Rachel Evans
Catholicism is the single-largest religious group in the United States, with around 20% of the country's adult population identifying as Catholic. This equates to approximately 52-53 million people. The percentage of US Catholics who are Hispanic is rising, with the group currently making up 33-37% of the Catholic population. The Catholic population is spread relatively evenly across the US, with around 29% living in the South, 26% in the Northeast, 25% in the West, and 20% in the Midwest.
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What You'll Learn
20% of US adults identify as Catholic
US Catholics: A Diverse and Widespread Religious Group
Catholicism has a long history in the United States, and today, it is the single-largest religious group in the country. According to recent surveys, 20% of US adults, or about 52-53 million people, identify as Catholic. This percentage has remained relatively stable since 2014, although it is slightly lower than in 2007, when 24% of US adults identified as Catholic. The Catholic Church in the US is diverse, with a racial and ethnic makeup that varies across the country and a significant proportion of immigrants or children of immigrants.
Demographics and Distribution
The racial and ethnic composition of US Catholics is diverse and changing. As of 2025, the Catholic population in the US is 54-57% White, 33-37% Hispanic, 4% Asian, and 2% Black, while 2-3% identify with another race. Since 2007, the share of White Catholics has dropped by 10 percentage points, while the share of Hispanics has increased by 7 points, making them a growing segment of the Catholic population. This shift is particularly noticeable in certain regions, such as the Midwest, where 78-80% of Catholics are White and 15-17% are Hispanic. In contrast, in the West, there are more Hispanic Catholics than White Catholics (55% vs. 30%).
Catholics are spread out across the US, with about 29% living in the South, 26% in the Northeast, 25% in the West, and 20% in the Midwest. Immigrants make up a significant portion of the Catholic population, with 29% being immigrants and an additional 14% being children of immigrants. Hispanic Catholics account for most of the immigrant or first-generation segment, and their growing presence in the Catholic Church is due to their increasing share of the total US population.
Religious Practices and Beliefs
While the number of self-identified Catholics has grown, religious practices and beliefs have changed over time. Weekly church attendance among Catholics has declined since 1970, dropping from 55% to 39% in 2018, and as low as 28% according to some surveys. Additionally, Bible reading among Catholics has decreased, with only 14% reading the Bible at least once a week compared to 21% in 2007.
Despite these shifts, many Catholics maintain strong spiritual and religious beliefs. About 21% consider themselves very religious, and 55% say they are somewhat religious. A larger percentage, 29% identify as very spiritual, and 52% as somewhat spiritual. Daily prayer is also common, with 52% of Catholics reporting that they pray daily. Furthermore, 66% of Catholics express certainty in the existence of God, and belief in heaven and hell has increased over time.
Social and Political Views
Catholics in the US hold a range of social and political views, and their opinions often deviate from the teachings of the Catholic Church. For example, 59-67% of Catholics believe that abortion should be legal in all or most cases, contrary to the Church's stance. Catholic Democrats are more likely to hold this view, with 78% supporting legal abortion, compared to 43% of Catholic Republicans.
In terms of political affiliation, Catholic registered voters are split, with 52% identifying with or leaning toward the Republican Party and 44% with the Democratic Party. However, a substantial number of Catholics do not identify with either party. Catholic Democrats and Republicans also differ in their views of Pope Francis, with 88% of Catholic Democrats viewing him favorably, compared to 69% of Catholic Republicans.
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Hispanic Catholics are younger than White Catholics
In the United States, the percentage of the population that identifies as Catholic has been decreasing. In 2007, 24% of US adults identified as Catholic, while in 2024, only 20% did so. Despite this decline, the number of Catholics in the US has increased from 45 million to 72 million. This can be attributed to population growth and immigration, with the Latino element comprising 37% of the Catholic population and growing.
Among US Catholics, there are notable differences in age distribution across racial and ethnic groups. Hispanic Catholics tend to be younger than White Catholics. According to a 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, 58% of Hispanic Catholics are aged 50 and older, compared to 70% of White Catholics. Additionally, only 14% of Hispanic Catholics are 65 or older, while 39% of White Catholics fall into this age group.
The younger age profile of Hispanic Catholics is further reflected in their educational attainment. Among Hispanic Catholics, 51% report having a high school education or less, while 32% have some college experience, and 18% hold a college degree. In contrast, White Catholics have higher levels of educational attainment, with 37% reporting a high school education or less, 24% having some college experience, and 39% holding a college degree.
The geographic distribution of Hispanic Catholics also differs from that of White Catholics. Hispanic Catholics are more likely to reside in the West (41%) and the South (38%), while White Catholics predominantly live in the Northeast (39%) and the Midwest (28%). This geographic shift has implications for the Catholic Church, requiring new strategies for evangelization and Catholic education in these regions.
In summary, while Catholicism in the US is experiencing a decline in affiliation, the growth in the Latino population has significantly contributed to the overall number of Catholics. Hispanic Catholics, constituting a substantial proportion of the Catholic population, are younger than their White counterparts. This age disparity is accompanied by variations in educational attainment and geographic distribution, shaping the evolving landscape of Catholic life in the United States.
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The percentage of Catholic Hispanics is growing
The percentage of Catholics in the United States has been declining. In 2019, 20% of Americans identified as Catholic, down from 23% in 2018 and 24% in 2007. This decline is also reflected in the Latino community, where the percentage of Catholic Hispanics decreased from 67% in 2010 to 43% in 2022. However, despite the overall decline in the percentage of Catholics, the share of U.S. Catholics who are Hispanic is rising. In 2019, Latinos comprised 37% of American Catholics, up from 32% in 2008 and 20% in 1990. This growth is attributed to the large-scale Catholic immigration from Latin America and the Caribbean, where Catholicism is deeply ingrained in the cultural expressions and ways of life of the people.
Hispanics account for nearly 71% of the growth of the Catholic population in the United States since 1960. The median age of Hispanics is 30.7 years, with about half of all Hispanics being younger than 30. This younger population is forming families and making career decisions, which are crucial moments that demand close pastoral accompaniment. The spiritual life of many Hispanic Catholics is nurtured by their participation in apostolic movements and the influence of cultural particularities that shape how Catholicism is lived in their regions.
While the percentage of Catholic Hispanics is growing, there are also some factors contributing to a decline in Catholic affiliation among this group. One factor is the increasing number of U.S.-born Hispanic individuals who are reaching adulthood and are not making Catholicism a part of their identity, even if their parents and grandparents were Catholic. Additionally, there is a steady process of Catholic disaffiliation among immigrant Hispanic adults, and the number of immigrant Catholics from Latin America and the Caribbean has decreased due to stricter immigration policies. These factors indicate that the Catholic Church in the U.S. cannot solely rely on the assumption that immigrant Catholics will pass on their faith to their children to maintain engagement within the tradition.
Despite these challenges, the percentage of Catholic Hispanics is expected to continue growing due to various factors. Hispanics tend to be younger than White Catholics, with a median age of 30.7 years compared to 41.1 years for non-Hispanic populations. This younger population will contribute to the growth of the Catholic community as they start their families and raise their children within the Catholic faith. Additionally, Hispanic Catholics are more likely to attend Mass weekly and pray daily compared to other racial groups within the Catholic Church. Their strong spiritual practices and younger demographic profile will contribute to the growth and vitality of the Catholic Church in the United States.
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Catholic immigrants and their children make up 43% of US Catholics
Catholicism has been declining in the United States, with a significant drop in membership over the years. However, with 62 million adherents, it remains the largest religious group in the country. This resilience can be attributed to new immigrants, many of whom are Catholics from Latin America, who have helped offset the decline in religious affiliation among those born in the US.
Immigration trends have led to a shift in the geographic distribution of Catholics. While congregations in the Northeast have been shrinking, southern and western states have experienced large increases in Catholic populations over the past decade. This has resulted in the opening of new churches in these regions.
According to Pew Research Center, immigrants make up about 29% of American Catholics, while children of immigrants account for an additional 14%, together comprising 43% of the total number of Catholics in the US. Among these, Hispanic Catholics constitute the majority of first-generation Catholics and have become a larger percentage of the overall Catholic population, increasing by 7% since 2007 and currently making up 36% of American Catholics.
The growth in the Latino population has significantly contributed to the number of Catholics in the US. Between 1990 and 2008, the Latino community accounted for 9 million of the 11 million additional Catholics, and they represented 32% of all American Catholics in 2008, up from 20% in 1990. Despite this growth, the percentage of Hispanics identifying as Catholic has been declining.
The Catholic population in the US is diverse, with varying degrees of religious and spiritual identification. While 21% consider themselves very religious, 55% identify as somewhat religious, and 24% as not too religious or not religious at all. In terms of spirituality, 29% consider themselves very spiritual, 52% somewhat spiritual, and 19% not spiritual at all.
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Catholic church attendance has declined since 1970
In the United States, about 20% of adults identify as Catholic. This percentage has been stable since 2014, but it is lower than in 2007, when 24% of US adults identified as Catholic. The Catholic population in the US is 54% White, 36% Hispanic, 4% Asian, and 2% Black, with the remaining 2% identifying with another race. The share of US Catholics who are Hispanic is rising, and more than four-in-ten US Catholics are immigrants (29%) or the children of immigrants (14%).
Since 1970, weekly church attendance among Catholics has dropped from 55% to 20%, and the number of priests has declined from 59,000 to 35,000. In 2019, Latinos comprised 37% of American Catholics, and the growth in the Latino population accounted for 9 million of the 11 million additional Catholics between 1990 and 2008. However, the percentage of Hispanics who identified as Catholic dropped from 67% in 2010 to 55% in 2013.
The decline in Catholic church attendance since 1970 is part of a broader trend of declining Christianity in the Western world. In 2019, 65% of American adults described themselves as Christians, and in 2020, 47% of Americans said they belonged to a church, down from 70% in 1999. The number of churches has also declined, with thousands of US churches closing each year. This decline is driven by an increasing number of Americans expressing no religious preference, as well as falling rates of church membership among those who do have a religious preference.
While the coronavirus pandemic may have contributed to the decline in church membership in 2020, a continued drop in future decades seems inevitable due to lower levels of religiosity and church membership among younger generations. This is reflected in the fact that more 18- to 29-year-olds say they have no religious preference than identify with any specific faith. The challenge for church leaders is to encourage those who affiliate with a specific faith to become formal and active church members.
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Frequently asked questions
As of 2021, 21% of US adults describe themselves as Catholic, identical to the Catholic share of the population in 2014. This equates to roughly 53 million Catholic adults nationwide.
Since 1960, the percentage of Americans who are Catholic has fallen from about 25% to 22%. Since 2007, the share of Catholics who are White has dropped by 10 percentage points, while the share who are Hispanic has grown by 7 points.
Catholics are spread out relatively evenly across the US. Roughly three-in-ten (29%) live in the South, while 26% live in the Northeast, 25% in the West and 20% in the Midwest.
The average number of adherents per congregation is 3,000 for Catholics, unusually high compared with other groups.
