According to a 2022 survey, 31 percent of Americans never attend church or synagogue, compared to 20 percent of Americans who attend every week.

Religiosity in the United States

Despite only about a fifth of Americans attending church or synagogue on a weekly basis, almost 40 percent consider themselves to be very religious. Additionally, states in the Deep South such as Mississippi, Alabama, and Louisiana had the most residents identifying as very religious. In contrast, New England states like Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire had the most people identifying as nonreligious.

A Christian nation?

Despite the official separation of church and state embedded in the Constitution, many would still consider the United States to be a Christian nation. Catholicism has the largest number of adherents in the United States, due to there being many different Protestant denominations. The Southern Baptist Convention had the largest number of Evangelical adherents, while the United Methodist Church was the largest Mainline Protestant denomination.

The share of Americans who were not a member of a church or synagogue has been increasing since 1992. In 2023, about 55 percent of Americans were not members of a church or synagogue. In that same year, 45 percent of Americans were members of a church or synagogue.

The CARPE project has been developed to empirically address the religious change and secularization debate. The present data set contains aggregate survey-based estimates for the proportion of persons attending church, according to various frequency/probability thresholds. Further variables are sample shares of denominations, proportion female, average respondent age, proportions of rough educational attainment groups, and identifiers for country, year, and survey programme. The pooled dataset involves 45 European countries and spans the years 1973 to 2016, with variable density of coverage across the countries. Those countries are Albania, Austria, Armenia, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Belarus, Croatia, Cyprus, Northern Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Malta, Moldova, Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom. Estimates were derived from the individual-level data of the following survey programmes: • Eurobarometer (http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/), • European Social Survey (ESS), (http://www.europeansocialsurvey.org/), • European Values Study (EVS), (http://www.europeanvaluesstudy.eu/), • International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) (http://www.issp.org/), • World Values Survey (WVS) (http://www.worldvaluessurvey.org/) Vollerhebung Compilation/SynthesisCompilationSynthesis Kompilation/SyntheseCompilationSynthesis AggregationAggregation

Introduction

Online Church Statistics: The trend of online churches has transformed the very landscape of community connection by faith-based organizations. As always, in 2024, technology continues to bear a critical weight in the lives of millions all over the planet. Increased participation, heftier donations, and a wider reach have characterized modern online churches.

In 2024, online churches experienced over USD 2.2 billion in donations, highlighting a strong shift toward digital giving. Approximately 53 percent of practicing Christians streamed services online, and about 17 million Americans visited church websites without attending in person. Globally, online church attendance is projected to exceed 35 percent by 2025 .

Within the U.S., 27 percent of adults regularly watched services on screens in 2022, including 10 percent who exclusively watched virtually and 17 percent who did both in-person and online. Meanwhile, satisfaction with virtual worship remains high, with 74 percent reporting satisfaction with online sermons and 68 percent rating the overall experience positively. Despite the virtual surge, 76 percent of those engaged both in person and online still prefer attending services in person .

This has made them an important aspect of contemporary worship. This article looks at the most important online church statistics and trends defining the online church landscape as of 2025.

This study was an effort to gather the statistics of churches and church membership throughout the United States for 1952. The data presented here are state-level data based on the cooperation of 114 religious denominations in the continental United States.

In 2023, the average weekly church attendance at Church of England services was 693,000. Between 2009 and 2019 the average weekly church attendance for the Church of England fell by approximately 218,000. Church attendance figures fell even more during 2020 and 2021, although this was due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This data set contains statistics by county for 111 Judeo-Christian church bodies, providing information on their number of churches and members. The denominations included represent an estimated 91 percent of U.S. membership totals officially submitted to the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches.

This data set contains statistics by state for 133 Judeo-Christian church bodies, providing information on the number of churches and members. It is not known exactly what percent of total Judeo-Christian adherents this actually represents. When compared to the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches: 1990, this study accounts for 23 percent more communicant members.

Please note that this data set may not be sold in any form, including as an addition to proprietary software, without the permission of the copyright holder. Churches and Church Membership in the United States, 1990 is published by the Glenmary Research Center, P.O. Box 507, Mars Hill, NC 28754.

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.

ImportanceReligiosity has been associated with positive health outcomes. Hypothesized pathways for this association include religious practices, such as church attendance, that result in reduced stress.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to examine the relationship between religiosity (church attendance), allostatic load (AL) (a physiologic measure of stress) and all-cause mortality in middle-aged adults.Design, setting and participantsData for this study are from NHANES III (1988–1994). The analytic sample (n = 5449) was restricted to adult participants, who were between 40–65 years of age at the time of interview, had values for at least 9 out of 10 clinical/biologic markers used to derive AL, and had complete information on church attendance.Main outcomes and measuresThe primary outcomes were AL and mortality. AL was derived from values for metabolic, cardiovascular, and nutritional/inflammatory clinical/biologic markers. Mortality was derived from a probabilistic algorithm matching the NHANES III Linked Mortality File to the National Death Index through December 31, 2006, providing up to 18 years follow-up. The primary predictor variable was baseline report of church attendance over the past 12 months. Cox proportional hazard logistic regression models contained key covariates including socioeconomic status, self-rated health, co-morbid medical conditions, social support, healthy eating, physical activity, and alcohol intake.ResultsChurchgoers (at least once a year) comprised 64.0% of the study cohort (n = 3782). Non-churchgoers had significantly higher overall mean AL scores and higher prevalence of high-risk values for 3 of the 10 markers of AL than did churchgoers. In bivariate analyses non-churchgoers, compared to churchgoers, had higher odds of an AL score 2–3 (OR 1.24; 95% CI 1.01, 1.50) or ≥4 (OR 1.38; 95% CI 1.11, 1.71) compared to AL score of 0–1. More frequent churchgoers (more than once a week) had a 55% reduction of all-cause mortality risk compared with non-churchgoers. (HR 0.45, CI 0.24–0.85) in the fully adjusted model that included AL.Conclusions and relevanceWe found a significant association between church attendance and mortality among middle-aged adults after full adjustments. AL, a measure of stress, only partially explained differences in mortality between church and non-church attendees. These findings suggest a potential independent effect of church attendance on mortality.

In 2023, 36 percent of people that were regular attendees of Church of England services were aged 70 or over, with just under half being aged between 18 and 69, and 18 percent being 17 or younger.

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner. The aim of the study was to assess afresh the current number and frequency of people attending church of all denominations in England in 1998. A previous study had been undertaken in 1989 and it was felt important to see how trends had changed. The 1989 study is held at the UK Data Archive under SN:2842, and two similar Scottish studies (1984 and 1994) are held under SNs 2554 and 4395. Main Topics: In particular, the principal investigators wished to know how attendance had developed in terms of frequency, the change in nature of attendance from Sunday to mid-week, and especially the age of those going to church. The survey also sought to ascertain details of personnel operating within each church, and the number of people who attended church activities. Supplementary questions were also requested by sponsors on healing, facilities available in each church, whether the church building was listed, and whether or not the congregation was still likely to be in existence in 2010.

The authors construct a unique panel of income and Protestant church attendance for six waves of up to 175 Prussian counties spanning 1886-1911; to study the interplay between religion and the economy. In particular income levels and religious participation. Their unique database on historical church attendance stems from the practice of the Protestant Church in Germany to count the number of participations in Holy Communion every year, which Hölscher (2001) gathered at the church-district (Kirchenkreis) level from regional archives covering modern Germany. The Sacrament Statistics (Abendmahlsstatistik) stem from a uniform annual survey organized by the Statistical Central Office at the Protestant Higher Church Council in Berlin from 1880 (with precursors) to World War II. Data collection was done by the parish priests on a preprinted form following uniform surveying directives. Regional Consistories combined these parish data into registers at the level of church districts, which usually comprised 10-20 adjacent parishes. Their main indicator of church attendance is the number of participations in Holy Communion divided by the number of Protestants in a district. Our income data refer to the average annual income of male elementary-school teachers, available every five years from 1886 to 1911 for all Prussian counties (Kreise) from Education Censuses (Galloway (2007)). Their dataset covers an unbalanced panel of 175 territorial entities (“counties”) in 1886-1911. This sample of Prussian counties constitutes the intersection between end-of-19 -century Prussia (for which income data are available) and modern Germany (for which church attendance data are available) and is thus not necessarily representative of Prussia or of Germany. To this dataset, we merge cross-sectional data for Prussian counties used in Becker and Woessmann (2009). The data source for church attendance is Hölscher (2001) based on Sacrament Statistics. The Protestant Regional Churches of Germany conducted annual surveys of “Expressions of Churchly Life” between 1880 (with precursors) and World War II. Their main indicator of church attendance is the “sacrament participation” (Hölscher (2001)), measured as the number of participations in Holy Communion divided by the number of Protestants in a church district. Hölscher kindly provided the authors with digital versions of the data as published in the Data Atlas. After assigning IDs to every church district (Kirchenkreis) and cross-checking the data, they combined the data into one panel dataset. The data source for teacher income: Galloway (2007) based on Education Censuses. The data are drawn from the Galloway (2007) Prussia Database and are based on the following volumes of the Preussische Statistik: Volume 101, pp. 2-391 (for 1886); Volume 120, part II, pp. 2-313 (for 1891); Volume 151, part II, pp. 2-315 (for 1896); Volume 176, part III, pp. 2-485 (for 1901); Volume 209, part III, pp. 2- 513 (for 1906); and Volume 231, part II, pp. 2-599 (for 1911). The data were collected by the Prussian Statistical Office and reported at the level of administrative counties (Kreise). Teacher income data are available for all Prussian counties in all the years 1886, 1891, 1896, 1901, 1906, and 1911. There are two changes in how teacher income is reported over time. First, in 1886 and 1891, teacher income covers only direct wage payments, but not extras such as housing allowances and any other allowances. From 1896 onwards, data include all components of income. To make data consistent over time, we pre-multiply direct wage payments in 1886 and 1891 by the county-specific ratio of total income over (only) wage payments observed in 1896. In 1911, income is only reported as total income of male and female elementary- school teachers combined, whereas for all other years both genders are reported separately. In 1911, we impute income of male elementary-school teachers by pre-multiplying total income of elementary-school teachers by the county-specific share of male teachers in total income observed in 1906. The control variables used in Table A3 are taken from the Prussian Population Census in 1871. First used in Becker and Woessmann (2009), who provide variable definitions and detailed documentation (see also iPEHD), they are based on Königliches Statistisches Bureau, Die Gemeinden und Gutsbezirke des Preussischen Staates und ihre Bevölkerung: Nach den Urmaterialien der allgemeinen Volkszählung vom 1. December 1871 (Berlin: Verlag des Königlichen Statistischen Bureaus, 1874). They merge the church attendance and income data by assigning the income data, available at the level of the administrative county, to that church district (for which they have church attendance data) which contains the capital of the administrative county (same for the 1871 control variables available for administrative counties). In cases where several county capitals are located in the same district, they aggregated the county data up to the church district level (taking population- weighted averages of income data). To make regional entities comparable over time in face of territorial changes during our period of observation, they aggregated church-district and county data up to the highest level at which consistency over time is given.

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.

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.

Every year, the number of Italian believers attending religious services becomes lower and lower. In 2023, the number of people attending places of worship at least once per week dropped below ten million individuals for the first time since at least 2001, seven million worshipers less than in 2013. However, figures increased to 10.2 million in 2024 compared to 2023. In 2020, the most prayerful were the citizens aged over 75 years, whereas the lowest number of individuals attending religious services at least once a week was recorded in the age group between 18 and 19 years. Religious affiliation of Italians Although the dominant religion in Italy is Catholicism, Italian citizens also belong to other religious minorities. In 2020, the largest share of individuals not affiliated to the Roman Catholic Church were Muslims, followed by Jehovah’s Witnesses and Protestants. Reasons to leave religion When asked about the reason they left the religion, 64 percent of the Italian respondents stated that they disagreed with their religion’s position on social issues. Another 60 percent of the interviewees were unhappy about scandals involving religious institutions, whereas six percent left the religion because they married someone outside the faith.

This data set contains statistics by county for 133 Judeo-Christian church bodies, providing information on their number of churches and members.

Please note that this data set may not be sold in any form, including as an addition to proprietary software, without the permission of the copyright holder. Churches and Church Membership in the United States, 1990 is published by the Glenmary Research Center, P.O. Box 507, Mars Hill, NC 28754.

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.

Moreno-Medina, Jonathan, (2023) “Sinning in the Rain: Weather Shocks, Church Attendance, and Crime.” Review of Economics and Statistics 105:1, 54–69.

Volunteer rate and distribution of volunteer hours, population aged 15 and over, religious attendance, 2013.

This data set contains statistics by county for 133 Judeo-Christian church bodies, providing information on their number of churches and members.

Please Note: This dataset is part of the historical CISER Data Archive Collection and is also available at the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research at https://doi.org/10.25940/ROPER-31094204. We highly recommend using the Roper Center version as they may make this dataset available in multiple data formats in the future.

Donor rate and distribution of average annual donations, for the population aged 15 and over, by religious attendance, Canada and provinces.