Map: Religion starkly divides America

This map of the U.S. shows the majority religious denomination in each county. The ties between geography and religion are rather stunning, particularly in the Old South.

(If you want a larger, clearer version, click here.)

I realize this snapshot of the nation relies strictly on the majority in each county, with no ambiguities or proportions, but the sharp divides are startling.

The line that separates Baptist north Texas from Catholic south Texas is stark, no doubt an indication of where many Hispanic immigrants – legal or otherwise – settled. And the way that the Baptist counties stop right at state boundaries (Oklahoma, Missouri and Kentucky) is rather bizarre – or is it the unending throwback to the divisions between North and South that extend to the old "border" states?

I was also quite surprised at how common Catholicism is in the west, including nearly all of California.

One more thing: Anyone know what religion would be dominant in the three Michigan counties that are labeled “Other?”

The map was created by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious bodies and it was posted online at patheos.com.