As pew after pew grows emptier, the once-unquestionable Christian identity of the United States is undergoing a seismic retreat, with identification plummeting from 91% in 1976 to just 68% today—a staggering unraveling of faith at a national scale.
Key Takeaways
- In the United States, the share of adults identifying as Christian fell from 78.4% in 2007 to 62.9% in 2021, marking a 15.5 percentage point decline
- Gallup polls show U.S. Christian identification dropped from 91% in 1976 to 68% in 2022, a 23-point decline over 46 years
- PRRI data indicates white Christians comprised 54% of the U.S. population in 2006 but only 44% in 2020, a 10-point drop
- Gallup U.S. weekly church attendance dropped from 42% in 2000 to 29% in 2021
- Pew Research shows U.S. Christians attending monthly or more fell from 54% in 2007 to 44% in 2019
- Barna Group reports practicing Christian attendance (church + Bible + prayer) down from 37% in 1993 to 25% in 2019
- Pew Research Center reports the religiously unaffiliated ("nones") in the U.S. rose from 16% in 2007 to 29% in 2021
- Gallup shows U.S. "nones" increased from 10% in 1990 to 21% in 2021
- PRRI data: U.S. nones grew from 16% in 2006 to 27% in 2021
- Pew Research shows U.S. Christian share among 18-29 year olds fell from 54% in 2007 to 34% in 2021
- Barna Group: Only 15% of U.S. millennials are church-active Christians vs 26% of elders
- LifeWay Research: 66% of U.S. 18-22 year olds who attended church regularly as teens dropped out
- European Social Survey shows Christianity identification in Western Europe fell from 80% in 1981 to 60% in 2018
- WIN/Gallup International: UK Christians down from 66% in 2005 to 46% in 2015
- Pew: Germany Christians 71% in 2010 to 55% in 2020
Christianity is experiencing steady and widespread decline across all major American denominations.
Church Attendance and Participation Drop
- Gallup U.S. weekly church attendance dropped from 42% in 2000 to 29% in 2021
- Pew Research shows U.S. Christians attending monthly or more fell from 54% in 2007 to 44% in 2019
- Barna Group reports practicing Christian attendance (church + Bible + prayer) down from 37% in 1993 to 25% in 2019
- LifeWay Research finds 65% of U.S. churchgoers attended fewer than 4 Sundays per month pre-COVID, down from 50% in 2010
- Grey Matter Research shows U.S. Protestant weekly attendance from 50% in 1996 to 35% in 2020
- U.S. Catholic weekly Mass attendance declined from 45% in 2000 to 33% in 2018
- Southern Baptist Convention average weekly worship attendance fell 52% from 1999 peak to 2022
- Episcopal Church Sunday attendance dropped 27% from 2000 to 2019
- PCUSA worship attendance declined 40% from 2000 to 2020
- United Methodist Church weekly attendance fell from 3.6 million in 2007 to 2.2 million in 2019
- ELCA average weekly worship attendance down 30% since 2006
- Gallup teen church attendance (13-17) dropped from 55% in 2000 to 35% in 2020
- Barna finds U.S. millennial church attendance half that of boomers at same age
- PRRI reports 40% decline in U.S. Protestant small group participation 2006-2019
- Faith Communities Today survey: U.S. congregations average attendance down 15% 2000-2015
- Hartford Institute: 20% of U.S. churches had average attendance under 50 in 2020, up from 10% in 2000
- Pushpay data shows U.S. church digital engagement up but in-person down 25% post-2019
- Church Answers reports 6,000 U.S. churches closed since 2000 due to low attendance
- Barna: U.S. Gen Z church attendance 10% lower than millennials at same age
- LifeWay: Southern Baptist Sunday School attendance down 60% since 1990
- Catholic Archdioceses report Confirmation reception down 20% 2000-2020
- Assemblies of God U.S. weekly attendance flat but per capita down 10% 2010-2020
- Presbyterian attendance per member fell 25% since 1990
- United Church of Christ worship attendance down 50% 2000-2020
- Disciples of Christ average attendance declined 35% 2005-2020
- Gallup: U.S. Black Protestant attendance from 65% weekly in 2000 to 50% in 2021
- Barna Group U.S. Bible engagement (daily reading) dropped from 28% in 2011 to 14% in 2021 among Christians
Church Attendance and Participation Drop Interpretation
While congregations are busy streaming their services, the data shows that the American pew is becoming an increasingly lonely place, as if the collective flock has quietly decided to take its own, very long intermission.
Declines Among Youth and Millennials
- Pew Research shows U.S. Christian share among 18-29 year olds fell from 54% in 2007 to 34% in 2021
- Barna Group: Only 15% of U.S. millennials are church-active Christians vs 26% of elders
- LifeWay Research: 66% of U.S. 18-22 year olds who attended church regularly as teens dropped out
- Gallup: U.S. Gen Z (born 1997+) church membership 20% vs 50% for boomers at same age
- PRRI: 40% of U.S. white millennials are nones vs 20% boomers
- Barna: U.S. Gen Z Christians 4% highly faith active vs 15% boomers
- Pew: U.S. teens (13-17) Christian ID 72% in 2019 down from 83% in 2010
- Springtide Research: 40% of U.S. Gen Z feel church irrelevant
- Barna: Millennial church dropout rate 59% by age 30
- LifeWay: U.S. young adult Bible engagement half of previous generations
- PRRI: U.S. Gen Z nones 34% vs 22% millennials
- Gallup: U.S. 18-29 religious service attendance 25% weekly vs 40% in 2000
- Barna: Only 1 in 10 U.S. Gen Z have biblical worldview
- Pew: U.S. millennial atheists/agnostics 13% vs 5% silent generation
- Fuller Youth Institute: 70% U.S. youth group alumni disengage from church post-high school
- Grey Matter: U.S. Protestant youth retention fell from 60% to 40% 1990-2020
- Barna: U.S. millennial practicing faith 15% vs 35% Gen X at same age
- LifeWay: Southern Baptist youth retention down 20% since 2000
- PRRI: U.S. young men Christian ID drop 20 points faster than women
- Pew: U.S. college students nones 36% in 2021
- Barna: Gen Z doubt God existence 40% vs 20% boomers
- Springtide: U.S. youth spiritual but not religious 52%
- Gallup: U.S. teen belief in God down to 74% in 2022 from 92% in 1950s
- LifeWay: U.S. 18-24 Bible reading weekly 20% vs 40% elders
- Barna: U.S. youth church trust 30% vs 60% 20 years ago
- PRRI: U.S. Gen Z Democrats 50% nones
Declines Among Youth and Millennials Interpretation
The statistics paint a sobering portrait: the American church is facing a generational ebb tide, where the pews are graying as young people, unconvinced by the faith of their fathers, increasingly vote with their feet.
Geographic Declines (US/Europe)
- European Social Survey shows Christianity identification in Western Europe fell from 80% in 1981 to 60% in 2018
- WIN/Gallup International: UK Christians down from 66% in 2005 to 46% in 2015
- Pew: Germany Christians 71% in 2010 to 55% in 2020
- Eurobarometer: France "Catholic" ID 81% in 2005 to 47% in 2019
- British Social Attitudes: England/Wales Christians 59% in 2001 census to 46% in 2021
- Pew: Sweden Christians 78% affiliated but only 18% believers in 2018
- Kantar: Netherlands church members 24% in 2019 down from 50% in 1980
- Spanish CIS: Catholics practicing dropped from 40% in 1995 to 20% in 2020
- Pew: Italy weekly Mass 30% in 1990 to 23% in 2018
- Church of England attendance fell 40% from 1.7M in 2000 to 1M in 2019
- French INSEE: Baptisms down 50% 1990-2020
- German Church Tax data: Protestants 24M in 2000 to 20M in 2021
- Belgian churchgoers 15% weekly in 2018 vs 30% in 1980
- Austrian EVZ: Catholics 70% but practicing 15% in 2020
- Pew: Czech Republic Christians 34% in 2020 down from 60% post-communism
- Polish CBOS: Regular churchgoers 36% in 2019 vs 50% in 1990
- Norwegian SSB: Church of Norway members 71% but attendance 2% weekly
- Danish Gallup: Christians believing 45% in 2020 vs 70% 1990
- Finnish Church: Membership 65% in 2021 down 10% since 2000
- Irish CSO: Catholics 78% in 2016 census but Mass weekly 30% vs 60% 1980s
- Scottish Census: Christians 54% in 2011 to projected 40% 2021
- Swiss FSO: Protestants/Catholics practicing 10% weekly 2020
- Portuguese PORDATA: Church attendance 20% in 2019 vs 40% 1990
- Hungarian KSH: Protestants down 20% since 2001 census
- WIN/Gallup: Spain God believers 59% in 2015 vs 80% 2000
- Eurostat: EU average church attendance 10% weekly among youth
- Pew Global: Western Europe nones average 25% in 2018 up 10 points decade prior
- Barna Europe: UK churchgoers under 30 halved since 1990
Geographic Declines (US/Europe) Interpretation
Europe appears to be running a forty-year experiment to see if a continent can retain its historic culture while steadily filing "Christian" under 'Hobby, Former' in its collective identity paperwork.
Global Trends
- Latinobarometro: Latin America Catholics 70% in 2010 to 56% 2018
- Pew: Brazil evangelicals up but Catholics down from 74% to 65% 2007-2014
- World Values Survey: South Korea Christians 29% in 2020 down from 40% 1990
- WIN/Gallup: Australia Christians 52% in 2016 census to 44% 2021
- Pew Global Religious Futures: Sub-Saharan Africa Christians growing but % stable at 63%
- Chinese General Social Survey: Urban Christians 5% practicing down post-2010 crackdown
- Japan NHK: Christians 1% but interest down 20% since 2000
- Canadian Census: Christians 67% in 2011 to 53% 2021
- New Zealand Census: Christians 48% 2013 to 37% 2018
- ARDA World: Global Christian % projected decline from 33% to 32% by 2050
Global Trends Interpretation
While the flock may be thinning in the old pews, it appears the global congregation is merely reorganizing its seating chart, trading some traditional benches for either new charismatic bleachers, secular couches, or, in some cases, a very empty and closely monitored folding chair.
Membership and Identification Decline
- In the United States, the share of adults identifying as Christian fell from 78.4% in 2007 to 62.9% in 2021, marking a 15.5 percentage point decline
- Gallup polls show U.S. Christian identification dropped from 91% in 1976 to 68% in 2022, a 23-point decline over 46 years
- PRRI data indicates white Christians comprised 54% of the U.S. population in 2006 but only 44% in 2020, a 10-point drop
- The General Social Survey reports Protestant identification in the U.S. declined from 62% in 1988 to 40% in 2018
- Pew Research finds Catholic identification in the U.S. decreased from 23.9% in 2009 to 20% in 2021
- Barna Group notes evangelicals as a share of U.S. adults fell from 28% in 2007 to 25% in 2019
- LifeWay Research shows Southern Baptist Convention membership declined from 16.2 million in 2006 to 14.1 million in 2020, a 13% drop
- U.S. Episcopal Church membership fell from 2.3 million in 2000 to 1.6 million in 2021, a 30% decline
- Presbyterian Church (USA) reported a loss of 103,000 members between 2018 and 2019 alone
- United Methodist Church U.S. membership dropped 26% from 11 million in 2004 to 8.1 million in 2021
- Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod membership declined from 2.6 million in 2000 to 1.8 million in 2021, 31% drop
- Assemblies of God U.S. adherents grew slightly but weekly attendance fell 5% from 2010 to 2020
- Cooperative Baptist Fellowship churches reported a 10% membership decline from 2015 to 2020
- Christian Churches and Churches of Christ lost 4% of members from 2010 to 2020
- Gallup indicates mainline Protestant identification in U.S. halved from 30% in 1976 to 15% in 2020
- Pew data shows U.S. evangelical Protestants stable at 25% but absolute numbers declined due to population growth
- Barna reports U.S. practicing Christians dropped from 40% in 2000 to 25% in 2020
- PRRI finds 66% of white mainline Protestants in 2013 down to 54% of that group in 2020 still identifying strongly
- General Social Survey: U.S. Catholics from 28% in 1988 to 20% in 2018
- U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reports sacramental participation down 30% since 2000
- ELCA membership fell from 5.1 million in 1988 to 3.3 million in 2021, 35% decline
- PCUSA lost 1.3 million members since 1999 peak
- Anglican Church in North America growth stalled, net loss post-2010 split
- Seventh-day Adventist U.S. membership flat but retention down 20% for youth
- Churches of Christ U.S. congregations down 5% from 2003 to 2018
- Orthodox Church in America membership declined 10% from 2010 to 2020
- Vineyard USA churches reported 8% membership drop 2015-2020
- Foursquare Church U.S. membership fell 15% since 2000
- Christian Methodist Episcopal Church lost 20% members 2000-2020
- Reformed Church in America membership down 25% from 2000 to 2020
Membership and Identification Decline Interpretation
It seems the American church, much like a disgruntled congregation during a long sermon, is seeing a steady and coordinated exodus out the back doors.
Rise of Religiously Unaffiliated (Nones)
- Pew Research Center reports the religiously unaffiliated ("nones") in the U.S. rose from 16% in 2007 to 29% in 2021
- Gallup shows U.S. "nones" increased from 10% in 1990 to 21% in 2021
- PRRI data: U.S. nones grew from 16% in 2006 to 27% in 2021
- General Social Survey: U.S. no religious preference from 8% in 1990 to 23% in 2018
- Barna Group: U.S. nones doubled from 11% in 2004 to 23% in 2020
- Pew: Among U.S. millennials, nones rose from 25% in 2007 to 40% in 2021
- Cooperative Election Study: U.S. nones from 15% in 2008 to 30% in 2020
- PRRI: White nones increased from 19% in 2013 to 28% in 2020
- Pew: U.S. atheist/agnostic share tripled from 4% in 2007 to 12% in 2021
- Gallup: No religion in U.S. from 2% in 1948 to 14% in 2022 among young adults
- Barna: Post-Christian U.S. adults rose from 17% in 2012 to 32% in 2021
- LifeWay: Nones now largest group among U.S. Gen Z at 34%
- Public Religion Research Institute: Nones grew 6 points in U.S. 2014-2019 alone
- General Social Survey: U.S. "nothing in particular" nones from 12% to 20% 2000-2020
- Pew: U.S. nothing in particular rose from 12% to 17% 2007-2021
- Barna: U.S. skeptic/atheist share up 10 points since 1990s
- PRRI: Nones now 28% of U.S. population, surpassing Catholics at 24%
- Cooperative Election Study: Nones 13% in 2006 to 26% in 2018
- Gallup Youth Poll: U.S. high school seniors no religion up from 8% in 1990 to 25% in 2021
- Pew: Among U.S. under-30s, nones 41% in 2021 vs 25% Christians
- Barna Gen Z: 44% of U.S. 18-24 nones or spiritual but not religious
- LifeWay Research: U.S. young adults nones up 15 points 2006-2020
- PRRI: Hispanic nones in U.S. doubled from 12% to 24% 2006-2020
- General Social Survey: Black nones tripled from 3% to 10% 1990-2018
- Pew: U.S. regional nones highest in West at 33% in 2021
- Barna: U.S. urban nones 35% vs 20% rural 2020
- Gallup: College-educated U.S. adults nones 25% vs 15% non-college 2022
- PRRI: U.S. Democrats nones 38% vs 12% Republicans 2021
Rise of Religiously Unaffiliated (Nones) Interpretation
The pews are emptying with such velocity that one might wonder if the final "Amen" will simply be a collective, polite yawn.
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