Michael Brooks
Christianity is the largest religion in the United States, with around 70% of Americans identifying as Christian. However, this figure has been declining, and the percentage of Christians in the US has dropped from 78.4% to 70.6% in the past seven years. Protestantism is the most common form of Christianity in the country, with 48.5% of the population, while the Catholic Church is the largest individual denomination, with 22.7% of the population. This makes up around one-third of all Christians in the US, and the percentage has remained relatively stable at around 25% for several decades.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Americans who are Christians | 70% (down from 71% in 2013) |
| Percentage of Americans who are Catholics | 22.7% |
| Percentage of white Americans who are Catholics | 26% |
| Percentage of Hispanic and Latino Americans who are Catholics | 70% |
| Percentage of Americans who were Christians in the early 1990s | 90% |
| Percentage of Americans who are currently Christians | 66% |
| Percentage of white Christians who are white Catholics | 12% |
| Percentage of Christians of color who are Hispanic Catholics | 8% |
| Percentage of rural parts of the South who are Catholics | Very few (except Louisiana and the Gulf Coast) |
| Percentage of urbanized areas of the north Atlantic states and Great Lakes who are Catholics | Heavily Catholic |
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What You'll Learn
- Catholicism is the largest Christian denomination in the US
- Protestants are the majority religion in the US
- Christianity is the predominant religion in all US states and territories
- The percentage of US Christians has been declining
- The US has a greater similarity to developing nations in terms of religiousness
Catholicism is the largest Christian denomination in the US
The United States has a long and complex religious history, with Christianity being the predominant religion in all US states and territories. While the absolute number of Christians rose from 1990 to 2008, the percentage of Christians in the country has been declining. In 1972, 90% of Americans identified as Christians, while in 2016, this number dropped to 73.7%. The latest data from 2020 shows that approximately 70% of Americans identify as Christians, with about 46% of the population adhering to Protestant Christianity and 22% to Catholicism.
While Catholicism is the largest single denomination, Protestantism as a whole is the most common form of Christianity in the country. All Protestant denominations combined account for about 48.5% of the population. However, this number has been decreasing due to various factors. One factor is the rise of religious unaffiliation, with an increasing number of Americans, especially the younger generation, choosing to disassociate from organized religion. Additionally, there has been a decline in trust in religious institutions and a trend of associating Christianity with conservative politics, which has driven away liberal-leaning individuals.
The religious landscape of the US is diverse and ever-changing. While Christianity remains the dominant religion, the country has also witnessed the growth of non-Christian religions, such as Buddhism, Islam, and Hinduism. The US has also seen an increase in conversion to Christianity among certain immigrant communities, such as Korean Americans, Chinese Americans, and Japanese Americans.
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Protestants are the majority religion in the US
Protestantism is the majority religion in the United States, with about 46% of the population professing belief in Protestant Christianity. This makes it the most common form of Christianity in the country and the dominant form of religion in the US among those who declare a religious affiliation.
The United States was once an overwhelmingly Protestant nation, with more than half of adults (51.3%) identifying as Protestants in 2007. Today, 46.5% of adults describe themselves as Protestants. There are more than a dozen major Protestant denominations in the US, including Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, and Pentecostals. These denominations are further divided into various congregations, such as the Southern Baptist Convention, the American Baptist Churches USA, and the National Baptist Convention.
The percentage of Protestants in the US has been declining, along with other Christian denominations. This decline is attributed to Americans, including those of Protestant descent, professing no religious affiliation. In 1990, 90% of US adults identified as Christians, while in 2016, this number dropped to 73.7%. The religiously unaffiliated share of the population has been growing, with more people describing their religious identity as atheist, agnostic, or "nothing in particular."
Despite the decline, Protestantism remains the majority religion in the US, with a significant proportion of the population adhering to various Protestant denominations. The diversity and prevalence of Protestantism in the US are shaped by the country's historical and cultural characteristics, including its constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and the early immigration of religious dissenters from Northwestern Europe.
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Christianity is the predominant religion in all US states and territories
Christianity is the predominant religion in the United States, with a significant proportion of the population identifying as Christian. While the percentage of Christians has decreased over time, it still remains the largest religious group in the country. According to various surveys and studies, the percentage of Christians in the US ranges from 67% to 76%. The decline in Christianity is attributed to a decrease in affiliation with mainline Protestant denominations, rather than an increase in non-Christian religions.
Protestantism is the most common form of Christianity in the United States, with approximately 46% to 51% of the population identifying as Protestants. This includes a variety of denominations such as Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, and Pentecostals. The Southern Baptist Convention is the largest single Protestant denomination and the second-largest denomination overall.
Catholicism is the second-largest denomination in the United States, with approximately 20% to 22% of the population identifying as Catholic. The number of Catholics has grown over the centuries, primarily through immigration and the acquisition of continental territories with significant Catholic populations. The Catholic Church has established numerous educational institutions, including some of the top universities in the country.
Other Christian denominations in the United States include Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Jehovah's Witnesses. The percentage of Christians of color has remained relatively stable, with approximately one-quarter of Americans identifying as Christians of color. Native Americans and multiracial Americans also have significant Christian populations, with 60% and 55% identifying as Christians, respectively.
While Christianity is the predominant religion in all US states and territories, there are regional variations in the strength of different sects. For example, the Bible Belt in the Southern United States is known for its socially conservative evangelical Protestantism, while urbanized areas of the north Atlantic states and the Great Lakes have significant Catholic populations.
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The percentage of US Christians has been declining
The percentage of Christians in the US has been declining for years, with the share of the population identifying as Christian dropping from 86% in 1990 to 76% in 2008. In 2016, 73.7% of Americans identified as Christians, and in 2020, this number had dropped to around 70%. The latest data from 2023-24 shows that 62% of US adults identify as Christians, a decline of 9 percentage points since 2014 and a 16-point drop since 2007. This decline has been driven by a variety of factors, including ""generational replacement," with older, highly religious generations passing away and being replaced by younger, less religious generations. Additionally, the rise of religious "nones," or those who do not identify with any particular religion, has contributed to the decline of Christianity in the US.
The decline in the percentage of US Christians has been widespread across different traditions, genders, races, ethnicities, education levels, and regions. However, it has been more pronounced among certain groups, such as political liberals, with 51% of liberals claiming no religion in 2025, up from 27% in 2007. The decline has also been more significant in certain regions, such as the Northeast, where the number of Catholics has decreased from 36% in 2009 to 27% today.
The percentage of Protestants and Catholics in the US has also been decreasing. In 2007, more than half of US adults (51.3%) identified as Protestants, but today, only 46.5% do so. The share of adults belonging to mainline Protestant churches has dropped from 18.1% in 2007 to 14.7% in 2014. The number of Catholics in the US has also declined, with their share of the population falling from 23.9% to 20.8% between 2007 and 2014.
While the absolute number of Christians in the US rose from 1990 to 2008, the percentage of Christians has continued to decline. This trend is expected to continue, with younger generations being less religious and more likely to identify as "nones." However, it is worth noting that the rate of decline may have slowed in recent years, and the Christian share of the population has remained relatively stable between 2019 and 2024.
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The US has a greater similarity to developing nations in terms of religiousness
The United States has a greater similarity to developing nations in terms of religiousness. While the absolute number of Christians rose from 1990 to 2008, the percentage of Christians in the US dropped from 86% to 76% during this period. A survey by the Pew Research Center in 2002 found that nearly 6 in 10 Americans said that religion plays an important role in their lives. This is a much higher percentage than in other wealthy nations, including Great Britain (33%), Italy (27%), Germany (21%), Japan (12%), and France (11%). The survey report concluded that America's religiousness is more similar to developing nations, where higher percentages say that religion is important to them.
This high level of religiousness in the US can be attributed to various historical and social factors. The country's Constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and legal tradition of separation of church and state have provided a fertile ground for different faiths to flourish. Additionally, the early immigration of religious dissenters from Northwestern Europe, including Anglicans, Quakers, and Mennonites, contributed to the religious landscape. The religious revivalism of the first and second Great Awakenings in the 1700s and 1800s also played a significant role, leading to a significant growth in Christian congregations.
Another factor is the unregulated and open religious "market" in the US, where different faiths compete freely for new members without government interference. This has fostered an environment conducive to religious growth. Additionally, sociologists have suggested a link between income inequality and religiosity, with less-well-off individuals seeking comfort in religious faith due to financial and other insecurities.
In terms of religious composition, the US has a significant Christian population, with around 70% of Americans identifying as Christians. Among Christians, about 46% are Protestant, and 22% are Catholic. The strength of different sects varies across the country, with rural parts of the South having many evangelicals but few Catholics, while urbanized areas of the north Atlantic states and Great Lakes are heavily Catholic.
While Christianity is the dominant religion, there are also significant numbers of Americans who follow other faiths or have no religious affiliation. The percentage of Americans with no religious affiliation has been rising, with younger people showing higher rates of non-affiliation. This trend may be influenced by various factors, including a decline in trust in institutions, backlash against the religious right, and an increase in religious diversity due to immigration.
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Frequently asked questions
According to a 2020 survey, 22.7% of the American population is Catholic, making it the largest individual Christian denomination.
As of 2020, around 70% of Americans identify as Christians, down from 90% in the early 1990s.
Protestantism is the most common form, accounting for 48.5% of the population.
62% of college graduates identify as Catholic Christians. Catholics also have the highest number of graduate and postgraduate degrees per capita of all Christian denominations in the US.
Urbanized areas of the north Atlantic states, Great Lakes, and industrial and mining towns have high Catholic populations. Louisiana and the Gulf Coast also have significant Catholic communities, especially among Hispanics.
