Religion across the states
The 2020 U.S. Religion Census counted 161.2 million adherents of local congregations, 48.6% of the population. The share ranged from 76.1% in Utah to 27.2% in New Hampshire1. These are counts that religious bodies keep of the people tied to their congregations, not answers to a survey about faith, so they show where organized congregations are strong rather than how religious people are.
Data as of March 31, 2023 (newest release used on this page).
Source: Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), U.S. Religion Census; Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files. Darker states are higher; DC is the dot. Period: 2020.
Show the numbers
| State | Religious adherents (% of residents) |
|---|---|
| Utah | 76.1% |
| Alabama | 63.6% |
| Louisiana | 63.3% |
| Oklahoma | 61.2% |
| Mississippi | 59.4% |
| Arkansas | 57.8% |
| District of Columbia | 56.4% |
| Tennessee | 55.6% |
| South Dakota | 55.4% |
| Texas | 55.1% |
| North Dakota | 55.0% |
| Idaho | 52.7% |
| South Carolina | 52.7% |
| New Mexico | 52.5% |
| New Jersey | 52.2% |
| North Carolina | 52.1% |
| Rhode Island | 51.5% |
| New York | 51.2% |
| Illinois | 50.8% |
| Georgia | 50.8% |
| Minnesota | 49.5% |
| Kentucky | 49.4% |
| Nebraska | 49.3% |
| Massachusetts | 48.6% |
| Missouri | 48.4% |
| Wisconsin | 48.0% |
| Ohio | 47.9% |
| Connecticut | 47.4% |
| Florida | 47.1% |
| Pennsylvania | 46.9% |
| Kansas | 46.0% |
| Virginia | 46.0% |
| Iowa | 44.9% |
| California | 44.8% |
| Arizona | 44.1% |
| Maryland | 43.5% |
| Indiana | 42.1% |
| Nevada | 41.6% |
| Hawaii | 41.5% |
| Delaware | 41.4% |
| Washington | 41.3% |
| Wyoming | 40.4% |
| Michigan | 39.7% |
| West Virginia | 37.8% |
| Vermont | 37.6% |
| Colorado | 35.4% |
| Alaska | 35.2% |
| Montana | 34.8% |
| Oregon | 33.2% |
| Maine | 30.8% |
| New Hampshire | 27.2% |
Where each tradition is strongest
The U.S. Religion Census groups congregations into six religious traditions, as classified by the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA). Nationally, Catholic parishes counted the most adherents (18.7% of residents), followed by Evangelical Protestant churches (16.5%). Mainline Protestant churches counted 5.2%, historically Black Protestant churches 2.2% and Orthodox churches 0.35%. The remaining 5.7%1 belong to other traditions, a broad group that includes Latter-day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist congregations.
| Tradition | Adherents | Share of residents | Share of adherents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catholic | 61,858,937 | 18.7% | 38.4% |
| Evangelical Protestant | 54,652,238 | 16.5% | 33.9% |
| Other traditions | 18,959,242 | 5.7% | 11.8% |
| Mainline Protestant | 17,184,424 | 5.2% | 10.7% |
| Black Protestant | 7,404,653 | 2.2% | 4.6% |
| Orthodox Christian | 1,164,594 | 0.35% | 0.72% |
| All adherents | 161,224,087 | 48.6% | 100% |
Source: Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), U.S. Religion Census. Traditions as classified by the ARDA (Steensland et al. scheme; "Other" includes Latter-day Saints, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist groups). Adherents are counted by religious bodies for their congregations (members, children and others who take part, as each body defines them), not a survey of what people believe; some bodies did not take part or were estimated, and one person can be counted by more than one body. Shares use the 2020 Census population.
The map of traditions follows the country's history of settlement:
- Evangelical Protestant is the largest tradition in 21 states and the District of Columbia, across the South, the lower Midwest and the Northwest. Its share peaks in Alabama (42.1%) and Oklahoma (41.9%).
- Catholic leads in 25 states: every state of the Northeast, most of the upper Midwest, the Southwest, California and Hawaii, and Florida, Louisiana, Maryland and Delaware. Rhode Island has the highest Catholic share (40.6%); Mississippi the lowest (3.4%).
- Mainline Protestant churches, mostly Lutheran and Methodist, are strongest on the northern Plains: North Dakota (21.0%), South Dakota and Iowa. Iowa is the only state where they form the largest tradition.
- Black Protestant churches count the highest shares in District of Columbia (10.4%), Mississippi and Alabama.
- Other traditions lead only in Idaho, Utah and Wyoming, because The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints belongs to this group. It counted 65.0% of Utah's residents and 25.1%1 of Idaho's.
| Utah | 76.1% | 2.0% | 6.5% | 0.5% | 0.1% | 66.8% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 63.6% | 42.1% | 5.0% | 6.5% | 7.7% | 2.3% |
| Louisiana | 63.3% | 25.0% | 26.8% | 3.6% | 5.4% | 2.4% |
| Oklahoma | 61.2% | 41.9% | 6.9% | 7.7% | 1.7% | 2.9% |
| Mississippi | 59.4% | 39.0% | 3.4% | 6.6% | 8.7% | 1.7% |
| Arkansas | 57.8% | 38.3% | 5.1% | 5.5% | 6.3% | 2.4% |
| District of Columbia | 56.4% | 15.2% | 11.9% | 10.0% | 10.4% | 7.1% |
| Tennessee | 55.6% | 36.4% | 4.0% | 6.5% | 5.7% | 2.7% |
| South Dakota | 55.4% | 20.2% | 15.0% | 17.9% | 0.1% | 1.9% |
| Texas | 55.1% | 23.5% | 20.3% | 4.5% | 2.3% | 4.3% |
| North Dakota | 55.0% | 10.8% | 21.2% | 21.0% | 0.1% | 2.0% |
| Idaho | 52.7% | 12.4% | 11.1% | 2.7% | 0.1% | 26.5% |
| South Carolina | 52.7% | 29.0% | 8.0% | 7.4% | 5.6% | 2.6% |
| New Mexico | 52.5% | 12.9% | 29.9% | 2.3% | 0.5% | 6.9% |
| New Jersey | 52.2% | 5.1% | 32.0% | 4.2% | 1.7% | 8.3% |
| North Carolina | 52.1% | 26.6% | 8.9% | 9.1% | 3.7% | 3.7% |
| Rhode Island | 51.5% | 3.8% | 40.6% | 3.8% | 0.1% | 2.4% |
| New York | 51.2% | 5.2% | 30.6% | 3.7% | 1.4% | 9.8% |
| Illinois | 50.8% | 11.8% | 24.2% | 5.2% | 3.0% | 6.2% |
| Georgia | 50.8% | 26.3% | 8.4% | 6.6% | 5.2% | 4.2% |
| Minnesota | 49.5% | 11.8% | 19.5% | 13.6% | 0.4% | 4.0% |
| Kentucky | 49.4% | 31.4% | 7.9% | 5.5% | 2.4% | 2.1% |
| Nebraska | 49.3% | 14.4% | 19.1% | 12.0% | 0.8% | 2.9% |
| Massachusetts | 48.6% | 3.7% | 35.5% | 3.3% | 0.3% | 5.1% |
| Missouri | 48.4% | 24.1% | 12.5% | 5.7% | 2.6% | 3.4% |
| Wisconsin | 48.0% | 14.5% | 21.0% | 8.4% | 1.0% | 2.9% |
| Ohio | 47.9% | 19.7% | 15.4% | 6.8% | 2.4% | 3.1% |
| Connecticut | 47.4% | 6.9% | 28.4% | 5.8% | 1.5% | 4.2% |
| Florida | 47.1% | 18.4% | 19.0% | 3.1% | 2.4% | 3.8% |
| Pennsylvania | 46.9% | 9.8% | 21.9% | 9.9% | 1.3% | 3.6% |
| Kansas | 46.0% | 17.3% | 14.1% | 9.6% | 2.0% | 2.8% |
| Virginia | 46.0% | 20.3% | 10.3% | 8.1% | 2.0% | 4.9% |
| Iowa | 44.9% | 11.1% | 14.7% | 15.7% | 0.7% | 2.5% |
| California | 44.8% | 9.0% | 26.2% | 1.4% | 1.2% | 6.4% |
| Arizona | 44.1% | 10.6% | 21.3% | 1.6% | 0.4% | 9.9% |
| Maryland | 43.5% | 11.4% | 14.7% | 6.4% | 3.5% | 7.0% |
| Indiana | 42.1% | 18.3% | 11.5% | 6.8% | 3.0% | 2.3% |
| Nevada | 41.6% | 6.8% | 24.7% | 1.0% | 0.4% | 8.2% |
| Hawaii | 41.5% | 9.3% | 18.5% | 2.3% | 0.3% | 11.1% |
| Delaware | 41.4% | 9.1% | 19.9% | 6.4% | 1.7% | 4.0% |
| Washington | 41.3% | 20.5% | 10.7% | 2.6% | 0.4% | 6.8% |
| Wyoming | 40.4% | 11.2% | 12.0% | 4.1% | 0.3% | 12.7% |
| Michigan | 39.7% | 12.1% | 14.8% | 4.7% | 3.2% | 4.4% |
| West Virginia | 37.8% | 16.8% | 5.6% | 12.2% | 1.3% | 1.7% |
| Vermont | 37.6% | 7.3% | 20.9% | 5.6% | 0.0% | 3.8% |
| Colorado | 35.4% | 11.7% | 15.1% | 2.9% | 0.5% | 4.8% |
| Alaska | 35.2% | 17.9% | 5.5% | 3.0% | 0.8% | 6.5% |
| Montana | 34.8% | 13.7% | 10.4% | 4.7% | 0.1% | 6.0% |
| Oregon | 33.2% | 12.8% | 11.3% | 2.2% | 0.3% | 6.4% |
| Maine | 30.8% | 6.1% | 16.1% | 4.9% | 0.1% | 3.5% |
| New Hampshire | 27.2% | 4.8% | 16.0% | 4.1% | 0.0% | 1.9% |
| United States | 48.6% | 16.5% | 18.7% | 5.2% | 2.2% | 5.7% |
Source: Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), U.S. Religion Census.
The largest churches
The Catholic Church is by far the largest single body, with 61,858,137 adherents in 19,405 parishes. Non-denominational churches together count 21,095,641, the Southern Baptist Convention 17,649,040 and The United Methodist Church 8,018,629. The Southern Baptist Convention has the most congregations of any body (51,3791).
| Catholic Church | 19,405 | 61,858,137 | 18.7% | 38.4% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Non-denominational Christian churches | 44,319 | 21,095,641 | 6.4% | 13.1% |
| Southern Baptist Convention | 51,379 | 17,649,040 | 5.3% | 10.9% |
| The United Methodist Church | 30,051 | 8,018,629 | 2.4% | 5.0% |
| The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints | 14,567 | 6,721,031 | 2.0% | 4.2% |
| Muslims (estimate from the 2020 mosque study) | 2,771 | 4,453,908 | 1.3% | 2.8% |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | 8,857 | 3,139,413 | 0.95% | 1.9% |
| Assemblies of God | 12,739 | 3,094,547 | 0.93% | 1.9% |
| Jehovah's Witnesses | 12,285 | 3,016,924 | 0.91% | 1.9% |
| National Missionary Baptist Convention, Inc. | 7,564 | 2,428,820 | 0.73% | 1.5% |
| Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod | 5,897 | 1,802,680 | 0.54% | 1.1% |
| Episcopal Church | 6,353 | 1,576,611 | 0.48% | 0.98% |
Source: Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), U.S. Religion Census. Adherents are counted by religious bodies for their congregations (members, children and others who take part, as each body defines them), not a survey of what people believe; some bodies did not take part or were estimated, and one person can be counted by more than one body. Shares use the 2020 Census population. Synagogue and mosque counts are not estimates of the Jewish or Muslim population. 156 further bodies reported congregations but no adherents.
The study gathered adherent counts from 216 bodies; 156 more reported only their congregations (27,0101 in all), so their members are missing from every adherent figure on this site.
Most and least religious states: what the numbers can and cannot say
Readers often ask which states are the most or least religious. The adherence rate answers a narrower question: what share of residents a congregation counts as its own. Membership is one part of religion, but belief, prayer and attendance are others, and only surveys of individuals measure those.
With that limit in mind, the pattern is clear. Utah (76.1%) is followed by four Southern states: Alabama, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Mississippi. The lowest shares are in northern New England, the Northwest and Alaska: New Hampshire (27.2%), Maine, Oregon, Montana and Alaska1. The religious adherence ranking lists every state.
Several things make the rate an imperfect guide even to membership:
- Not every body is counted. The study asked every religious body it could identify to take part, but some declined, did not reply or could not be reached. Its own documentation says that several large historically African American denominations are under-represented, and three could not be included at all.
- Some counts are estimates. Catholic totals were estimated by a committee of researchers diocese by diocese and are described by the study as conservative. Non-denominational churches were compiled from lists and phone and web checks. Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist figures come from separate counts of mosques and temples.
- Definitions differ. Each body reports its own adherents: some count baptized children, others only adult members, and the study adds an estimate of children and regular participants where a body counts only full members.
- People can be counted twice, for example if they keep a membership in one place and attend in another, and congregations are counted where they meet, not where their members live.
The residents not counted as adherents, 51.4%1 nationally, are therefore not the share with no religion. They include members of bodies that did not report and people who identify with a faith without belonging to a congregation.
Jewish and Muslim communities
The study's figures for synagogues and mosques are counts of congregational affiliation, and its documentation says plainly that they are not estimates of the Jewish or Muslim population.
- Synagogues of the four main movements and independent synagogues counted 2,068,827 adherents. New York had the most (763,078, 3.78% of residents), followed by New Jersey and California. Chabad centers were counted as congregations only.
- Mosques: the 2020 mosque study estimated 4,453,908 people taking part in mosques. The largest numbers were in New York (724,475), California and Illinois; as a share of residents, Illinois (3.70%) and New York (3.59%1) were highest.
Change since 2010
The previous Religion Census, in 2010, counted 48.8% of residents as adherents, against 48.6% in 2020. Mainline Protestant churches fell from 7.3% to 5.2% of the population and Catholic parishes from 19.1%3 to 18.7%1. The two studies differ in which bodies took part and how some were counted: far more historically African American and non-denominational congregations were counted in 2020. Part of every change is therefore a change in coverage, and the 2010 figures are shown only for comparison.
Survey-based estimates
The Religion Census counts congregations; it does not ask people what they believe. For estimates of religious identity, belief and practice among adults in each state, see the Pew Research Center Religious Landscape Study, a large national survey with state pages. Its figures measure something different and are not comparable one-to-one with the counts here, which is why this site does not mix the two.
About the source
All figures come from the U.S. Religion Census: Religious Congregations and Membership Study, 2020, designed and carried out by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies and distributed by the ARDA, which corrected the religious tradition variables in September 2026; this site uses the corrected file. We compute every share ourselves from adherents and the 2020 Census population. The full citation is at the foot of this page, and the ARDA's terms for citing its data are followed on every page that uses these figures. The methodology explains the calculations, and the data downloads include every religious body by state.
Questions about religion by state
What is the most religious state?
No official statistic measures how religious people are. On congregational membership, Utah ranks first: religious bodies counted 76.1% of its residents as adherents in 2020, ahead of Alabama (63.6%) and Louisiana (63.3%1). Surveys that ask about belief, prayer and attendance are a different measure and can rank states differently.
What is the least religious state?
On the same measure, New Hampshire has the lowest share of residents counted by congregations (27.2%), followed by Maine (30.8%) and Oregon (33.2%1). A low share means fewer people are on congregations' books, not that the rest have no religion.
What is the largest religion in each state?
By adherents, the Catholic Church is the largest single body in 36 states and the District of Columbia. The Southern Baptist Convention leads in 9 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee), non-denominational churches in 3 states (Alaska, Washington and West Virginia) and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Idaho and Utah1.
What percent of Americans are Christian?
Christian congregations counted 152.2 million adherents in 2020, 45.9%1 of the population. That is a count of people known to congregations; it is lower than survey figures for the share of adults who call themselves Christian, because many people identify with a faith without belonging to a congregation.
Rankings on this topic
Sources
- Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), U.S. Religion Census; table RCMSST20; 2020; released March 31, 2023. www.thearda.com
- Census Bureau, 2024 Cartographic Boundary Files; table cb_2024_us_state_20m; 2024; released April 10, 2025. www2.census.gov
- Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), U.S. Religion Census; table RCMSST10; 2010; released December 11, 2018. www.thearda.com
Citation: Grammich, C. A., Dollhopf, E., Gautier, M., Houseal, R., Jones, D. E., Krindatch, A., ... Thumma, S. (2023, March 31). U.S. Religion Census - Religious Congregations and Membership Study, 2020 (State File). DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/6PGRZ. The data were downloaded from the Association of Religion Data Archives, www.theARDA.com, and were collected by Clifford A. Grammich, Erica Dollhopf, Mary Gautier, Richard Houseal, Dale E. Jones, Alexei Krindatch, Richie Stanley and Scott Thumma for the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB).
Citation: Grammich, C., Hadaway, K., Houseal, R., Jones, D. E., Krindatch, A., Stanley, R., & Taylor, R. H. (2018, December 11). U.S. Religion Census Religious Congregations and Membership Study, 2010 (State File). DOI 10.17605/OSF.IO/X8D69. The data were downloaded from the Association of Religion Data Archives, www.theARDA.com, and were collected by Clifford Grammich, Kirk Hadaway, Richard Houseal, Dale E. Jones, Alexei Krindatch, Richie Stanley and Richard H. Taylor for the ASARB.
Margins of error (±) are at the 90% confidence level. A difference is called significant only when it passes the Census Bureau's test at that level. How every figure is built: methodology. Found an error? Write to [email protected]; corrections are listed on the updates page.