Hinduism - Religious Tradition
Hinduism is the name given for the majority religion of India. There is no central authority in Hinduism, although most Hindu groups and traditions believe in reincarnation and venerate gods and goddesses who are viewed as manifestations of God. Sanskrit texts known as Vedas are sacred scriptures in Hinduism and were composed between 1200 and 900 BCE. Major traditions within Hinduism include Vaishnavism, which is devoted to worship of the god Vishnu, and Shaivism, organized around worship of the god Shiva. Following the passage of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act, which allowed for more immigration from India, the Hindu population has grown rapidly in the U.S.
Maps: Hinduism1
Adherence Rate per 1,000 (2020)
Congregations (2020)
Top 5 Hinduism States (2020)1 [View all States]
| Rank | State | Adherents | Adherence Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | 123,300 | 13.30 |
| 2 | Delaware | 12,908 | 13.00 |
| 3 | New York | 141,794 | 7.00 |
| 4 | New Mexico | 14,351 | 6.80 |
| 5 | Maryland | 38,267 | 6.20 |
Top 5 Hinduism Counties (2020)1 [View all counties]
| Rank | County | Adherents | Adherence Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Fe County, New Mexico | 11,191 | 72.30 |
| 2 | Clayton County, Georgia | 21,000 | 70.60 |
| 3 | Salem city, Virginia | 1,731 | 68.30 |
| 4 | Madison County, Virginia | 900 | 65.00 |
| 5 | Napa County, California | 8,000 | 58.00 |
Top 5 Hinduism Metro Areas (2020)1 [View all Metro Areas]
| Rank | Metro Area | Adherents | Adherence Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Fe, NM Metro Area | 11,191 | 72.30 |
| 2 | Napa, CA Metro Area | 8,000 | 58.00 |
| 3 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ Metro Area | 12,026 | 43.80 |
| 4 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA Metro Area | 32,433 | 38.40 |
| 5 | Sebastian-Vero Beach, FL Metro Area | 5,055 | 31.60 |
Hinduism Groups: Adherence Rates (1980 - 2020)1
| Group | Family | Adh. Rate 2020 | Adh. Rate 2010 | Adh. Rate 2000 | Adh. Rate 1990 | Adh. Rate 1980 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hindu Yoga and Meditation | None/Unknown | 1.32 | ||||
| Hindu, Traditional Temples | Hinduism | 2.51 | ||||
| Hinduism: Hindu Post Renaissance | Hinduism | 0.12 | ||||
| Hinduism: Hindu Renaissance | Hinduism | 0.08 | ||||
| Hinduism: Indian-American Hindu Temple Associations | Hinduism | 0.99 | ||||
| Hinduism: Traditional Hindu Temples | Hinduism | 0.89 | ||||
| Hindus | Hinduism | |||||
Sources
1 The 2020 data were collected by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB) and include data for 372 religious bodies or groups. Of these, the ASARB was able to gather data on congregations and adherents for 217 and on congregations only for 155. [More information on the data sources]
