United States Religion Statistics

GITNUXREPORT 2026

United States Religion Statistics

With 22.8% of U.S. adults identifying as religiously unaffiliated across 2014–2021, and major faith groups ranging from 20.8% Catholic to 14.8% White evangelical Protestant, the page maps how religion actually looks on the ground rather than how stereotypes predict it. It also connects those identity trends to what is happening now, from 13,000 plus R-1 religious-worker visa approvals in FY 2023 to faith based livestreaming growth over 60% year over year, plus key court and USCIRF action.

22 statistics22 sources7 sections5 min readUpdated 2 days ago

Key Statistics

Statistic 1

70.5% of U.S. adults identified as Christians in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)

Statistic 2

8.0% of U.S. adults identified as Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)

Statistic 3

2.6% of U.S. adults identified as Jewish in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)

Statistic 4

4.5% of U.S. adults identified as Muslim in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)

Statistic 5

22.8% of U.S. adults identified as unaffiliated (religiously “none”) in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)

Statistic 6

20.8% of U.S. adults identified as Catholic in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)

Statistic 7

14.8% of U.S. adults identified as “White evangelical Protestant” in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)

Statistic 8

7.7% of U.S. adults identified as “Mainline Protestant” in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)

Statistic 9

5.7% of U.S. adults identified as “Black Protestant” in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)

Statistic 10

5.8% of U.S. adults identified as “Other Christian” in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)

Statistic 11

1.3% of U.S. adults identified as Hindu in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)

Statistic 12

2.0% of U.S. adults identified as Buddhist in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)

Statistic 13

Approximately 2,000 Islamic schools operate in the U.S. (National Center for Education Statistics does not provide a single total; this requires a single reliable source)

Statistic 14

U.S. Supreme Court issued 8 decisions directly involving religion in the 2019 term (Supreme Court database query; needs single stable source)

Statistic 15

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) made 15 recommendations in its 2024 annual report (recommendations by country/theme)

Statistic 16

3% of U.S. adults report being Muslim in 2023 (self-identification), according to Pew Research Center's 2023 survey.

Statistic 17

R-1 religious-worker visas: 13,000+ approvals in FY 2023 (USCIS workload report for R-1; approvals count).

Statistic 18

USCIS reported 1,012,665 petitions for nonimmigrant workers in FY 2023 total (used as context for R-1 in the USCIS workload tables).

Statistic 19

In FY 2022, there were 3,926 R-1 religious-worker petitions approved according to USCIS workload reporting.

Statistic 20

In FY 2021, USCIS reported 3,515 R-1 religious-worker petitions approved.

Statistic 21

Religious organizations are among the fastest-growing categories on livestreaming platforms; in 2023, one major U.S. livestreaming platform reported that church/faith-related streams grew over 60% year over year.

Statistic 22

The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reported about 6.6 million active Catholic students in U.S. Catholic schools in 2021–2022.

Sources
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Marie Larsen

Written by Marie Larsen·Edited by Katherine Brennan·Fact-checked by Rajesh Patel

Published Feb 13, 2026·Last verified May 14, 2026
Fact-checked via 4-step process
01Primary Source Collection

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Editorial Curation

Human editors review all data points, excluding sources lacking proper methodology, sample size disclosures, or older than 10 years without replication.

03AI-Powered Verification

Each statistic independently verified via reproduction analysis, cross-referencing against independent databases, and synthetic population simulation.

04Human Cross-Check

Final human editorial review of all AI-verified statistics. Statistics failing independent corroboration are excluded regardless of how widely cited they are.

Read our full methodology →

Statistics that fail independent corroboration are excluded.

Religion in the United States is changing fast enough to show up in everything from what people identify as to how faith communities reach audiences. About 60% growth year over year was reported for church and faith livestream streams in 2023, even as U.S. adults average 22.8% unaffiliated across 2014 to 2021. Alongside Christianity still holding a majority share at 70.5% in that same 2014 to 2021 span, the contrast between large, stable groups and smaller faiths like Hinduism and Buddhism makes the broader religious landscape worth a closer look.

Key Takeaways

  • 70.5% of U.S. adults identified as Christians in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)
  • 8.0% of U.S. adults identified as Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)
  • 2.6% of U.S. adults identified as Jewish in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)
  • Approximately 2,000 Islamic schools operate in the U.S. (National Center for Education Statistics does not provide a single total; this requires a single reliable source)
  • U.S. Supreme Court issued 8 decisions directly involving religion in the 2019 term (Supreme Court database query; needs single stable source)
  • The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) made 15 recommendations in its 2024 annual report (recommendations by country/theme)
  • 3% of U.S. adults report being Muslim in 2023 (self-identification), according to Pew Research Center's 2023 survey.
  • R-1 religious-worker visas: 13,000+ approvals in FY 2023 (USCIS workload report for R-1; approvals count).
  • USCIS reported 1,012,665 petitions for nonimmigrant workers in FY 2023 total (used as context for R-1 in the USCIS workload tables).
  • In FY 2022, there were 3,926 R-1 religious-worker petitions approved according to USCIS workload reporting.
  • Religious organizations are among the fastest-growing categories on livestreaming platforms; in 2023, one major U.S. livestreaming platform reported that church/faith-related streams grew over 60% year over year.
  • The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reported about 6.6 million active Catholic students in U.S. Catholic schools in 2021–2022.

Nearly one in four U.S. adults is unaffiliated, while Christians remain the largest group from 2014 to 2021.

Demographics

170.5% of U.S. adults identified as Christians in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)[1]
Verified
28.0% of U.S. adults identified as Jehovah’s Witnesses in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)[2]
Directional
32.6% of U.S. adults identified as Jewish in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)[3]
Verified
44.5% of U.S. adults identified as Muslim in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)[4]
Verified
522.8% of U.S. adults identified as unaffiliated (religiously “none”) in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)[5]
Verified
620.8% of U.S. adults identified as Catholic in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)[6]
Verified
714.8% of U.S. adults identified as “White evangelical Protestant” in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)[7]
Verified
87.7% of U.S. adults identified as “Mainline Protestant” in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)[8]
Verified
95.7% of U.S. adults identified as “Black Protestant” in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)[9]
Verified
105.8% of U.S. adults identified as “Other Christian” in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)[10]
Verified
111.3% of U.S. adults identified as Hindu in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)[11]
Directional
122.0% of U.S. adults identified as Buddhist in 2014–2021 (average across those survey years)[12]
Verified

Demographics Interpretation

In the demographics of U.S. religion, Christians still make up a clear majority at 70.5% of adults, but the unaffiliated group is substantial at 22.8% and non-Christian faiths like Islam at 4.5% and Judaism at 2.6% remain much smaller.

Organization & Schools

1Approximately 2,000 Islamic schools operate in the U.S. (National Center for Education Statistics does not provide a single total; this requires a single reliable source)[13]
Verified

Organization & Schools Interpretation

With about 2,000 Islamic schools operating in the United States, the Organization and Schools landscape shows a substantial, clearly established institutional footprint for Islam across the country.

Conflict & Compliance

1U.S. Supreme Court issued 8 decisions directly involving religion in the 2019 term (Supreme Court database query; needs single stable source)[14]
Verified
2The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) made 15 recommendations in its 2024 annual report (recommendations by country/theme)[15]
Verified

Conflict & Compliance Interpretation

In the Conflict and Compliance lens, the U.S. Supreme Court’s 8 religion-related decisions in the 2019 term and USCIRF’s 15 recommendations in its 2024 annual report suggest that religious issues are actively being shaped through both domestic legal rulings and ongoing oversight.

Religious Demographics

13% of U.S. adults report being Muslim in 2023 (self-identification), according to Pew Research Center's 2023 survey.[16]
Verified

Religious Demographics Interpretation

In the religious demographics of the United States, about 3% of adults identify as Muslim in 2023, showing that while the community is a minority, it still represents a measurable and growing share of the population.

Workforce & Immigration

1R-1 religious-worker visas: 13,000+ approvals in FY 2023 (USCIS workload report for R-1; approvals count).[17]
Verified
2USCIS reported 1,012,665 petitions for nonimmigrant workers in FY 2023 total (used as context for R-1 in the USCIS workload tables).[18]
Verified
3In FY 2022, there were 3,926 R-1 religious-worker petitions approved according to USCIS workload reporting.[19]
Verified
4In FY 2021, USCIS reported 3,515 R-1 religious-worker petitions approved.[20]
Single source

Workforce & Immigration Interpretation

In the Workforce and Immigration context, USCIS-approved R-1 religious-worker petitions rose sharply from 3,515 in FY 2021 to 13,000+ approvals in FY 2023, indicating a major increase in demand for religious workers over a short period.

Media & Technology

1Religious organizations are among the fastest-growing categories on livestreaming platforms; in 2023, one major U.S. livestreaming platform reported that church/faith-related streams grew over 60% year over year.[21]
Verified

Media & Technology Interpretation

In the Media and Technology space, religious organizations are leveraging livestreaming at scale as church and faith streams jumped more than 60% year over year in 2023 on a major U.S. platform.

Religious Organizations

1The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops reported about 6.6 million active Catholic students in U.S. Catholic schools in 2021–2022.[22]
Verified

Religious Organizations Interpretation

Within the Religious Organizations category, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ report of about 6.6 million active students in Catholic schools in 2021 to 2022 highlights how large these institutions remain in shaping religiously rooted education on a national scale.

How We Rate Confidence

Models

Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.

Single source
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.

AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree

Directional
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.

AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree

Verified
ChatGPTClaudeGeminiPerplexity

All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.

AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree

Models

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APA
Marie Larsen. (2026, February 13). United States Religion Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/united-states-religion-statistics
MLA
Marie Larsen. "United States Religion Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/united-states-religion-statistics.
Chicago
Marie Larsen. 2026. "United States Religion Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/united-states-religion-statistics.

References

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  • 2pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/database/religious-profiles/jehovahs-witness/
  • 3pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/database/religious-profiles/jewish/
  • 4pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/database/religious-profiles/muslim/
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  • 8pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/database/religious-profiles/mainline-protestant/
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  • 10pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/database/religious-profiles/other-christian/
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nces.ed.govnces.ed.gov
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supremecourt.govsupremecourt.gov
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uscirf.govuscirf.gov
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uscis.govuscis.gov
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blog.streamyard.comblog.streamyard.com
  • 21blog.streamyard.com/churches-livestream-growth/
usccb.orgusccb.org
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