The strongest predictor of your current religion is the religion in which you were raised. Simply put, most people don’t change religions over the course of their lives. Many people do not have a deep desire to explore another way to live. A recent survey found that about 30% of people still live in their hometown. Even among those who moved, the median distance from their place of birth was only thirty miles.
This desire to stay put makes sense. People find comfort in the environment of their upbringing. They grow accustomed to the routines, the rituals, and the culture of their childhood homes. Religion can be a big part of this pull. Most holidays have religious undertones, and major milestones like baptisms, bar/bat mitzvahs, and marriages are often deeply intertwined with the religious faith of the family. Finding a new house of worship in a new city is hard.
