Religion

Somerset headlines from the 2011 Census

• In line with the national trend, the proportion of Somerset people saying they were Christian dropped sharply since 2001, from 76.7% to 64.0%. This is still one of the highest figures in the South West region.
• Christian prevalence is relatively high in rural or suburban areas such as Exmoor, Bridgwater Wyndham ward and the south eastern corner of Somerset.
• The proportion claiming no religious affiliation rose from 14.9% to 26.6%. Figures were particularly high in parts of Frome, Taunton and Bridgwater.
• Although overall numbers were relatively small, there were substantial increases in the number of Buddhist, Muslim and Hindu people in Somerset in the last decade.
• Somerset has a high proportion of the population affiliated to one of the other religions, relative to the national average. This is true of all five districts in the county.
• Based on ‘write-in’ responses, there are 1,147 followers of Paganism, more than the combined total of those of Hindu, Sikh and Jewish faith.
• Mendip had the fourth highest proportion of the population affiliated to one of the other religions of any LA in England and Wales. It was number one for Paganism (0.4% of the population) as well as Mixed Religion, Shamanism and the Druid religion.
• The four wards in Somerset with the highest proportions of people following non-Christian religions were all in Glastonbury. In St. Edmunds ward, the figure was 8.3% (four times the county average), most of whom were Mixed Religion or Pagan.
• Yeovil Central was the ward with the highest number of both Muslim and Hindu followers in Somerset.
• Street South was ranked in the top five wards in Somerset for the numbers of each of the four major non-Christian religions: Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist and Jewish.

• Religion in Somerset: Briefing Note
  Overview of the religion of Somerset residents, based on the results of the 2011 Census