In 2023, **** percent of Americans were unaffiliated with any religion. A further **** percent of Americans were White evangelical Protestants, and an additional **** percent were White mainline Protestants. Religious trends in the United States Although the United States is still home to the largest number of Christians worldwide, the nation has started to reflect a more diverse religious landscape in recent years. Americans now report a wide range of religious beliefs and backgrounds, in addition to an increasing number of people who are choosing to identify with no religion at all. Studies suggest that many Americans have left their previous religion to instead identify as atheist, agnostic, or nothing in particular, with many reasoning that they stopped believing in the religion's teachings, that they didn't approve of negative teachings or treatment of LGBTQ+ people, or that their family was never that religious growing up. Christian controversies Over the last few years, controversies linked to Christian denominations have plagued the nation, including reports of child sexual abuse by the Catholic Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and the Southern Baptist Convention. Christian churches have also been accused of supporting discriminatory actions against LGBTQ+ people and people belonging to other religious groups. In addition, there have been increasing concerns about Christian nationalism, the political ideology that asserts that America was founded to be a Christian nation. Although the majority of Americans still think that declaring the United States a Christian nation would go against the U.S. Constitution, studies found that most Republicans would be in favor of this change.

In 2023, about 33 percent of Americans were Protestants, down from 69 percent in 1948. In that same year, about 22 percent of Americans were Catholic, while 22 percent said that they had no religion at all.

This statistic shows the share of adults in the United States affiliated to a religious denomination in January 2017, by race/ethnicity. As of January 2017, 15 percent of Asian or Pacific Islanders in the United States identified themselves as Hindu.

The 2008 Conversion Recontact Survey, conducted by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, is a follow-up to the 2007 "U.S. Religious Landscape Survey." One of the most striking findings from the Landscape Survey was the large number of people who have left their childhood faith. The Landscape Survey found that more than one in four American adults (28%) have changed their religious affiliation from that in which they were raised. This number includes people who have changed from one major religious tradition to another, for instance, from Protestantism to Catholicism or from Judaism to no religion. If change within religious traditions is included (e.g., from one Protestant denominational family to another), the survey found that roughly 44% of Americans now profess a religious affiliation different from that in which they were raised.

The Conversion Recontact Survey is designed to offer a fuller picture of this churn within American religion, with a special focus on the reasons that people change religious affiliation. The Conversion Recontact Survey is based on follow-up interviews with Landscape Survey respondents, including those from the largest segments of the population that have changed religious affiliation as well as those who still belong to the religious faith in which they were raised. Interviews were conducted by telephone with a nationally representative sample of 2,867 adults living in continental United States telephone households. The survey was conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates International (PSRAI). Interviews were conducted on landline telephones in English and Spanish by Princeton Data Source (PDS), LLC from Oct. 3 to Nov. 7, 2008. Statistical results are weighted to correct known demographic discrepancies. A full report on the survey's findings, "Faith in Flux: Changes in Religious Affiliation in the U.S.," is available on the Pew Forum's "http://www.pewforum.org/2009/04/27/faith-in-flux/" Target="_blank">website.

This study, designed and carried out by the "http://www.asarb.org/" Target="_blank">Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB), compiled data on the number of congregations and adherents for 236 religious groups in each county of the United States. Participants included 217 Christian denominations, associations, or communions (including Latter-day Saints, Messianic Jews, and Unitarian/Universalist groups); counts of Jain, Shinto, Sikh, Tao and National Spiritualist Association congregations, and counts of congregations and adherents from Baha'ís, three Buddhist groupings, four Hindu groupings, four Jewish groupings, Muslims and Zoroastrians. The 236 groups reported a total of 344,894 congregations with 150,686,156 adherents, comprising 48.8 percent of the total U.S. population of 308,745,538 in 2010.

Visit the "/us-religion/sources-for-religious-congregations-membership-data" Target="_blank">frequently asked questions page for more information about the ARDA's religious congregation and membership data sources.

This study, designed and carried out by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB), compiled data on the number of congregations and adherents for 236 religious groups in each county of the United States. Participants included 217 Christian denominations, associations, or communions (including Latter-day Saints, Messianic Jews, and Unitarian/Universalist groups); counts of Jain, Shinto, Sikh, Tao and National Spiritualist Association congregations, and counts of congregations and adherents from Bahá'ís, three Buddhist groupings, four Hindu groupings, four Jewish groupings, Muslims and Zoroastrians. The 236 groups reported a total of 344,894 congregations with 150,686,156 adherents, comprising 48.8 percent of the total U.S. population of 308,745,538 in 2010.

Visit the "/us-religion/sources-for-religious-congregations-membership-data" Target="_blank">frequently asked questions page for more information about the ARDA's religious congregation and membership data.

This study, designed and carried out by the "http://www.asarb.org/" Target="_blank">Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB), compiled data on 372 religious bodies by county in the United States. Of these, the ASARB was able to gather data on congregations and adherents for 217 religious bodies and on congregations only for 155. Participating bodies included 354 Christian denominations, associations, or communions (including Latter-day Saints, Messianic Jews, and Unitarian/Universalist groups); counts of Jain, Shinto, Sikh, Tao, Zoroastrian, American Ethical Union, and National Spiritualist Association congregations, and counts of congregations and adherents from Baha'i, three Buddhist groupings, two Hindu groupings, and four Jewish groupings, and Muslims. The 372 groups reported a total of 356,642 congregations with 161,224,088 adherents, comprising 48.6 percent of the total U.S. population of 331,449,281. Membership totals were estimated for some religious groups.

In January 2024, the ARDA added 21 religious tradition (RELTRAD) variables to this dataset. These variables start at variable #9 (TOTCNG_2020). Categories were assigned based on pages 88-94 in the original "https://www.usreligioncensus.org/index.php/node/1638" Target="_blank">2020 U.S. Religion Census Report.

Visit the "https://www.thearda.com/us-religion/sources-for-religious-congregations-membership-data" Target="_blank">frequently asked questions page for more information about the ARDA's religious congregation and membership data sources.

According to a survey conducted in 2020, ** percent of Indian Americans in the United States said that they identified as Hindu while ** percent said that they identified as Muslim. A further **** percent said that they identified with no religion in particular.

The U.S. Religious Landscape Survey, conducted by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, explores the religious affiliation, beliefs, and practices of Americans. It provides detailed demographic breakdowns, highlighting the diversity of religious identity in the United States and the shifting patterns of faith and spirituality.

This graph shows the ratio of religious adherents to population in the United States in 2010, by state. In 2010, about 79 percent of Utah's population were adherents to a religion.

This study, designed and completed by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB), represents statistics for 149 religious bodies on the number of congregations within each county of the United States. Where available, also included are actual membership (as defined by the religious body) and total adherents figures. Participants included 149 Christian denominations, associations, or communions (including Latter-day Saints and Unitarian/Universalist groups); two specially defined groups of independent Christian churches; Jewish and Islamic totals; and counts of temples for six Eastern religions.

It is important to understand the methodology producing these data and its limitations. While these data contain membership data for many religious groups in the United States, including most of the larger groups, they do not include every group. It is recommended that users read the notes below. Users may also want to refer to a paper by Roger Finke and Christopher P. Scheitle that explains the "adjusted" adherence rates included in the file.

Visit the "/us-religion/sources-for-religious-congregations-membership-data" Target="_blank">frequently asked questions page for more information about the ARDA's religious congregation and membership data.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the population of Faith by race. It includes the population of Faith across racial categories (excluding ethnicity) as identified by the Census Bureau. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of Faith across relevant racial categories.

Key observations

The percent distribution of Faith population by race (across all racial categories recognized by the U.S. Census Bureau): 89.36% are white, 2.39% are Black or African American, 7.34% are Asian and 0.92% are multiracial.

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates.

Racial categories include:

• White
• Black or African American
• American Indian and Alaska Native
• Asian
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
• Some other race
• Two or more races (multiracial)

Variables / Data Columns

• Race: This column displays the racial categories (excluding ethnicity) for the Faith
• Population: The population of the racial category (excluding ethnicity) in the Faith is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the percentage distribution of each race as a proportion of Faith total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Faith Population by Race & Ethnicity. You can refer the same here

"https://www.pewresearch.org/" Target="_blank">Pew Research Center surveyed a total of 8,660 Black adults using a combination of four high-quality, probability-based samples: the "https://www.pewresearch.org/american-trends-panel-datasets/" Target="_blank">Center's American Trends Panel, the Center's ABS survey, "https://amerispeak.norc.org/" Target="_blank">NORC's AmeriSpeak Panel, and "https://www.ipsos.com/en-us/solutions/public-affairs/knowledgepanel" Target="_blank">Ipsos' KnowledgePanel. The study also featured multiple response modes: online, a paper version and live telephone. The combined analytic sample supports reliable analysis even of hard-to-reach segments within the Black American population. An additional 4,574 interviews were conducted with adults who are not Black to facilitate comparison with the full, U.S. adult population.

This file is for all U.S. adult respondents. A separate file is available at the ARDA for Black respondents only. Please "/data-archive?fid=BFBR" Target="_blank">click here for the Black respondents only file.

About this dataset

Context

The dataset tabulates the Faith population distribution across 18 age groups. It lists the population in each age group along with the percentage population relative of the total population for Faith. The dataset can be utilized to understand the population distribution of Faith by age. For example, using this dataset, we can identify the largest age group in Faith.

Key observations

The largest age group in Faith, NC was for the group of age 50 to 54 years years with a population of 174 (15.96%), according to the ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates. At the same time, the smallest age group in Faith, NC was the 85 years and over years with a population of 11 (1.01%). Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Content

When available, the data consists of estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS) 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates

Age groups:

• Under 5 years
• 5 to 9 years
• 10 to 14 years
• 15 to 19 years
• 20 to 24 years
• 25 to 29 years
• 30 to 34 years
• 35 to 39 years
• 40 to 44 years
• 45 to 49 years
• 50 to 54 years
• 55 to 59 years
• 60 to 64 years
• 65 to 69 years
• 70 to 74 years
• 75 to 79 years
• 80 to 84 years
• 85 years and over

Variables / Data Columns

• Age Group: This column displays the age group in consideration
• Population: The population for the specific age group in the Faith is shown in this column.
• % of Total Population: This column displays the population of each age group as a proportion of Faith total population. Please note that the sum of all percentages may not equal one due to rounding of values.

Good to know

Margin of Error

Data in the dataset are based on the estimates and are subject to sampling variability and thus a margin of error. Neilsberg Research recommends using caution when presening these estimates in your research.

Custom data

If you do need custom data for any of your research project, report or presentation, you can contact our research staff at research@neilsberg.com for a feasibility of a custom tabulation on a fee-for-service basis.

Inspiration

Neilsberg Research Team curates, analyze and publishes demographics and economic data from a variety of public and proprietary sources, each of which often includes multiple surveys and programs. The large majority of Neilsberg Research aggregated datasets and insights is made available for free download at https://www.neilsberg.com/research/.

Recommended for further research

This dataset is a part of the main dataset for Faith Population by Age. You can refer the same here

This statistic shows religious diversity in North America in 2010, by share of religious population. In 2010, about 77 percent of population were Christians.

This survey contains a variety of measures on the following: congregational participation; why one chose to attend his or her congregation; congregational switching; conversion experiences; social networks and context; views concerning social problems; social embeddedness in one's congregation; private devotional activity; higher education; religious beliefs; social attitudes; demographic information. Participants are parishioners in Assemblies of God, Episcopal, and United Methodist congregations in three locations: Hartford, CT; Grand Rapids, MI; Waco, TX.

Financial overview and grant giving statistics of American Religious Liberty Institute Foundation

According to a study conducted between ********* and **********, Muslims and Hindus were more likely to be younger compared to other religious groups in the United States, with ** percent of Muslims and ** percent of Hindus aged below 50 years old. In contrast, most Protestants and Catholics in the U.S. were 50 years or older.

Data set that looked at religion, self-rated health, depression, and psychological well-being in a sample of older Blacks and older Whites (aged 65 and over) within the United States. Questions were asked regarding religious status, activities, and beliefs among those who currently practice the Christian faith, those who used to be Christian but are not now, and those who have never been associated with any religion during their lifetimes. Demographic variables include age, race, sex, education, and income. Wave II was collected in 2004 and reinterviewed 1,024 respondents. There were 75 respondents who refused to participate, 112 who could not be located, 70 that were too ill for participation, 11 who had moved to nursing homes and 208 were deceased. * Dates of Study: 2001- 2004 * Study Features: Longitudinal, Minority Oversample * Sample Size: 1,500

The "https://www.pewresearch.org/" Target="_blank">Pew Research Center is a non-partisan organization dedicated to advancing social science research. They research a wide variety of topics through intensive opinion polling and demographic research. In 2014, they conducted a nationally representative telephone survey in the United States called the Religious Landscape Survey. This survey was conducted from June 4 to Sept. 30 in 2014 and featured a sample size of 35,071 U.S. adults. In a continuation of the survey, 5,000 of the respondents from the original poll were contacted again between March 17 and May 6 of 2015 for additional questions.

The survey was conducted on a large scale to develop a more precise understanding of the American religious landscape. The survey was conducted in both Spanish and English with a minimum of 300 interviews per state. The wide net, bilingual nature, and usage of telephones as the main form of communique, allows researchers to estimate that the survey covers 97 percent of non-institutionalized Americans. Though roughly three percent of Americans are not reachable by telephone or do not feature the necessary linguistic skills to participate in the survey, no additional measures were taken to account for this small percentage of the population not represented in the sample.

The large sample size of the research pool allows researchers to take a deeper look into religious groups previously under-studied in smaller surveys. The "https://www.thearda.com/data-archive?fid=RELLAND14" Target="_blank">2014 Religious Landscape study features hundreds of interviews with members of religious groups that make up less than one percent of the American religious sphere. The nature of this survey allows for a nuanced study of religious groups, and their individuals, across the whole of the country.