HOLY! These Are The 10 Most Religious Counties In ND

North Dakota is Not in the Bible Belt

The Bible Belt is generally considered to be in the southern and southeastern parts of the United States. With that being said, I think it's safe to say religion is a big part of the Peace Garden State. North Dakota's main religious denominations are Catholic and Lutheran, while the Bible Belt has more members of evangelical and Baptist churches.

I know I was raised that Sunday was church day, and sometimes on Wednesdays and even Sunday nights. There was never a debate on whether or not my family was going, unless you were sick. I can hear my mom now, "Grab a shirt for church because we are going".

North Dakota Church Attendance

According to World Population Review, North Dakota ranks among the top 10 most religious states in the United States in terms of church attendance, with around 43% of adults reporting they attend religious services on a regular basis. Again, HOLY.

The Top 10 Most "Holiest" Religious Counties in North Dakota

To determine this, I enlisted the help of ChatGPT based on regular church attendance, religious affiliation rates, and the number of churches per capita. Here's what it spit out, and as it turns out, we're pretty religious right here in the Capital Region.

10. Dickey County - A strong ELCA presence.

9. McKenzie County - Multiple congregations with strong ties to the community.

8. Richland County - Noted for solid religious affiliation data (Catholic/ELCA presence noted in membership reports)

7. Stark County - A strong Catholic and Lutheran presence.

6. Morton County - A good number of congregations relative to population based on membership figures.

5. Ward County - Significant religious adherence and varied congregational makeup.

4. Grand Forks County - Strong ELCA and Catholic presence with many congregations.

3. Cass County - High overall religious affiliation.

2. Burleigh County - High total of congregations with Catholic and ELCA groups, especially large.

1. Divide County - Historically very high ELCA adherence (80.6% of the population affiliated)