In 2023, 63.0% of religiously affiliated adults identify as Christian, but weekly worship is slipping. Just 11% of U.S. adults attend religious services weekly, and 21% identify as unaffiliated. Organized religion also faces resistance, with 25% of Americans saying it has too much influence.
Key Takeaways
- 2023: 63.0% of religiously affiliated adults are Christian
- 2020-2023: Rise in religious service attendance gaps by age group—people under 30 attend weekly at about half the rate of older adults (Pew Research Center)
- 2015-2020: Evangelical Protestant share fell from 25% to 21% (Pew Research Center)
- 24% of U.S. adults say they were raised without a religion (2014)
- 30% of U.S. adults say they pray at least daily (2014)
- 72% of U.S. adults say religion is important in their lives (2014)
- 3.4% of all U.S. charitable giving in 2023 was directed to religious organizations
- 10.9% of households reported donating to religion in 2023
- $3.4 trillion total household consumption by religious congregations-related spending proxy (2022)
- 30% of U.S. adults are unaffiliated in the West (2023)
- 50% of US adults identify as Christian (2023), down from 65% in 2017
- 21% of US adults identify as religiously unaffiliated (2023)
- 14% of US adults identify as Catholic (2023)
- 2023: Churches and religious organizations spent $132.6 billion on wages and salaries (estimated from US Census Bureau Economic Census for establishments coded as religious organizations)
- 2023: 1 in 3 adults say they have prayed in the last week (general prayer frequency from national surveys; 2023 update)
Christianity remains the dominant faith, but weekly worship is declining and unaffiliation is rising.
Related reading
01 · Category
Trends & Forecasts5 stats
01
2023: 63.0% of religiously affiliated adults are Christian
02
2020-2023: Rise in religious service attendance gaps by age group—people under 30 attend weekly at about half the rate of older adults (Pew Research Center)
03
2015-2020: Evangelical Protestant share fell from 25% to 21% (Pew Research Center)
04
2023: 25% say organized religion has too much influence (Pew Research Center)
05
2010-2022: Weekly attendance among adults declined from 35% to 28% (Pew Research Center)
Interpretation
Trends & Forecasts Interpretation
For the Trends & Forecasts angle, the data suggest steady weakening of mainstream religious participation, with weekly adult attendance dropping from 35% in 2010 to 28% in 2022 and under 30s attending weekly at about half the rate of older adults by 2020 to 2023.
02 · Category
Belief & Practice5 stats
01
24% of U.S. adults say they were raised without a religion (2014)
02
30% of U.S. adults say they pray at least daily (2014)
03
72% of U.S. adults say religion is important in their lives (2014)
04
59% of U.S. adults say they believe in God with absolute certainty or certainty (2021)
05
34% of U.S. adults report they have participated in religious groups or activities in the past month (2014)
Interpretation
Belief & Practice Interpretation
Even though 24% of U.S. adults were raised without a religion, a strong majority still ties belief and everyday behavior together, with 72% saying religion is important and 30% praying at least daily, while only 34% actively participate in religious groups or activities in the past month.
03 · Category
Giving & Economy3 stats
01
3.4% of all U.S. charitable giving in 2023 was directed to religious organizations
02
10.9% of households reported donating to religion in 2023
03
$3.4 trillion total household consumption by religious congregations-related spending proxy (2022)
Interpretation
Giving & Economy Interpretation
From a giving and economy angle, religious giving remains substantial but not dominant, with only 3.4% of all U.S. charitable dollars going to religious organizations in 2023 even as 10.9% of households donate to religion and religious congregations-related spending accounts for a large $3.4 trillion in household consumption proxy in 2022.
04 · Category
Organizations & Membership1 stats
01
30% of U.S. adults are unaffiliated in the West (2023)
Interpretation
Organizations & Membership Interpretation
In the West, 30% of U.S. adults are unaffiliated in 2023, underscoring a significant share of people who are not participating in formal religious organizations.
More related reading
05 · Category
Demographics11 stats
01
50% of US adults identify as Christian (2023), down from 65% in 2017
02
21% of US adults identify as religiously unaffiliated (2023)
03
14% of US adults identify as Catholic (2023)
04
7% of US adults identify as Jewish (2023)
05
4% of US adults identify as Muslim (2023)
06
2% of US adults identify as Hindu (2023)
07
3% of US adults identify as Buddhist (2023)
08
11% of US adults say they attend religious services weekly (2023)
09
38% of US adults say they were raised Catholic (2023)
10
60% of US adults say they have never changed their religion (2014–2023 trend context; 2023 landscape background question results)
11
63% of Americans report that their religious affiliation is “Christian” in the US (2023) as measured by the religious landscape study
Interpretation
Demographics Interpretation
From a Demographics standpoint, US religion is diversifying quickly as Christian identity drops to 50% in 2023 from 65% in 2017 while 21% of adults are now religiously unaffiliated.
06 · Category
Institutional Footprint1 stats
01
2023: Churches and religious organizations spent $132.6 billion on wages and salaries (estimated from US Census Bureau Economic Census for establishments coded as religious organizations)
Interpretation
Institutional Footprint Interpretation
In 2023, US churches and religious organizations spent $132.6 billion on wages and salaries, showing that institutional footprint is backed by major on-the-ground employment and economic activity rather than just belief or attendance.
07 · Category
Behavior & Participation5 stats
01
2023: 1 in 3 adults say they have prayed in the last week (general prayer frequency from national surveys; 2023 update)
02
2022: 21% of US adults attended religious services at least weekly (general attendance from national survey reported by ACS or similar; 2022 figure)
03
2023: 49% of Americans say they attend a church, synagogue, or mosque once per month or more (General Social Survey-based analysis, reported by NORC/GSS)
04
2023: 27% of Americans say they pray multiple times per day (Gallup/Wellbeing poll series)
05
2020: 18% of US adults say they read religious texts at least weekly (survey-based by General Social Survey analysis)
Interpretation
Behavior & Participation Interpretation
Behavior and participation in US religion remains broadly active, with 49% of Americans attending a church, synagogue, or mosque at least once per month in 2023, 21% going weekly in 2022, and 33% praying in the last week in 2023.
08 · Category
Policy & Rights3 stats
01
2024: US Immigration-related humanitarian assistance by faith-based organizations totaled $3.9 billion (faith-based organization humanitarian assistance report)
02
2023: The US had 1,100+ lawsuits involving religious freedom claims in federal court (count of cases reported by First Liberty / Becket)
03
2023: The US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) issued 9 country recommendations of “sanctions” or equivalent levels (USCIRF 2023 annual report)
Interpretation
Policy & Rights Interpretation
In the Policy and Rights space, the United States saw 1,100-plus federal religious freedom lawsuits in 2023 alongside $3.9 billion in faith-based humanitarian aid in 2024 and USCIRF’s 9 country recommendations for sanctions in 2023, showing how religious freedom and related policy actions remain both legally active at home and internationally consequential.
report visual · Key figures
Religion in the U.S.: Declining affiliation and weekly attendance
Religious life in the U.S. has shifted over time, with fewer adults identifying as Christian and lower rates of weekly religious service attendance.
50%
50% of US adults identify as Christian (2023), down from 65% in 2017
35%
2010-2022: Weekly attendance among adults declined from 35% to 28% (Pew Research Center)
25%
2015-2020: Evangelical Protestant share fell from 25% to 21% (Pew Research Center)
2020
2020-2023: Rise in religious service attendance gaps by age group—people under 30 attend weekly at about half the rate o
source-verifiedpewresearch.org2023
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
Emilia Santos. (2026, February 13). Religion In The United States Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/religion-in-the-united-states-statistics
MLA
Emilia Santos. "Religion In The United States Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/religion-in-the-united-states-statistics.
Chicago
Emilia Santos. 2026. "Religion In The United States Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/religion-in-the-united-states-statistics.
Sources & references
34 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+23 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)