Sarah Mitchell
Catholicism is the largest religious body in 36 US states, with 61.9 million Catholics in the US as of 2020, about 18.7% to 22% of the population. While the percentage of Americans who are Catholic has decreased since 1960, the absolute number of Catholics has increased from 45 million to 72 million. The growth in the Catholic population is concentrated in the South, with Texas, Louisiana, and Florida seeing significant increases.
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What You'll Learn
Catholicism is the largest religious body in 36 US states
Historically, the Northeast and Midwest have been Catholic strongholds, but the number of congregants in these regions has declined in recent years. Despite this, Catholics are still more concentrated in the Northeast and urban Midwest. The percentage of Catholics in the Northeast is 24%, in the Midwest is 19%, in the South is 32%, and in the West is 25%.
The growth in the Southern Catholic population can be attributed in part to the increasing number of Hispanics in the United States, as Catholicism is growing most among this demographic. In 2007, 29% of all Catholics in the US were Hispanic, and this percentage grew to 36% by the end of 2024. Additionally, the Southern states of Texas, Louisiana, and Florida have seen an influx of Catholics, with Florida's Catholic population increasing by 5.6 percentage points from 2010 to 2020.
Catholics in the United States are generally more educated and wealthier than those in other religious groups. More Catholics hold college degrees than members of any other faith community, and more Catholics reside in households with annual incomes of $100,000 or more. However, conversion away from Catholicism is occurring at a faster rate among Hispanics, Black, and Asian-American Catholics than among Euro-American whites. By 2050, it is predicted that only 40% of "third-generation Latinos" will be Catholic.
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Catholic population growth is concentrated in the South
Catholicism is the largest religious body in 36 US states, with 61.9 million Catholics in the US as of 2020, about 18.7% of the population. While the percentage of Americans who are Catholic has decreased since 1960, from 25% to 22%, the absolute numbers have increased from 45 million to 72 million.
The growth in the Catholic population in the US is concentrated in the South, which has more Catholics than any other region. In 2020, 32% of US Catholics lived in the South, up from 19% fifty years earlier. This growth is driven by states such as Texas, Louisiana, Florida, New Mexico, and Arizona. In Florida, the Catholic population rose by 5.6 percentage points from 2010 to 2020, and in Arizona, the share of Catholics increased from 14.6% in 2010 to 21.3% in 2020.
The Northeast and Midwest, historically Catholic strongholds, have seen a decline in the number and share of congregants in recent years. In contrast, the South and West have experienced growth in Catholicism, with the West home to 25% of US Catholics as of 2022. This shift in geographic realignment reflects the changing dynamics of American Catholicism.
While the global Catholic population has grown, with rapid expansion in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, the story in the US and Western Europe is more nuanced. In wealthier countries, secularization is increasing, and formal religious affiliation and practice are declining. The percentage of Catholics as a share of the regional population in the US has decreased, with a more significant drop in the Northeast and Midwest compared to the South and West.
Hispanic Americans have contributed significantly to the growth of Catholicism in the US, with 36% of US Catholics identifying as Hispanic by the end of 2024. However, it is important to note that conversion away from Catholicism and religious dropout are occurring more rapidly among Hispanics than among Euro-American whites, Blacks, and Asian-American Catholics.
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The Northeast has the highest percentage of Catholics regionally
Historically, the Northeast and Midwest have been Catholic strongholds, but the South and West are now experiencing the fastest growth in Catholicism. The Northeast and Midwest once accounted for 71% of U.S. Catholics, but this number had dropped to 45% by 2020. Despite this shift, the Northeast still maintains the highest proportion of Catholics compared to other regions.
Several factors contribute to the Northeast's high percentage of Catholics. One reason is the region's historical connection to Catholicism. The Northeast has a significant number of long-established Catholic communities, some with deep roots in the region. Additionally, the Northeast is known for its large urban centres, and urban areas tend to attract diverse populations, including Catholics seeking better economic and social opportunities.
The Northeast region's specific states also play a role in its high Catholic percentage. For example, New England, a subregion within the Northeast, is often associated with Catholicism in the cultural imagination. While it is not entirely Catholic, as some sources clarify, it does have a substantial Catholic population. Additionally, states like New York, with its large immigrant populations, and Massachusetts, with its historically strong Irish and Italian Catholic communities, contribute to the high concentration of Catholics in the Northeast.
The Northeast's high percentage of Catholics has had cultural, social, and political implications for the region and the country. Catholicism has influenced the values, traditions, and worldviews of many people in the Northeast, shaping their perspectives on various social and political issues. This influence has, in turn, impacted the country as a whole, as the Northeast has played a significant role in American history and culture.
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Catholicism is growing among Hispanics in the US
Catholicism is the largest religious group in the United States, with 61.9 million Catholics in the country as of 2020, making up 18.7% of the population. The percentage of Americans who are Catholic has decreased from 25% in 1960 to 22% as of 2021, with 21% of US adults describing themselves as Catholic. However, in absolute numbers, Catholics have increased from 45 million to 72 million.
Catholicism is growing in more than half of the United States, particularly in the South and West, even as it declines in the Northeast and Midwest, historically Catholic strongholds. States along the southern border, such as Florida and Arizona, have seen some of the largest increases in their Catholic populations. Florida's Catholic population rose from 14.6% in 2010 to 21.3% in 2020, while Arizona's Catholic population rose by 5.6 percentage points during the same period.
Despite the overall decline in the percentage of Americans who are Catholic, Catholicism is growing among Hispanics in the United States. As of 2022, 43% of Hispanic adults identify as Catholic, down from 67% in 2010. Hispanics are about twice as likely as US adults overall to identify as Catholic. A survey by the USCCB found that the Hispanic Catholic community is growing in the US, with 28% of US parishes offering one or more Spanish-language Masses, suggesting a 10% increase from 2014.
While there has been a decline in the percentage of Hispanics who are Catholic, this is due to the growing size of the Hispanic population in the United States. Hispanics continue to make up an increasingly large share of US Catholics. As of 2013, one-third (33%) of all US Catholics were Hispanic, according to Pew Research surveys. While there has been a net loss of adherents through religious switching or conversion, the growing number of Hispanics in the US means that their share of the Catholic population is increasing.
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10% of US Catholics are Secularists
According to a study, around 10% of US Catholics identify as "Secularists", meaning their religious affiliation is purely nominal. This corresponds with the broader trend of increasing secularism in the United States, with a growing number of people identifying as atheists, agnostics, or having no particular religious affiliation. This shift is particularly evident among Hispanics, who are leaving Catholicism at a faster rate than Euro-American whites, Black, and Asian-American Catholics.
While the percentage of Americans who are Catholic has decreased slightly over the years, from about 25% in 1960 to 22% as of 2021, the absolute number of Catholics has increased from 45 million to 72 million. This growth is particularly noticeable in the South and West, with states like Florida, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas experiencing a significant increase in their Catholic populations.
Despite the overall growth in the number of Catholics, there has been a decline in church attendance and a consolidation of congregations within the Church. This decline in religious participation is not unique to Catholicism, as it has also been observed among Protestants and other religious groups. The increasing secularization of American society is influencing political views, with many people turning away from religion due to its perceived association with political conservatism.
The concept of "Secularists" encompasses individuals who may still belong to a religious congregation yet hold a secular worldview. This group makes up about 27% of the US population, a larger percentage than any single religious tradition. "Religious Secularists", on the other hand, account for 14% of Americans; they identify with and participate in a religious community but hold a secular outlook. These individuals may attend worship services yet view their religion as a cultural expression rather than a source of teachings for their daily lives.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2020, Catholics make up about 18.7% of the US population. This is a slight decrease from 1960, when the percentage of Americans who were Catholic was about 25%.
In absolute numbers, there are 61.9 million Catholics in the US as of 2020. This is an increase from 45 million in 1960 and 50 million in 2014.
The regional distribution of US Catholics is as follows: Northeast, 24%; Midwest, 19%; South, 32%; and West, 25%. The South has seen the largest influx of Catholics in recent years, with Texas, Louisiana, and Florida experiencing notable increases.
