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I think it's pretty decent. However, I would take out far northern NY, VT and NH. And I would have it go a little further up the southern Maine coast.
hmmmmm..... on 2nd thought, maybe it should stay that far north due to the french influence in places like the NE kingdom. Regardless, it should go a little further up in Maine, up the coast until at least Portland. I guess if you include northern NH, NY, VT you should also include far far northern Maine (aroostock county) but not central maine or far downeast.
New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island seem to be the most Catholic on that map. Of those New Jersey was the only one with a majority of people listing religion as "very important."
Two plurality Catholic states that came out fairly high on church attendance, of overall population, and importance of religion were Nebraska and Illinois. As "Bible Belt" usually implies active religiosity, rather than just being Protestant, maybe the Plains or Southwest is more of a Catholic "Bible Belt" with parts of New Jersey maybe being close too.
Interesting map! What data did you use to make it (or is it impressionistic, which is fine with me). I'd extend the Western boundary up through the Mississippi River Valley to the Twin Cities. LaCrosse, WI and Winona, MN are heavily Catholic, as is the surrounding countryside. The Twin Cities have a huge Catholic population, too. The Detroit area is heavily Catholic also, don't know about the rest of MI.
I'm curious what the "panhandle" is that runs along the OH/IN border. What's up with that, anyone know? And is the narrow corridor between Gary and Toledo very Catholic?
I'm curious what the "panhandle" is that runs along the OH/IN border. What's up with that, anyone know? And is the narrow corridor between Gary and Toledo very Catholic?
I think Germans must have brought Catholicism to Western Ohio. A friend in Cincy tells me that town, and Newport, KY, are still very Catholic to this day.
The belt narrows across Northern, IN, but that is where Polish Catholics and Notre Dame are located.
Seems like the Catholic Belt is Irish at the eastern end of it (Mass.), Polish at the western end of it (Wisconsin), with rural Germans and urban Italians in the middle of it.
Although I'll admit this was more true 50 years ago, and of course is a great oversimplification.
It's clear YOU never went to a Catholic school! The nuns' weapon of choice was wooden rulers, not spoons!
An instrument of measurement. Or an instrument of harsh punishment?
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The nuns' weapon of choice was wooden rulers, not spoons! 
