Religious Liberty
Religious Liberty by State: All 50 States Ranked
The First Amendment protects the free exercise of religion, but states differ widely in how far they extend it — through Religious Freedom Restoration Acts, religious exemptions, and conscience protections. This ranking scores all 50 states on religious liberty so you can see where religious practice is most protected. Note: like free speech, this is scored editorially rather than from a single annual index — see the methodology.
Score reflects RFRA laws, religious exemptions, and free-exercise protections. Editorial assessment — see methodology. Darker green = stronger; click any state for its full breakdown.
Strongest protections
All 50 states ranked
- 1UTUtah8.5A
- 2IDIdaho8.5A
- 3TXTexas8.5A
- 4MSMississippi8.5A
- 5INIndiana8.0A-
- 6TNTennessee8.0A-
- 7OKOklahoma8.0A-
- 8ALAlabama8.0A-
- 9ARArkansas8.0A-
- 10KYKentucky8.0A-
- 11NDNorth Dakota7.5B+
- 12AZArizona7.5B+
- 13SDSouth Dakota7.5B+
- 14MOMissouri7.5B+
- 15FLFlorida7.5B+
- 16WYWyoming7.5B+
- 17KSKansas7.5B+
- 18WVWest Virginia7.5B+
- 19SCSouth Carolina7.5B+
- 20IAIowa7.5B+
- 21LALouisiana7.5B+
- 22MTMontana7.0B
- 23NCNorth Carolina7.0B
- 24GAGeorgia7.0B
- 25OHOhio7.0B
- 26NENebraska7.0B
- 27NHNew Hampshire6.5B-
- 28AKAlaska6.5B-
- 29VAVirginia6.5B-
- 30WIWisconsin6.5B-
- 31PAPennsylvania6.5B-
- 32MIMichigan6.0C+
- 33MNMinnesota5.5C
- 34MEMaine5.5C
- 35NVNevada5.5C
- 36NMNew Mexico5.5C
- 37COColorado5.5C
- 38DEDelaware5.5C
- 39VTVermont5.0C-
- 40MDMaryland5.0C-
- 41RIRhode Island5.0C-
- 42CTConnecticut5.0C-
- 43WAWashington5.0C-
- 44ILIllinois5.0C-
- 45OROregon5.0C-
- 46NJNew Jersey5.0C-
- 47MAMassachusetts4.5D+
- 48NYNew York4.5D+
- 49HIHawaii4.5D+
- 50CACalifornia4.0D
Further reading
RFRA States: Which States Have a Religious Freedom Restoration Act (2026)
A state RFRA forces the government to clear a high bar before it can burden your religious practice. About 30 states have one — here’s what it does, which states, and the debate.
Religious Vaccine Exemptions by State (2026)
Most states let families opt out of school vaccines for religious reasons — but a handful allow only medical exemptions. Here’s where religious exemptions are and aren’t available.
Religious Exemption Laws by State: A 2026 Guide
From RFRAs to vaccines to the workplace, “religious exemption” covers several very different laws. Here’s how the main types work and where religious exemptions are strongest.
Common questions
Which states have the strongest religious liberty protections?
Utah ranks #1 for religious liberty in our index, scoring 8.5/10 — typically a state with a Religious Freedom Restoration Act and broad religious exemptions. The full ranking is above.
What is a RFRA?
A Religious Freedom Restoration Act requires courts to apply strict scrutiny when a government action substantially burdens religious exercise — government must use the least restrictive means to serve a compelling interest. About 30 states have one; see our RFRA explainer.
Which states have the weakest religious liberty protections?
California ranks lowest in our religious-liberty assessment, reflecting fewer statutory protections like the absence of a RFRA or narrower religious exemptions.
How is the religious-liberty score determined?
It is an editorial assessment — there is no single annual index — drawing on RFRA laws, religious exemptions (including vaccines), and free-exercise protections. See the methodology page.