Joshua Bennett
The United States is home to the world's fourth-largest Catholic population outside of Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines. While the number of Catholics in the US is declining, the Catholic Church remains the largest Christian denomination in the country. Rhode Island is the state with the largest Catholic population, with 42% of its residents identifying as Catholic. This is due to the historical presence of French-Canadian, Irish, and Italian immigrants in the state. Other states with significant Catholic populations include Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and several geographically dispersed states such as New Mexico, Illinois, California, and Wisconsin. The leadership of the Catholic Church in the US is provided by bishops, who oversee individual dioceses and collectively govern through the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| State with the highest number of Catholic churches | Rhode Island |
| Percentage of Rhode Island residents identifying as Catholic | 42% |
| Second-highest Catholic population | Massachusetts |
| Percentage of Massachusetts residents identifying as Catholic | 34% |
| Third-highest Catholic population | New Jersey |
| Percentage of New Jersey residents identifying as Catholic | 34% |
| Number of Catholics in New Jersey | 500,000 |
| Number of dioceses in New Jersey | 2 |
| Number of Catholic congregations in the US | 19,405 |
| Average number of adherents per Catholic congregation | 3,000 |
| Number of US counties with at least one Catholic congregation | 2,961 |
| US Catholic population's percentage of growth in the past decade | 2 million (approx.) |
| Region with the highest Catholic population | The South |
| US states with above-average Catholic representation | New York, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Illinois, California, Wisconsin |
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What You'll Learn
Rhode Island is the most Catholic state
The Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination in the US, and the country has the fourth-largest Catholic population in the world, after Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines. The history of the Catholic Church in the US dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries, with the arrival of Spanish and French missionaries. The first diocese was established in 1789 in Baltimore, which was, for many years, the most influential diocese in the nation. Now, the United States has several large archdioceses and cardinal-archbishops, with most US Catholics belonging to the Latin Church of the Catholic Church.
The Catholic population in the US has grown by about 2 million people in the past 10 years, with much of that growth concentrated in the South. While 71% of US Catholics were in the Northeast and Midwest 50 years ago, today that number is 45%. At the county level, Catholics are most prevalent in New Mexico and Texas along the Rio Grande. There is at least one Catholic congregation in 2,961 US counties, with an average of 3,000 adherents per congregation.
Despite the growth and prevalence of Catholicism in the US, there has been a recent decline in religious identity. The percentage of Americans with no religious identity has risen from 15% in 2008 to 21% in 2017, with this trend being most notable in the western states of Hawaii and Alaska.
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New Jersey is third
New Jersey is the third most Catholic state in the US, with Catholics accounting for 34% of the state's population. This equates to about 500,000 people. The state is ecclesiastically divided into two dioceses: Trenton and Newark. In 2007, a survey found that the Catholic population was 42%, compared to the more recent figure of 34%.
The history of the Catholic Church in the US dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries, following the arrival of Spanish and French missionaries. The first diocese was established in 1789 in Baltimore, which was, for many years, the most influential in the nation. Now, the US has several large archdioceses and numerous cardinal-archbishops.
The US is home to the world's fourth-largest Catholic population, after Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines. It also has the largest English-speaking Catholic population. The Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination in the US, with approximately 31.7% of American adults raised in the faith. However, the percentage of Catholics in most states has decreased as the number of Americans with no religious identity has increased.
The state with the largest Catholic population is Rhode Island, where 42% of the population identifies as Catholic. This is due to the historically high number of French-Canadian, Irish, and Italian immigrants, as well as a recent influx of Hispanics and Portuguese. The second-highest Catholic population is in Massachusetts, where 34% of the population is Catholic, largely due to immigration from Latin America, Poland, Quebec, Ireland, Portugal, and Italy.
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Catholicism is the largest Christian denomination in the US
The growth of Catholicism in the US can be attributed to several factors, including immigration and the acquisition of former Catholic possessions of France, Spain, and Mexico. In addition, there was a rapid influx of immigrants from Catholic countries in Europe, such as Ireland, Germany, Italy, and Poland, during the mid-19th century. The integration of Catholics into American society was a significant milestone, marked by the election of John F. Kennedy, the first Catholic president, in 1960. Since then, the percentage of Catholics in the US has remained relatively stable, at around 25%.
Catholicism in the US is characterised by its multiculturalism and diversity, with modern Catholic immigrants hailing from the Philippines, Latin America, and Poland. This diversity is reflected in the conduct of Catholic masses, with most dioceses offering services in multiple languages, including Latin. The Catholic Church in the US is also known for its educational and charitable institutions, with numerous Catholic schools, colleges, and universities spread across the country.
In terms of geographic distribution, Rhode Island has the highest percentage of Catholic residents, at 42%. This is followed by Massachusetts at 34%, and New Jersey at 34%. Other states with above-average Catholic representation include New York, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Illinois, California, and Wisconsin. The prevalence of Catholicism varies across the country, with certain regions, such as the South or the Bible Belt, having predominantly Protestant populations.
While Catholicism is the largest Christian denomination in the US, it is worth noting that the percentage of Americans with no religious identity has been increasing. As of 2025, the percentage of adults identifying as Christians has dropped to 70.6%, and the US is no longer a majority-Protestant nation. The decline in religious affiliation is particularly notable in states like Hawaii, Alaska, Washington, Vermont, and Oregon.
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The US has the fourth-largest Catholic population
The United States has the fourth-largest Catholic population in the world, after Brazil, Mexico, and the Philippines. In 2018, 23% of the US population was Catholic, making it the country's second-largest religious grouping after Protestantism. The US is also home to the largest Catholic population of English speakers and the largest population of Catholic minorities.
Catholicism has had a significant cultural, social, and political impact on the United States. The history of the Catholic Church in the US dates back to the 16th and 17th centuries, following the arrival of Spanish and French missionaries. During this time, a number of missions were established in what is now the present-day western US, and New Orleans was the most important colony to the French. The first diocese established in the United States was the Archdiocese of Baltimore in 1789, with John Carroll as its first bishop.
Rhode Island is the state with the largest population of Catholic residents, with 42% of the state identifying as Catholic. This is due to the high number of French-Canadian, Irish, and Italian immigrants in the past, as well as more recent Hispanic and Portuguese populations. The state of Massachusetts has the second-highest Catholic population with 34%, followed by New Jersey with 34%. These states are ecclesiastically divided into dioceses, with two each in New Jersey (Trenton and Newark) and Massachusetts (Boston and Springfield).
While the percentage of Americans who are Catholic has decreased since 1960, from 25% to 22%, the absolute number of Catholics has increased from 45 million to 72 million. This decrease in percentage is part of a broader trend of increasing religious pluralism in the US, with the percentage of Americans with no formal religious identity rising from 15% in 2008 to 21% in 2017.
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The percentage of US Catholics is decreasing
Catholicism is still the largest denomination in the country, but the geographic distribution of the Catholic population has changed. In 2025, 29% of Catholics in the US lived in the South, 24% in the West, 26% in the Northeast, and 21% in the Midwest. Rhode Island is the state with the largest population of Catholic residents, at 42%. Other states with above-average Catholic representation include New York, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Illinois, California, and Wisconsin.
There are several reasons for the decline in the percentage of US Catholics. One factor is the increasing secularization of American society, as Americans have become more affluent and busier with work and other activities on Sundays. Additionally, the Catholic Church in the US has been criticized for its teachings on birth control and other issues, as well as its handling of the clergy sex abuse crisis. Many people have also become disenchanted with the Church due to uninspiring leadership and a lack of emphasis on vocations.
The decline in the percentage of US Catholics has led to a serious ecclesial crisis, and there are concerns that the number of Catholics leaving the Church will continue to grow if changes are not made. However, it is worth noting that the rate of decline has slowed in recent years, and the Catholic share of the population has remained relatively stable since 2014.
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Frequently asked questions
Rhode Island is the state with the largest population of Catholic residents, at 42% according to the PEW Research Center.
The states of Massachusetts and New Jersey are second and third respectively, with 34% of their populations identifying as Catholic. Other states with above-average Catholic representation include New York, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Illinois, California, and Wisconsin.
Boston, New York, and Pittsburgh are tied as the cities with the largest Catholic populations, with 36% of residents identifying as Catholic.
