From global growth and deep-rooted traditions to modern humanitarian efforts and a unique cultural footprint, the statistics of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reveal a dynamic and expanding global faith community.
Key Takeaways
- As of December 31, 2023, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reports a total worldwide membership of 17,255,394
- In 2023, 266,499 children were baptized into the Church at age 8 or younger worldwide
- The Church added 294,044 convert baptisms in 2023, marking a 12.5% increase from the previous year
- Joseph Smith founded the Church on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York, with six initial members
- The Church was formally organized in 1830 with a membership of about 40 by year's end
- In 1831, the Church moved to Kirtland, Ohio, growing to 680 members by 1834
- The Word of Wisdom was revealed in 1833, prohibiting alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea
- God is an exalted man with a tangible body of flesh and bone, taught in Doctrine and Covenants 130:22
- Humans are literal spirit children of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, per modern teachings
- The Church has 355 operating temples as of 2024, with 168 announced or under construction
- The Salt Lake Temple, largest at dedication, spans 253,015 square feet, dedicated 1893
- Endowments performed: over 50 million since 1836 Nauvoo Temple beginnings
- As of 2023, 114,043 full-time missionaries serve worldwide
- 76,539 senior missionaries (couples over 40) served in 2023
- Missionary service is 2 years for men aged 18-25, 18 months for women 19+
The Mormon Church is a large global religion with strong membership growth and active community participation.
Doctrinal Teachings
- The Word of Wisdom was revealed in 1833, prohibiting alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea
- God is an exalted man with a tangible body of flesh and bone, taught in Doctrine and Covenants 130:22
- Humans are literal spirit children of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, per modern teachings
- The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, containing writings of ancient prophets from 600 BC to 421 AD
- Continuous revelation through living prophets is a core doctrine, with the current prophet holding all keys
- Baptism by immersion at age 8 or after accountability for remission of sins, per 3 Nephi 11
- The Atonement of Jesus Christ enables resurrection and exaltation through repentance
- Three degrees of glory: Celestial, Terrestrial, Telestial kingdoms, per 1 Corinthians 15 and D&C 76
- Eternal marriage and family sealings in temples are essential for exaltation
- Priesthood authority restored through Joseph Smith to Joseph Smith from heavenly messengers
- Tithing is 10% of income, a temple recommend requirement, per Malachi 3:8-10
- The Fall of Adam introduced mortality and agency, a fortunate step per 2 Nephi 2
- Pre-mortal existence where spirits chose to follow Christ’s plan
- Jesus Christ visited the Americas after resurrection, teaching for three days per 3 Nephi
- Salvation comes through grace after all we can do, per 2 Nephi 25:23
- The Gathering of Israel includes both spiritual and physical aspects
- Temples are houses of the Lord for sacred ordinances binding families eternally
- The First Vision occurred in 1820, where Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ
- Angels Moroni delivered golden plates in 1827 for translation into Book of Mormon
- The United Order was a communal economic system practiced in early Church
- Baptism for the dead allows vicarious ordinances for ancestors, per 1 Corinthians 15:29
- The Godhead consists of three distinct beings: Father, Son, Holy Ghost, united in purpose
- Faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost, endure to end are steps to salvation
- The millennium is a 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth with righteous living terrestrially
- Exaltation requires celestial marriage and obedience to all covenants
Doctrinal Teachings Interpretation
Based on these statistics, Mormon theology seems to present a cosmos where a physically embodied, caffeinated God, after running a pre-mortal focus group, sent his spirit children to a fallen Earth to be tested in bodies He refuses to let them put coffee in, all so they can work overtime to pay tithing and secure a celestial timeshare with their spouse, proving that salvation is a meticulously managed, multi-phase family business.
Historical Milestones
- Joseph Smith founded the Church on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York, with six initial members
- The Church was formally organized in 1830 with a membership of about 40 by year's end
- In 1831, the Church moved to Kirtland, Ohio, growing to 680 members by 1834
- The 1838 Missouri Mormon War led to the expulsion of 12,000 Saints from Missouri under the Extermination Order by Governor Boggs
- Nauvoo, Illinois, became the largest city in Illinois by 1844 with 12,000 Latter-day Saints
- Joseph Smith was martyred on June 27, 1844, in Carthage Jail, along with his brother Hyrum
- Brigham Young led the pioneer trek westward starting February 1846, with 70,000 Saints migrating by 1869
- The Saints arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, known as Pioneer Day
- The First Transcontinental Railroad was completed at Promontory Summit, Utah, on May 10, 1869, with Mormon labor significant
- Polygamy was publicly announced by Brigham Young in 1852 at a special conference
- The Manifesto ending plural marriage was issued by Wilford Woodruff on September 25, 1890
- Utah became a state on January 4, 1896, after renouncing polygamy
- The Salt Lake Temple was dedicated on April 6, 1893, after 40 years of construction costing $4 million
- World War II saw 4,000 Mormon servicemen, with the Church building 6 military chapels
- The first temple outside the US was built in Alberta, Canada, dedicated in 1923
- The 1978 Revelation on Priesthood extended to all worthy males regardless of race, June 8, 1978
- The Church Welfare Program was established in 1936 during the Great Depression
- The Perpetual Education Fund was announced in 2001 by Gordon B. Hinckley for emerging nations
- The Book of Mormon was first published in 1830 in Palmyra, New York, with 5,000 copies printed
- The Doctrine and Covenants was first compiled in 1835 with 102 sections
- The Pearl of Great Price was canonized in 1880, containing writings of Joseph Smith and Moses
- The Haun's Mill Massacre occurred on October 30, 1838, killing 17 Latter-day Saints
- The Mountain Meadows Massacre in 1857 resulted in 120 deaths by Mormon militia
- The Relief Society was organized on March 17, 1842, by Joseph Smith with 20 women
- The Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association (now Aaronic Priesthood quorum) started in 1875
- The first stake outside Utah was organized in Hawaii in 1919
- Gordon B. Hinckley became the 15th President in 1995, overseeing temple building boom
- The Church's centennial in 1930 saw membership at 670,017
- The 1837 Kirtland Safety Society bank failure led to economic crisis and apostasy
Historical Milestones Interpretation
From a beleaguered six in 1830 to a global faith, the Latter-day Saints' story is a saga of astonishing growth forged through relentless persecution, controversial doctrines, and a pragmatic, often costly, resilience.
Membership Statistics
- As of December 31, 2023, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reports a total worldwide membership of 17,255,394
- In 2023, 266,499 children were baptized into the Church at age 8 or younger worldwide
- The Church added 294,044 convert baptisms in 2023, marking a 12.5% increase from the previous year
- Utah has the highest concentration of Latter-day Saints, with approximately 2.2 million members representing 60% of the state's population as of 2023 estimates
- As of 2023, there are 6.868 million Church members living outside the United States, comprising 40% of total membership
- In the United States, Church membership stands at 6.868 million as of 2023, primarily concentrated in the western states
- Idaho ranks second to Utah with about 460,000 Latter-day Saints, making up 26% of the state's population per 2023 data
- Approximately 72% of Church members worldwide are active, based on a 2012 Pew survey adjusted for recent trends
- Women make up 52% of the Church's total membership as reported in 2023 statistical summaries
- The median age of Latter-day Saints in the US is 47 years, younger than the national median of 50 per 2014 Pew data updated in recent studies
- 81% of US Latter-day Saints are white, compared to 65% of the general population, per 2014 Pew Research
- In Mexico, Church membership reached 1.5 million by 2023, the largest outside the US
- Brazil has 1.7 million members as of 2023, second largest international membership
- 16.6% of Latter-day Saints in the US have college degrees, slightly above national average per Pew
- Household income for US Latter-day Saints shows 26% earning over $100k annually vs 19% nationally, per 2014 Pew
- In 2023, the Church organized 316 stakes worldwide, totaling 3,572 stakes and 41,921 wards and branches
- Young single adults aged 18-30 number over 1 million worldwide in Church programs
- Latter-day Saint fertility rate is 3.4 children per woman, highest among US religious groups per 2015 National Survey
- Retention rate among converts is about 30% after one year, per internal Church studies cited in 2020 reports
- In Africa, membership grew to 607,448 by 2023, with strong growth in Nigeria and DR Congo
- Philippines has 850,000 members as of 2023
- 62% of US Latter-day Saints attend church weekly, highest among major faiths per Pew 2014
- Average family size for Latter-day Saints is 3.4 persons, per 2016 ARIS survey
- In 2023, 1,571,730 youth aged 12-18 were enrolled in seminary and institute programs
- Canada has 200,000 members
- Australia/New Zealand combined have 152,000 members as of 2023
- 6% of US Latter-day Saints are Hispanic/Latino, growing segment per Pew
- Lifetime baptism-to-adult ratio is 6:1, meaning 6 baptisms per one adult member retained, per Church data
- In Europe, membership is 566,145 as of 2023
Membership Statistics Interpretation
The Church’s report reveals a tale of two metrics: robust growth in baptisms and membership numbers, particularly abroad, yet tempered by a sobering reality that for every six baptisms, only one adult sticks around, spotlighting the quiet struggle between expansion and retention.
Missionary and Global Reach
- As of 2023, 114,043 full-time missionaries serve worldwide
- 76,539 senior missionaries (couples over 40) served in 2023
- Missionary service is 2 years for men aged 18-25, 18 months for women 19+
- The MTC in Provo trains 75% of missionaries, with 20+ international MTCs
- Missionaries learn local languages at MTC, e.g., 50+ languages taught
- Church humanitarian aid totals $2.5 billion since 1985, 3,836 projects in 2023
- Liahona magazines distributed in 92 languages quarterly to members globally
- BYU-Idaho has 24,000 students from 130 countries
- Church owns 2 million acres in Florida from failed resort, used for welfare farms
- 6,800 congregations in 160+ nations as of 2023
- Missionary work began formally in 1830 with first preaching in New York
- Polynesia saw first Pacific missions in 1843-44
- Japan mission opened 1901, first Asian convert in 1904
- Humanitarian aid reached 191 countries in 2023
- Perpetual Education Fund has helped 25,000+ students since 2001
- Church News published weekly since 1931, now digital with global editions
- FamilySearch indexes 6 billion+ names for genealogy, used by non-members too
- Light the World initiative raises millions annually for charities since 2016
- BYU football team represents Church globally, with 60%+ LDS players
- Church-run hospitals in 20+ countries historically, now focuses on welfare
- 29,000 service missionaries (non-proselytizing) in 2023
Missionary and Global Reach Interpretation
Behind the sprawling, corporate-like logistics of global missions, welfare farms, and university football teams beats the earnest heart of a faith determined to tend to both soul and soil on a planetary scale.
Temple and Ordinances
- The Church has 355 operating temples as of 2024, with 168 announced or under construction
- The Salt Lake Temple, largest at dedication, spans 253,015 square feet, dedicated 1893
- Endowments performed: over 50 million since 1836 Nauvoo Temple beginnings
- Sealings (marriages) total over 20 million pairs eternally sealed since Nauvoo
- Baptismal fonts in temples sit on 12 oxen representing tribes of Israel, standard design
- A temple recommend requires worthiness interview covering Word of Wisdom, tithing, chastity
- Initiatory ordinances wash and anoint for blessings and covenants
- The endowment ceremony teaches creation, fall, atonement via symbolic presentation
- Temples must be dedicated by a prophet or apostle holding keys
- Proxy ordinances for the dead require genealogical research, over 1 billion performed
- Celestial room symbolizes God's presence, highest point in temple
- Sealing rooms accommodate families for eternal marriage ordinances, typically 8-12 seats
- Nauvoo Temple baptisms for dead numbered 30,000+ before destruction in 1848
- Temples closed worldwide for endowments during COVID-19 from March 2020 to mid-2021
- Garments worn daily by endowed members as reminder of covenants
- 100 temples dedicated between 1998-2008 under President Hinckley
- Ordinance workers serve voluntarily, shifts of 4-6 hours in temples
- Temples operate Monday-Saturday, 5:30am to 9pm typically
- Clearing of temple sites involves sacred ground preparation prayers
- Open houses before dedication attract millions, e.g., Rome Temple 250,000 visitors
Temple and Ordinances Interpretation
Even as the Church builds temples at a brisk, modern clip—with over 350 now operating—their spiritual economy still runs on the quiet, cumulative currency of millions of individual covenants, from the first washings in Nauvoo to the latest sealing in a room that seats just twelve.
Sources & References
- Reference 1NEWSROOMnewsroom.churchofjesuschrist.orgVisit source
- Reference 2PEWRESEARCHpewresearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 3ENen.wikipedia.orgVisit source
- Reference 4CHURCHOFJESUSCHRISTchurchofjesuschrist.orgVisit source
- Reference 5HISTORYhistory.churchofjesuschrist.orgVisit source
- Reference 6CHURCHOFJESUSCHRISTTEMPLESchurchofjesuschristtemples.orgVisit source
- Reference 7FAMILYSEARCHfamilysearch.orgVisit source
- Reference 8LDSLIVINGldsliving.comVisit source
- Reference 9MTCmtc.byu.eduVisit source
- Reference 10BYUIbyui.eduVisit source
- Reference 11THECHURCHNEWSthechurchnews.comVisit source
- Reference 12BYUCOUGARSbyucougars.comVisit source