Sarah Mitchell
Catholicism is one of the largest religions in the United States, with a significant cultural, social, and political impact on the country. While Protestants collectively outnumber Catholics in the US, Catholics are the single largest religious group if Protestantism is divided into separate denominations. With 23% of the population identifying as Catholic as of 2018, the United States has the fourth-largest Catholic population in the world.
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What You'll Learn
Catholicism is the largest religious body in 36 US states
While Protestants collectively outnumber Catholics in the US, researchers of the US Religion Census view various Protestant bodies as their own denominational groups, not collectively. According to this categorization, Catholicism is the largest religious body in 36 US states.
Catholicism has had a significant cultural, social, and political impact on the United States. The religion has historically been associated with left-wing politics and the Democratic Party. Since the 1970s, Catholics have often been regarded as swing voters. The US has the fourth-largest Catholic population in the world, after Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines.
The Catholic Church has been the single-largest religious body in the US for over a century. The average number of adherents per congregation is 3,000 for Catholics, which is unusually high compared to other groups. No other group has as many as 2,000 adherents per congregation, and only five others have as many as 1,000. Large Catholic congregations are especially common in the West, where there are 4,700 Catholics per congregation.
The Catholic population in the United States has grown by about 2 million people in the past 10 years. Much of that growth has been concentrated in the South — today, the South has more Catholics than any other region. Fifty years ago, 71% of US Catholics were in the Northeast and Midwest; in 2020, 45% were. At the county level, Catholics are most prevalent mainly in New Mexico and Texas along the Rio Grande. There is at least one Catholic congregation in 2,961 US counties, a number bested only by the United Methodists.
The racial and ethnic makeup of the Catholic population varies by region. For example, in the Midwest, 78% of Catholics are White and 15% are Hispanic. In the Northeast, 72% of Catholics are White and 20% are Hispanic. In the South, 44% are White and 45% are Hispanic. And in the West, there are more Hispanic Catholics than White Catholics (58% vs. 34%).
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Catholics are the single largest religious group in the US
Catholicism is the single largest religious group in the United States, with 23% of the population identifying as Catholic as of 2018. This equates to about 76.6 million Catholics according to the 2018 National Opinion Research Center General Social Survey, although the Official Catholic Directory gives a figure of 67.6 million. The United States has the fourth-largest Catholic population in the world, after Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines.
Catholicism has had a significant cultural, social, and political impact on the United States. The religion has historically been associated with left-wing politics and the Democratic Party. Two US presidents, John F. Kennedy and Joe Biden, have been Catholic. The Catholic Church has also founded a vast system of schools and universities in the country, with institutions such as the University of Notre Dame and Georgetown University ranked among the top in their states.
The Catholic population in the US is spread relatively evenly across the country, with roughly three-in-ten (29%) living in the South, 26% in the Northeast, 25% in the West, and 20% in the Midwest. The racial and ethnic makeup of Catholics varies by region, with higher concentrations of Hispanic Catholics in the South and West, and more White Catholics in the Midwest and Northeast.
While the number of Catholics in the US has been relatively stable in recent years, there has been a slight decline since 2007 when 24% of US adults identified as Catholic. The share of US Catholics who are Hispanic is rising, with the Catholic population in 2022 comprising 54% White, 36% Hispanic, 4% Asian, and 2% Black Americans.
Despite being the largest single religious group, Catholics have the fourth-most congregations of all religious bodies. This is due to the unusually high average number of adherents per congregation, with an average of 3,000 Catholics per congregation, compared to 2,000 for the next closest group. Large Catholic congregations are especially common in the West, with 4,700 Catholics per congregation in this region.
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Catholic demographics vary across the US
Catholicism is one of the largest religious groups in the United States, with 23% of the population identifying as Catholic in 2018. The United States has the fourth-largest Catholic population in the world, after Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines. However, Catholic demographics vary across the country.
Geographically, Catholics are spread out relatively evenly across the US. Around 29% live in the South, 26% in the Northeast, 25% in the West, and 20% in the Midwest. However, the racial and ethnic makeup of Catholics varies by region. In the Midwest, 78% of Catholics are White and 15% are Hispanic. The Northeast has a similar breakdown, with 72% of Catholics being White and 20% Hispanic. In the South, however, only 44% of Catholics are White, while 45% are Hispanic. The West has the highest proportion of Hispanic Catholics, with 58% compared to 44% White Catholics.
The share of US Catholics who are Hispanic has been increasing. In 2007, 29% of Catholics were Hispanic, which grew to 34% in 2014 and is likely to continue rising. Among Catholic millennials, 46% are Hispanic, while 43% are White. The Catholic population is currently 54% White, 36% Hispanic, 4% Asian, and 2% Black, with 2% identifying with another race.
Education levels vary among US Catholics. More than one-third (35%) have a bachelor's degree, 27% have attended college without obtaining a degree, and 38% have a high school education or less. Asian Catholics and White Catholics tend to have higher levels of educational attainment than Hispanic Catholics.
Attendance at Mass and the importance of religion also vary among US Catholics. Around 21% attend Mass weekly and consider religion very important, while 10% attend Mass infrequently or not at all and consider religion to be less important.
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Catholics are the most likely Christian group to support casual sex
Catholicism is one of the largest religious groups in the United States, second only to Protestantism. In 2018, 23% of the US population identified as Catholic, and in 2020, this figure rose to 25% according to a Gallup poll. The United States has the fourth-largest Catholic population in the world, after Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines.
However, six-in-ten Catholics (62%) believe that casual sex between consenting adults who are not in a committed romantic relationship is sometimes or always acceptable. This view is more prevalent among Catholics than among other Christian groups, such as mainline Protestants (54%), Protestants in the historically Black tradition (56%), and evangelical Protestants (36%).
The Catholic Church in the United States has been facing challenges in recent years due to sex abuse scandals and disagreements over LGBT inclusion. These issues have led to a decline in membership, particularly among young adults who hold more progressive views on sexuality and are less tolerant of sexual abuse. Despite these challenges, Catholicism continues to play a significant cultural, social, and political role in the country.
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Catholics are spread relatively evenly across the US
Catholicism is the largest religious denomination in the United States, with approximately 77.4 million members as of 2017, or roughly 22% of the population. The US has the fourth-largest Catholic population in the world, after Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines. Catholics are spread relatively evenly across the US, with about 29% living in the South, 26% in the Northeast, 25% in the West, and 20% in the Midwest.
The regional distribution of US Catholics shows that the South has the highest percentage of Catholics (32%), followed by the West (25%), the Northeast (24%), and the Midwest (19%). The South has experienced the most significant growth in its Catholic population in recent years, particularly in Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. The Northeast and Midwest have seen a decline in their Catholic populations. Fifty years ago, 71% of US Catholics resided in the Northeast and Midwest, but in 2020, this number dropped to 45%.
At the state level, Rhode Island has the highest percentage of Catholic residents, with 42% identifying as Catholic. New Jersey is the third most Catholic state, with 34% of its population being Catholic. New Mexico and Texas along the Rio Grande also have significant Catholic populations. The racial and ethnic makeup of Catholics vary across regions. In the Midwest, 78% of Catholics are White and 15% are Hispanic, while in the Northeast, 72% are White and 20% are Hispanic. The South has a more diverse Catholic population, with 44% White and 45% Hispanic, and in the West, there are more Hispanic Catholics (58%) than White Catholics (34%).
The number of US Catholics has been relatively stable over the long term, with a slow decline since 1960 from about 25% to 22%. However, the Catholic Church in the US is still growing, with a 3% to 6% increase in its population each decade since 1965. Hispanics are the fastest-growing group within the Catholic Church, currently comprising 36% of US Catholics, up from 34% in 2015 and 31% in 2007. However, Hispanics are also leaving the Catholic Church at a higher rate than other racial groups, with a projected 40% of third-generation Latinos expected to be Catholic by 2050.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Catholics are not the majority in the US. As of 2018, the Catholic Church is the country's second-largest religious grouping after Protestantism, with 23% of the population identifying as Catholic.
Protestantism is the largest religious group in the US. However, if the various Protestant bodies are viewed as separate denominations, Catholics become the largest single religious group.
There are about 61.9 million Catholics in the US as of 2020, according to the US Religion Census. However, other sources cite different figures, ranging from 67.6 million to 76.6 million.
Catholics are most prevalent in New Mexico and Texas along the Rio Grande. The South has the highest number of Catholics of any region, with large congregations in the West.
