With 355 operating temples worldwide as of 2024 and 17,255,394 members reported worldwide as of December 31, 2023, Mormon life is easier to quantify than many traditions. Yet the contrast is just as striking as the counts, from 1833 revelations like the Word of Wisdom to baptism by immersion at age 8 and the idea of three kingdoms of glory. This post stitches together the faith’s most distinctive doctrines and historic milestones into a single, readable statistical snapshot.
Key Takeaways
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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 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
From Joseph Smith to today, Latter-day Saints teach continuous revelation, sacred covenants, and Jesus Christ’s plan.
Related reading
01 · Category
Doctrinal Teachings25 stats
01
The Word of Wisdom was revealed in 1833, prohibiting alcohol, tobacco, coffee, tea
02
God is an exalted man with a tangible body of flesh and bone, taught in Doctrine and Covenants 130:22
03
Humans are literal spirit children of Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother, per modern teachings
04
The Book of Mormon is another testament of Jesus Christ, containing writings of ancient prophets from 600 BC to 421 AD
05
Continuous revelation through living prophets is a core doctrine, with the current prophet holding all keys
06
Baptism by immersion at age 8 or after accountability for remission of sins, per 3 Nephi 11
07
The Atonement of Jesus Christ enables resurrection and exaltation through repentance
08
Three degrees of glory: Celestial, Terrestrial, Telestial kingdoms, per 1 Corinthians 15 and D&C 76
09
Eternal marriage and family sealings in temples are essential for exaltation
10
Priesthood authority restored through Joseph Smith to Joseph Smith from heavenly messengers
11
Tithing is 10% of income, a temple recommend requirement, per Malachi 3:8-10
12
The Fall of Adam introduced mortality and agency, a fortunate step per 2 Nephi 2
13
Pre-mortal existence where spirits chose to follow Christ’s plan
14
Jesus Christ visited the Americas after resurrection, teaching for three days per 3 Nephi
15
Salvation comes through grace after all we can do, per 2 Nephi 25:23
16
The Gathering of Israel includes both spiritual and physical aspects
17
Temples are houses of the Lord for sacred ordinances binding families eternally
18
The First Vision occurred in 1820, where Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ
19
Angels Moroni delivered golden plates in 1827 for translation into Book of Mormon
20
The United Order was a communal economic system practiced in early Church
21
Baptism for the dead allows vicarious ordinances for ancestors, per 1 Corinthians 15:29
22
The Godhead consists of three distinct beings: Father, Son, Holy Ghost, united in purpose
23
Faith, repentance, baptism, Holy Ghost, endure to end are steps to salvation
24
The millennium is a 1,000-year reign of Christ on earth with righteous living terrestrially
25
Exaltation requires celestial marriage and obedience to all covenants
Interpretation
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.
02 · Category
Historical Milestones29 stats
01
Joseph Smith founded the Church on April 6, 1830, in Fayette, New York, with six initial members
02
The Church was formally organized in 1830 with a membership of about 40 by year's end
03
In 1831, the Church moved to Kirtland, Ohio, growing to 680 members by 1834
04
The 1838 Missouri Mormon War led to the expulsion of 12,000 Saints from Missouri under the Extermination Order by Governor Boggs
05
Nauvoo, Illinois, became the largest city in Illinois by 1844 with 12,000 Latter-day Saints
06
Joseph Smith was martyred on June 27, 1844, in Carthage Jail, along with his brother Hyrum
07
Brigham Young led the pioneer trek westward starting February 1846, with 70,000 Saints migrating by 1869
08
The Saints arrived in the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, known as Pioneer Day
09
The First Transcontinental Railroad was completed at Promontory Summit, Utah, on May 10, 1869, with Mormon labor significant
10
Polygamy was publicly announced by Brigham Young in 1852 at a special conference
11
The Manifesto ending plural marriage was issued by Wilford Woodruff on September 25, 1890
12
Utah became a state on January 4, 1896, after renouncing polygamy
13
The Salt Lake Temple was dedicated on April 6, 1893, after 40 years of construction costing $4 million
14
World War II saw 4,000 Mormon servicemen, with the Church building 6 military chapels
15
The first temple outside the US was built in Alberta, Canada, dedicated in 1923
16
The 1978 Revelation on Priesthood extended to all worthy males regardless of race, June 8, 1978
17
The Church Welfare Program was established in 1936 during the Great Depression
18
The Perpetual Education Fund was announced in 2001 by Gordon B. Hinckley for emerging nations
19
The Book of Mormon was first published in 1830 in Palmyra, New York, with 5,000 copies printed
20
The Doctrine and Covenants was first compiled in 1835 with 102 sections
21
The Pearl of Great Price was canonized in 1880, containing writings of Joseph Smith and Moses
22
The Haun's Mill Massacre occurred on October 30, 1838, killing 17 Latter-day Saints
23
The Mountain Meadows Massacre in 1857 resulted in 120 deaths by Mormon militia
24
The Relief Society was organized on March 17, 1842, by Joseph Smith with 20 women
25
The Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association (now Aaronic Priesthood quorum) started in 1875
26
The first stake outside Utah was organized in Hawaii in 1919
27
Gordon B. Hinckley became the 15th President in 1995, overseeing temple building boom
28
The Church's centennial in 1930 saw membership at 670,017
29
The 1837 Kirtland Safety Society bank failure led to economic crisis and apostasy
Interpretation
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.
03 · Category
Membership Statistics29 stats
01
As of December 31, 2023, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reports a total worldwide membership of 17,255,394
02
In 2023, 266,499 children were baptized into the Church at age 8 or younger worldwide
03
The Church added 294,044 convert baptisms in 2023, marking a 12.5% increase from the previous year
04
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
05
As of 2023, there are 6.868 million Church members living outside the United States, comprising 40% of total membership
06
In the United States, Church membership stands at 6.868 million as of 2023, primarily concentrated in the western states
07
Idaho ranks second to Utah with about 460,000 Latter-day Saints, making up 26% of the state's population per 2023 data
08
Approximately 72% of Church members worldwide are active, based on a 2012 Pew survey adjusted for recent trends
09
Women make up 52% of the Church's total membership as reported in 2023 statistical summaries
10
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
11
81% of US Latter-day Saints are white, compared to 65% of the general population, per 2014 Pew Research
12
In Mexico, Church membership reached 1.5 million by 2023, the largest outside the US
13
Brazil has 1.7 million members as of 2023, second largest international membership
14
16.6% of Latter-day Saints in the US have college degrees, slightly above national average per Pew
15
Household income for US Latter-day Saints shows 26% earning over $100k annually vs 19% nationally, per 2014 Pew
16
In 2023, the Church organized 316 stakes worldwide, totaling 3,572 stakes and 41,921 wards and branches
17
Young single adults aged 18-30 number over 1 million worldwide in Church programs
18
Latter-day Saint fertility rate is 3.4 children per woman, highest among US religious groups per 2015 National Survey
19
Retention rate among converts is about 30% after one year, per internal Church studies cited in 2020 reports
20
In Africa, membership grew to 607,448 by 2023, with strong growth in Nigeria and DR Congo
21
Philippines has 850,000 members as of 2023
22
62% of US Latter-day Saints attend church weekly, highest among major faiths per Pew 2014
23
Average family size for Latter-day Saints is 3.4 persons, per 2016 ARIS survey
24
In 2023, 1,571,730 youth aged 12-18 were enrolled in seminary and institute programs
25
Canada has 200,000 members
26
Australia/New Zealand combined have 152,000 members as of 2023
27
6% of US Latter-day Saints are Hispanic/Latino, growing segment per Pew
28
Lifetime baptism-to-adult ratio is 6:1, meaning 6 baptisms per one adult member retained, per Church data
29
In Europe, membership is 566,145 as of 2023
Interpretation
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.
More related reading
04 · Category
Missionary and Global Reach21 stats
01
As of 2023, 114,043 full-time missionaries serve worldwide
02
76,539 senior missionaries (couples over 40) served in 2023
03
Missionary service is 2 years for men aged 18-25, 18 months for women 19+
04
The MTC in Provo trains 75% of missionaries, with 20+ international MTCs
05
Missionaries learn local languages at MTC, e.g., 50+ languages taught
06
Church humanitarian aid totals $2.5 billion since 1985, 3,836 projects in 2023
07
Liahona magazines distributed in 92 languages quarterly to members globally
08
BYU-Idaho has 24,000 students from 130 countries
09
Church owns 2 million acres in Florida from failed resort, used for welfare farms
10
6,800 congregations in 160+ nations as of 2023
11
Missionary work began formally in 1830 with first preaching in New York
12
Polynesia saw first Pacific missions in 1843-44
13
Japan mission opened 1901, first Asian convert in 1904
14
Humanitarian aid reached 191 countries in 2023
15
Perpetual Education Fund has helped 25,000+ students since 2001
16
Church News published weekly since 1931, now digital with global editions
17
FamilySearch indexes 6 billion+ names for genealogy, used by non-members too
18
Light the World initiative raises millions annually for charities since 2016
19
BYU football team represents Church globally, with 60%+ LDS players
20
Church-run hospitals in 20+ countries historically, now focuses on welfare
21
29,000 service missionaries (non-proselytizing) in 2023
Interpretation
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.
05 · Category
Temple and Ordinances20 stats
01
The Church has 355 operating temples as of 2024, with 168 announced or under construction
02
The Salt Lake Temple, largest at dedication, spans 253,015 square feet, dedicated 1893
03
Endowments performed: over 50 million since 1836 Nauvoo Temple beginnings
04
Sealings (marriages) total over 20 million pairs eternally sealed since Nauvoo
05
Baptismal fonts in temples sit on 12 oxen representing tribes of Israel, standard design
06
A temple recommend requires worthiness interview covering Word of Wisdom, tithing, chastity
07
Initiatory ordinances wash and anoint for blessings and covenants
08
The endowment ceremony teaches creation, fall, atonement via symbolic presentation
09
Temples must be dedicated by a prophet or apostle holding keys
10
Proxy ordinances for the dead require genealogical research, over 1 billion performed
11
Celestial room symbolizes God's presence, highest point in temple
12
Sealing rooms accommodate families for eternal marriage ordinances, typically 8-12 seats
13
Nauvoo Temple baptisms for dead numbered 30,000+ before destruction in 1848
14
Temples closed worldwide for endowments during COVID-19 from March 2020 to mid-2021
15
Garments worn daily by endowed members as reminder of covenants
16
100 temples dedicated between 1998-2008 under President Hinckley
17
Ordinance workers serve voluntarily, shifts of 4-6 hours in temples
18
Temples operate Monday-Saturday, 5:30am to 9pm typically
19
Clearing of temple sites involves sacred ground preparation prayers
20
Open houses before dedication attract millions, e.g., Rome Temple 250,000 visitors
Interpretation
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.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Thomas Lindqvist. (2026, February 13). Mormon Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/mormon-statistics
MLA
Thomas Lindqvist. "Mormon Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/mormon-statistics.
Chicago
Thomas Lindqvist. 2026. "Mormon Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/mormon-statistics.
Sources & references
12 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level