Portland is being overrun by heathens

Lack of religious affiliation is on the rise in the U.S., and Portland, Oregon, is leading the way.

New data published by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) shows 42 percent of residents in Oregon’s largest city have no religious affiliation. Seattle and San Francisco are next at 33 percent.

Portland also has the highest incidence among U.S. cities for listing their religious affiliation as “other,” according to PRRI’s American Values Atlas.

Among states, Oregon is No. 1 overall in lack of religious affiliation.

Religious affiliation in America has been declining aince the late ’60s, according to Gallup’s annual national poll. Last year the portion of respondents saying they had no religious affiliation hit a record high of 16 percent.

Another new set of data, from the University of Chicago’s General Social Survey, shows there are now about as many Catholics as there are Americans who claim no religion.

Protestant denominations remain No. 1.

But according to Religion News Service writer Tobin Grant, given current growth rates, “in a few years the largest ‘religion’ in the U.S. may be no religion at all.”

Rob covers business, economics and the environment for Fusion. He previously worked at Business Insider. He grew up in Chicago.