%161
Kansas12%13%60%12%3%133
Kentucky15%15%59%10%1%162
Louisiana20%13%57%9%1%152
Maine6%14%67%12%2%196
Maryland9%11%60%19%1%303
Massachusetts6%13%60%19%2%476
Michigan11%10%65%11%2%457
Minnesota6%15%64%11%4%276
Missouri16%18%54%9%3%258
Montana8%16%63%11%1%156
Nebraska19%8%63%9%1%152
Nevada8%16%63%10%3%162
New Hampshire6%15%66%11%3%193
New Jersey12%12%63%12%2%498
New Mexico18%11%47%20%4%140
New York9%16%59%13%3%1,103
North Carolina16%12%55%15%2%347
North Dakota13%8%62%12%4%171
Ohio16%10%61%12%1%503
Oklahoma20%14%54%10%2%126
Oregon9%15%62%14%< 1%226
Pennsylvania13%10%59%16%2%672
Rhode Island12%11%61%14%2%189
South Carolina14%18%56%11%1%151
South Dakota19%12%61%8%1%139
Tennessee13%11%67%8%1%162
Texas17%13%54%16%1%900
Utah2%13%76%9%< 1%104
Vermont6%15%60%17%2%215
Virginia15%16%56%11%2%359
Washington7%16%59%17%2%375
West Virginia22%12%60%3%2%111
Wisconsin14%14%57%13%2%324
Wyoming17%14%52%11%6%133
Sample sizes and margins of error vary from subgroup to subgroup, from year to year and from state to state. You can see the sample size for the estimates in this chart on rollover or in the last column of the table. And visit this table to see approximate margins of error for a group of a given size. Readers should always bear in mind the approximate margin of error for the group they are examining when making comparisons with other groups or assessing the significance of trends over time. For full question wording, see the survey questionnaire.

Learn More: Religion, Philosophy/reason, Common sense, Science