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The time does seem to be ripe for revisiting the urban-rural divide, with an eye toward understanding what lies beneath it. The last two presidential elections have revealed an urban-rural cleavage that is hard to ignore. Most observers now recognize that the “red” vs. “blue” Election Night maps really mask an urban-rural divide within states—a gap that has increased in recent years according to a range of definitions. In 2004, the difference in Democratic support between the most and least populous counties in the nation exceeded 25 points (see Figure 1). Survey marginals are comparable, although rural populations are not well represented in most national polls. Tabulations from the 2004 American National Election Studies (ANES) indicate a 20-point gap in presidential preference between inhabitants of counties with more than a million people and those in non-metro counties of less than 25,000.

One of the most significant phenomena in organized religion over the past two decades is the development and growth of the "megachurch." While these dramatically large campuses and congregations represent a relatively new aspect of religious life in the United States, they are already having a profound effect on the way in which Americans worship through their size and often their wealth. Given their size and increasing numbers, where they are located takes on a special significance. We assess their location within the context of a range of demographic and economic factors in those states in which they are most prevalent.One of the most significant religious phenomena over the past two decades is the growth and development of "megachurches." These dramatically out-sized (and often wealthy) 1 congregations represent a new aspect of religious life in the United States and are already having a profound impact on the way in which Americans worship. 2 With the capacity to leverage effectively the organizational resources and technological tools of our time-through educational programs, pastoral associations, and a wealth of materials (including best-sellers such as Rick Warren's (2002) The Purpose-Driven Life 3 )-these churches are in a position to alter the social, economic, and political circumstances of the communities in which they reside Megachurches-and those churches nearing megachurch status-often enjoy considerable independence because they are not affiliated with a denomination or because of the minimal significance of their denominational affiliation (Thumma 1996; Hartford Institute for Religion Research 2003). 4 In addition, these churches are in an especially good position to tailor social service programs to the particular needs of their local communities, and they can take advantage of funding opportunities made available by government agencies more effectively and efficiently than their smaller counterparts.The increasing prevalence and prominence has generated a promising (but still quite limited) body of literature on their doctrinal characteristics, growth patterns, organizational structures, and behavior. 5 In this research note, we contribute to this nascent literature by examining the factors associated with the geographic distribution of megachurches. We focus on the following research questions:1. In what types of economic environments do megachurches locate and thrive? 2. What types of racial/ethnic environments tend to be popular locations for megachurches? 3. Do megachurches tend to be more prevalent in communities with older (younger) populations?Kimberly Karnes is a graduate student at

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