Interpreting scripture among baby Boomers by state (2014) Switch to: State among baby Boomers by interpretation of scripture

% of baby Boomers who say the holy scripture is…

StateWord of God; should be taken literallyWord of God; not everything taken literallyWord of God; other/don't knowNot the word of GodOther/don't knowSample size
Alabama60%22%3%10%5%206
Alaska26%22%1%43%8%115
Arizona39%25%2%25%9%240
Arkansas44%28%2%16%10%120
California27%24%3%38%9%1,305
Colorado26%27%5%36%7%171
Connecticut28%25%1%38%8%133
Delaware27%31%3%32%6%116
Florida34%21%4%34%7%757
Georgia44%28%3%19%6%342
Hawaii24%20%1%44%10%141
Idaho24%34%3%30%9%126
Illinois28%31%3%30%9%470
Indiana48%29%5%14%4%250
Iowa25%35%3%29%8%138
Kansas31%41%3%18%7%120
Kentucky52%20%3%21%4%167
Louisiana52%21%3%19%5%165
Maine19%24%1%47%9%131
Maryland30%27%3%35%6%242
Massachusetts11%34%4%42%8%241
Michigan33%29%3%28%7%392
Minnesota25%29%6%31%9%213
Mississippi64%26%4%3%3%106
Missouri34%28%4%24%10%244
Montana24%30%4%32%9%109
Nebraska44%27%5%15%8%105
Nevada19%28%2%45%5%119
New Hampshire20%27%1%42%10%113
New Jersey25%28%1%35%11%327
New Mexico40%19%2%32%8%141
New York28%25%2%38%7%722
North Carolina44%23%4%22%7%409
North Dakota33%36%2%21%8%126
Ohio35%33%3%23%8%457
Oklahoma42%22%4%23%9%152
Oregon24%25%4%38%9%159
Pennsylvania31%30%2%30%7%526
Rhode Island27%23%1%42%7%131
South Carolina53%22%1%18%6%186
South Dakota30%34%1%17%17%109
Tennessee59%18%4%14%5%278
Texas47%21%2%22%7%843
Utah19%41%4%31%4%110
Vermont12%16%5%60%7%114
Virginia45%21%3%26%5%319
Washington21%25%4%44%5%265
West Virginia52%16%8%17%7%127
Wisconsin30%29%3%31%7%230
Wyoming37%34%5%17%7%129
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: Word of God; should be taken literally, Word of God; not everything taken literally, Not the word of God