While nearly two-thirds of Americans still identify as Christian, a closer look at the numbers reveals a profound and complex transformation reshaping faith across the nation.
Key Takeaways
- In 2021, 63% of U.S. adults identified as Christians, representing approximately 167 million people based on Census estimates.
- White Christians made up 44% of the U.S. population in 2020, down from 54% in 2006.
- Evangelical Protestants comprise 25% of U.S. adults as of 2021, equating to about 66 million individuals.
- About 25% of U.S. adults switched Christian denominations or left Christianity entirely by 2021.
- Weekly church attendance among Christians dropped to 36% in 2021 from 49% in 2000.
- 21% of U.S. adults attended religious services weekly in 2022, mostly Christians.
- 82% of U.S. Christians believe the Bible is the inspired word of God.
- 56% of Christians affirm Jesus is the only way to heaven in 2021.
- 65% of evangelicals believe Satan is real and active, vs 25% mainline.
- Gender roles: 65% of evangelicals believe men should lead churches., category: Beliefs and Doctrines
- Southern Baptist Convention has 47,000 churches and 13.2 million members in 2023.
- United Methodist Church reports 5.7 million U.S. members in 2022.
- Catholic Church has 1.3 million parishes with 68 million members in U.S.
- Christian share of U.S. population projected to fall to 35% by 2070.
- Nones (religiously unaffiliated) rose from 16% in 2007 to 29% in 2021.
America's Christian majority is declining but remains diverse and deeply influential.
Beliefs and Doctrines
- 82% of U.S. Christians believe the Bible is the inspired word of God.
- 56% of Christians affirm Jesus is the only way to heaven in 2021.
- 65% of evangelicals believe Satan is real and active, vs 25% mainline.
- 73% of Christians believe in heaven, 62% in hell as of 2021.
- Abortion views: 73% of white evangelicals say it should be illegal in most cases.
- 61% of U.S. Christians oppose same-sex marriage in 2021 surveys.
- Virgin birth belief: 79% of Catholics, 97% evangelicals in 2014 data.
- Resurrection: 93% of Christians believe Jesus rose from the dead bodily.
- Evolution: 34% of Christians accept it fully, 38% guided by God.
- Prayer efficacy: 79% of Christians say prayer changes things.
- Miracles: 79% of Christians believe God performs miracles today.
- End times: 39% of Christians believe we are in last days.
- Predestination: 31% of evangelicals affirm it strongly.
- Prosperity gospel: 17% of Christians agree God wants them wealthy.
- Hell for non-Christians: 58% of white evangelicals agree.
- Social justice: 45% of evangelicals prioritize it less than evangelism.
- Climate change: 28% of white evangelicals see it as human-caused crisis.
- Vaccines: 56% of evangelicals say religious beliefs affect vaccine views.
- Racial reconciliation: 67% of Black Protestants see it as essential.
- Divine forgiveness: 89% of Christians believe God forgives all sins.
- Angels: 69% of Christians believe they exist and influence lives.
- Demons: 58% of evangelicals believe in active demonic forces.
- Trinity: 96% of practicing Christians affirm it doctrinally.
- Salvation by faith alone: 81% of evangelicals agree.
- Inerrancy of Bible: 55% of all Christians, 89% evangelicals.
- Premillennialism: 36% of white evangelicals hold this view.
- Infant baptism: 52% of mainline Protestants support it.
Beliefs and Doctrines Interpretation
While American Christians overwhelmingly agree on the celestial headlines—like a resurrected Savior and a forgiving God—the congregational fine print reveals a sprawling doctrinal subdivision where the paths to righteousness, the reality of hell, and the role of science are constantly being surveyed and debated.
Beliefs and Doctrines, source url: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2020/08/26/u-s-christians-more-likely-than-americans-overall-as-well-as-other-faith-groups-to-say-a-lot-of-bad-decisions-are-made-in-washington/
- Gender roles: 65% of evangelicals believe men should lead churches., category: Beliefs and Doctrines
Beliefs and Doctrines, source url: https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2020/08/26/u-s-christians-more-likely-than-americans-overall-as-well-as-other-faith-groups-to-say-a-lot-of-bad-decisions-are-made-in-washington/ Interpretation
It seems a solid majority of American evangelicals are still hoping to find a man with the right qualifications for a job Jesus notably never posted.
Church Attendance and Engagement
- About 25% of U.S. adults switched Christian denominations or left Christianity entirely by 2021.
- Weekly church attendance among Christians dropped to 36% in 2021 from 49% in 2000.
- 21% of U.S. adults attended religious services weekly in 2022, mostly Christians.
- Evangelical Christians attend church at 58% weekly rate in 2021.
- Catholics attend Mass weekly at 28% rate as of 2021.
- Mainline Protestants have 31% weekly attendance in 2021 surveys.
- 45% of Black Protestants attend services weekly in 2021.
- Online worship participation surged to 41% of Christians during 2020 pandemic.
- In 2023, 32% of U.S. Christians reported attending church multiple times per month.
- Youth church attendance (ages 13-17) fell to 32% weekly in 2020.
- 69% of weekly churchgoers are Christian in 2022 Gallup data.
- Prayer frequency: 62% of Christians pray daily in 2021 Pew survey.
- Bible reading: 39% of Christians read Scripture daily or most days in 2021.
- Small group participation among Christians is 23% monthly in 2022.
- Tithing: 10% of Christian households give 10% or more to church annually.
- Volunteerism in church: 24% of Christians volunteer weekly in 2021.
- Post-COVID, hybrid attendance (in-person + online) reached 55% for evangelicals in 2022.
- Women attend church more than men: 40% vs 32% weekly among Christians.
- Urban Christians attend at 25% weekly rate vs 35% rural in 2021.
- College-educated Christians attend at 28% weekly vs 35% non-college.
- Southern U.S. Christians attend weekly at 42% rate in 2022.
- Midwest Christians: 34% weekly attendance per 2021 data.
- Northeast: Lowest at 22% weekly church attendance among Christians.
- West Coast Christians: 26% weekly attendance in 2021 surveys.
- Married Christians attend church 15% more frequently than singles.
- Parents with children under 18 attend 12% higher rates.
- 58% of Christians feel a sense of community from church involvement.
- VBS attendance: Over 25 million children participate annually in Christian programs.
- 75% of church leaders report declining in-person attendance post-2022.
- Scripture engagement score for practicing Christians averages 85/100 in 2023.
Church Attendance and Engagement Interpretation
It seems American Christianity is becoming less a weekly service and more a personal subscription model, with attendance becoming a boutique hobby for the devout while the broader flock increasingly logs in, tunes in, or simply opts out.
Denominational Breakdown
- Southern Baptist Convention has 47,000 churches and 13.2 million members in 2023.
- United Methodist Church reports 5.7 million U.S. members in 2022.
- Catholic Church has 1.3 million parishes with 68 million members in U.S.
- Assemblies of God: 13,000 churches, 3 million adherents in 2022.
- Episcopal Church: 1.6 million members across 6,600 congregations in 2023.
- Presbyterian Church (USA): 1.1 million members, 8,700 churches in 2022.
- Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod: 1.8 million members, 5,900 congregations.
- Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: 3.3 million members in 2022.
- Non-denominational churches: 35,000 in U.S. with 12.2 million attendees.
- Church of God (Cleveland): 7 million members worldwide, 1 million U.S.
- African Methodist Episcopal Church: 2.5 million U.S. members.
- National Baptist Convention USA: 7.5 million members claimed.
- Progressive National Baptist Convention: 1 million members.
- Churches of Christ: 1.5 million members, 12,000 congregations.
- Seventh-day Adventists: 1.2 million U.S. members in 2022.
- Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod: 350,000 members.
- Christian Churches and Churches of Christ: 1.1 million members.
- Pentecostal Assemblies of the World: 1.5 million U.S. adherents.
- Orthodox Church in America: 85,000 members in 100 dioceses.
- Presbyterian Church in America: 390,000 members, 1,900 churches.
- Anglican Church in North America: 1,000 churches, 128,000 members.
- Christian Methodist Episcopal Church: 850,000 members.
- International Pentecostal Holiness Church: 300,000 U.S. members.
- Cumberland Presbyterian Church: 65,000 members.
- Reformed Church in America: 140,000 members.
- Mennonite Church USA: 100,000 members in 2022.
- Evangelical Free Church of America: 370,000 members.
- Baptist Bible Fellowship International: 4,500 churches.
- ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians: 130,000 members.
Denominational Breakdown Interpretation
The numbers suggest America is a thriving religious marketplace where, in a divine twist of competitive irony, the one body of Christ is found fractured into countless vibrant, and meticulously counted, pieces.
Population and Membership
- In 2021, 63% of U.S. adults identified as Christians, representing approximately 167 million people based on Census estimates.
- White Christians made up 44% of the U.S. population in 2020, down from 54% in 2006.
- Evangelical Protestants comprise 25% of U.S. adults as of 2021, equating to about 66 million individuals.
- There are over 350,000 Christian congregations in the United States as of 2020.
- Catholics represent 20% of the U.S. population in 2021, or roughly 53 million adults.
- Mainline Protestants account for 14% of U.S. adults in 2021, down from 18% in 2007.
- Black Protestants make up 5% of the U.S. population in 2021, approximately 13 million adults.
- In 2019, 65% of Americans identified as Christian, with 43% being Protestant and 20% Catholic.
- The Christian population in the U.S. declined by 13 percentage points from 2009 to 2019.
- As of 2023, about 40% of U.S. adults under 30 identify as Christian, compared to 80% of those 65 and older.
- Hispanic Catholics constitute 6% of U.S. adults in 2021, or about 16 million people.
- Non-denominational Christians grew to 13% of the U.S. population by 2021.
- In 2020, 47% of U.S. adults were white Christians, a historic low.
- Southern Baptists number about 13.7 million members in 2022 across U.S. churches.
- The U.S. has more than 200 Christian colleges and universities enrolling over 500,000 students annually.
- Pentecostals represent 5% of U.S. adults in 2021, roughly 13 million.
- In 2018, 76% of the U.S. prison population identified as Christian.
- Mormons (LDS) make up 2% of U.S. adults, or 5.2 million in 2021.
- Orthodox Christians are 0.5% of the U.S. population, about 1.3 million adults.
- Jehovah's Witnesses number around 0.8% or 2.1 million U.S. adults in 2021.
- In 2022, 68% of U.S. adults reported a formal religious affiliation, mostly Christian.
- Christian identification among Gen Z (born 1997-2012) is 52% as of 2021.
- Baby Boomers (1946-1964) have 72% Christian identification in 2021.
- Millennials (1981-1996) identify as Christian at 59% rate in 2021.
- Silent Generation (1928-1945) has 82% Christian affiliation in 2021.
- In 2020, 41% of Americans lived in the Bible Belt states with high Christian density.
- California has the largest number of Christians at 10.2 million in 2020.
- Texas follows with 9.8 million Christians in 2020 census data.
- Florida has 7.1 million Christians as of 2020.
- New York state has 5.9 million Christians in 2020.
Population and Membership Interpretation
While the pews are still quite full, America's Christian landscape is looking less like a steady, unified cathedral and more like a dynamic, shifting bazaar where the mainline denominations are politely downsizing, the non-denominationals are setting up vibrant new stalls, and the future congregation is waiting to see what's on offer next.
Trends and Projections
- Christian share of U.S. population projected to fall to 35% by 2070.
- Nones (religiously unaffiliated) rose from 16% in 2007 to 29% in 2021.
- Christian retention rate: 64% of those raised Christian remain so.
- Evangelicalism stable at 25% since 2007, while mainline declined 4 points.
- Catholic retention: 57% of cradle Catholics remain Catholic.
- Non-denominational growth: Up 6 points to 13% since 2007.
- Church closures: 4,500 Protestant churches closed annually 2010-2020.
- Megachurches (2,000+ attendance) grew from 900 in 2000 to 1,800 in 2020.
- Young adult disaffiliation: 40% leave church by age 30 since 2010.
- Immigration boosts Catholic numbers: Hispanics 40% of U.S. Catholics.
- White Christian decline: From 54% in 2006 to 44% in 2020.
- Bible sales peaked in 2020 but declined 22% by 2022.
- Online giving to churches up 55% from 2014 to 2022.
- Multi-site churches: 10% of megachurches, up from 1% in 2000.
- Decline in Sunday School: From 30 million kids in 1990 to 15 million 2020.
- Rise of house churches: 20 million Americans attend weekly by 2020.
- Pandemic acceleration: 30% of churches may close by 2025.
- Gen Z Christian identification down 15 points in decade.
- Political polarization: 81% evangelicals Republican in 2020 vs 34% in 1992.
- Hispanic Protestants grew from 7% to 10% of U.S. adults 2007-2021.
- Mainline Protestant decline projected to 9% by 2070.
- Evangelical stability projected to 24% through 2050.
- Attendance recovery: Only 60% of pre-COVID levels in 2023.
- Dechurched adults: 66 million former Christians since 2000.
- Projections show Christians at 54% by 2025 if trends continue.
Trends and Projections Interpretation
American Christianity is consolidating into a more politicized and efficient operation, like a big-box store thriving while the small-town shops around it board up, even as the overall customer base for the whole mall steadily evaporates.
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