Joshua Bennett
Iowa's religious landscape has changed significantly over the last eight years. While the state continues to have a much higher proportion of white Christians than the U.S. overall, the number of Iowans who identify as white Christians has dropped substantially. In 2014, a survey by the Pew Research Center found that 18% of Iowans were Catholic, making it the second-largest religious grouping in the state after Protestantism. More recent data from 2022 suggests that the percentage of white Catholics in Iowa may be as low as 10%, while another source estimates that 20% of Iowa Democrats identify as white Catholics.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Percentage of Iowans who are Catholic | 16% (compared to 21% in 2007)¹; 18% (2014, 2015, 2025)²; 10% (young adults aged 18-29)³ |
| Number of adherents | 503,080 (2010)⁴; 470,487 (2020)⁵ |
| Top counties with the highest concentration of Hispanic Catholics | Crawford County (11%)⁶; Buena Vista County (9%)⁶; Marshall County (8%)⁶; Woodbury County (7%)⁶; Sioux County (5%)⁶ |
| Iowa Democrats identifying as Catholic | 20% |
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What You'll Learn
Iowa's religious landscape is changing
According to various sources, the percentage of Iowans who are Catholic ranges from 16% to 21% of the state's population. The Catholic Church is the second-largest religious grouping in the state, after Protestantism, which accounts for about 60% of the population. The number of Iowans identifying as white Catholics has decreased over the years, with 16% of the state's population identifying as such compared to 21% in 2007.
The religious landscape of Iowa is also influenced by the state's political landscape. Nearly two-thirds of Iowa Democrats identify as white and Christian, with a significant number identifying as white Catholics (20%). In contrast, Iowa Republicans have a similar religious composition to Republicans nationwide.
The youngest adults in Iowa (aged 18 to 29) have a notably different religious profile compared to seniors (aged 65 and older). Among young adults, fewer than half identify as white and Christian, with only 10% identifying as white Catholics. On the other hand, 42% of young adults are religiously unaffiliated, while Iowa seniors are overwhelmingly white and Christian, with only 9% being religiously unaffiliated.
The changes in Iowa's religious landscape are not unique to the state but reflect larger nationwide trends. The religiously unaffiliated population has grown in Iowa, mirroring a similar increase across the nation. Additionally, the spread of religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Sikhism in Iowa is attributed to immigration, contributing to the state's increasing religious diversity.
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Catholicism is Iowa's second-largest religion
Iowa's religious landscape has changed significantly over the last eight years. While the number of Iowans who identify as white Christians has decreased, the state still has a higher proportion of white Christians than the US overall. Protestantism is the largest denomination in Iowa, with 60% of the state's population identifying as such.
Following closely behind, Catholicism is Iowa's second-largest religion, with 18% of the state's population adhering to the faith. This equates to around 470,480 people, according to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA). The number of Catholics in Iowa has decreased since 2007, when 21% of the state's population identified as white Catholics.
Among Iowa's youngest adults (aged 18-29), only 10% identify as Catholic, while 42% are religiously unaffiliated. In contrast, 33% of Iowa seniors (aged 65 and older) identify as white evangelical Protestants, and only 9% are religiously unaffiliated.
Within Iowa, the counties with the highest concentrations of Hispanic Catholics are Crawford County (11%), Buena Vista County (9%), Marshall County (8%), Woodbury County (7%), and Sioux County (5%).
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Iowa Democrats are predominantly Christian
Iowa's religious landscape has changed significantly over the last eight years. While the state continues to have a much higher proportion of white Christians than the US overall, the number of Iowans who identify as such has dropped substantially. Notably, the size of the religiously unaffiliated population has increased, with nearly one in four Iowans identifying as religiously unaffiliated today, compared to only 15% in 2007.
Among Iowa Democrats, nearly two-thirds identify as white and Christian, including white evangelical Protestants (21%), white mainline Protestants (21%), and white Catholics (20%). By contrast, among Democrats nationwide, only about one-third identify as white and Christian. Iowa Democrats thus represent a higher proportion of white Christians compared to their counterparts across the country.
The religious composition of Iowa Democrats reflects broader trends within the state. While the number of Iowans identifying as white and Christian has declined, the religious makeup of the state remains predominantly Christian. As of 2022, Christians make up 78% of Iowa's population, with Protestantism as the largest denomination (60%) followed by Catholicism (18%).
However, it is worth noting that the religious landscape of Iowa's younger adults (aged 18 to 29) differs significantly from that of Iowa's seniors (aged 65 and older). Among young Iowa adults, fewer than half identify as white and Christian, with a larger proportion identifying as religiously unaffiliated (42%) or non-white Christians (13%). This shift in religious affiliation among younger Iowans suggests that the religious landscape of the state may continue to evolve in the future.
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Iowa's youth are less religious
Iowa's religious landscape has changed significantly over the last eight years, with the number of Iowans identifying as white and Christian dropping substantially. This is particularly evident among Iowa's youth, who are increasingly less religious compared to older generations.
Among Iowa's youngest adults aged 18 to 29, less than half identify as white and Christian. Specifically, 17% identify as white evangelical Protestant, 11% as white mainline Protestant, and only 10% as white Catholic. In contrast, 42% of young Iowa adults are religiously unaffiliated, and 13% identify as non-white Christians. This marks a notable shift from the religious composition of older Iowans.
For example, Iowa's seniors aged 65 and older are predominantly white and Christian, with 85% identifying as such. Within this group, 33% identify as white evangelical Protestant, 27% as white mainline Protestant, and 15% as white Catholic. Only 9% of Iowa seniors are religiously unaffiliated.
The changing religious landscape among Iowa's youth is also reflected in the state's political landscape. While Iowa Democrats continue to largely identify as white and Christian (66%), the state as a whole is becoming more religiously unaffiliated and liberal. Nearly one-quarter (24%) of Iowans now identify as liberal, compared to 18% in 2007. Additionally, 27% of Iowans are religiously unaffiliated, up from 15% in 2007.
These trends among Iowa's youth suggest a move away from traditional religious affiliations and a growing diversity of beliefs. While Christianity remains the dominant religion in the state, the number of adherents has decreased, while other religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Sikhism have spread, largely due to immigration. As a result, Iowa's religious landscape is becoming more diverse and reflective of broader nationwide changes.
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Iowa remains more religious than the US average
A 2014 survey by the Pew Research Center found that 60% of Iowans are Protestant, while 18% are Catholic. The survey also found that 21% of Iowans are non-religious, which is lower than the US average of 27% as of 2022. The PRRI survey also found that one-quarter of Iowans identify as ideologically liberal, compared to 36% who identify as moderate and 35% who identify as conservative.
The religious landscape of Iowa is changing, with the size of the religiously unaffiliated population increasing. Nearly one in four (24%) Iowans identify as religiously unaffiliated today, compared to only 15% in 2007. This change is particularly noticeable among young adults aged 18 to 29, with fewer than half identifying as white and Christian, and more than four in ten (42%) identifying as religiously unaffiliated.
Despite these shifts, Iowa continues to have a higher proportion of religious residents than the US average. This may be due in part to the state's political composition, as the religious composition of Iowa Republicans is comparable to that of Republicans nationwide. Additionally, nearly two-thirds of Iowa Democrats identify as white and Christian, which is higher than the one-third of Democrats who identify this way nationwide.
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Frequently asked questions
According to a 2014 survey, 18% of Iowans are Catholic, making it the second-largest religious group in the state.
The number of Catholics in Iowa has been reported to be 503,080 as of 2010 and 470,487 as of 2020.
Protestantism is the largest religious group in Iowa, with 60% of the state population identifying as Protestants.
Iowa's religious landscape has changed significantly over the last eight years. The number of Iowans who identify as white and Christian has dropped substantially, while the number of religiously unaffiliated individuals has increased.
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