Number of Christians in the US 2025 | Statistics & Facts

Christians in the US 2025

The religious landscape of America continues to evolve in ways that reflect broader cultural and demographic shifts across the nation. As we progress through 2025, understanding the number of Christians in the US 2025 becomes increasingly important for researchers, policymakers, community leaders, and anyone interested in the social fabric of American society. The data reveals a fascinating picture of faith in modern America, where traditional religious affiliations remain significant yet face ongoing transformation driven by generational change, political realignment, and shifting cultural values.

Christianity remains the dominant religious tradition in the United States, though its share of the population has experienced notable changes over the past two decades. Current research from leading institutions shows that approximately 62% to 65% of American adults identify as Christian in 2025, representing roughly 210 million to 220 million people based on the current US population of approximately 342 million. This figure encompasses a diverse array of traditions including Protestant denominations, Catholic communities, Orthodox Christians, and other Christian groups. The stability observed in recent years marks a potential plateauing after decades of steady decline, though experts caution that underlying demographic trends suggest continued shifts may lie ahead.

Interesting Stats & Facts About Christians in the US 2025

Data Sources: Pew Research Center 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study (February 2025), PRRI 2024 Census of American Religion (2024), U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates (2025)

The data presented above reveals compelling patterns in American religious life. Christianity remains deeply woven into the national identity, with more than 6 in 10 Americans claiming Christian affiliation. However, the composition of this Christian population has shifted dramatically over recent decades. White Christians now constitute 40-41% of the population, down from much higher percentages in previous generations, while Christians of color have maintained a steady presence at around 25% of all Americans. This demographic shift reflects broader changes in American society, including immigration patterns, differential birth rates, and varying rates of religious retention across ethnic communities.

The practice and belief dimensions of Christianity show remarkable resilience even as formal affiliation numbers decline. 44% of all US adults engage in daily prayer, and 33% attend religious services monthly, indicating that substantial portions of the population maintain active spiritual lives. Even more striking, 83% of Americans believe in God or a universal spirit, and 86% believe people possess a soul or spirit beyond their physical body. These figures suggest that while institutional Christianity may face challenges, spiritual consciousness and supernatural belief remain deeply embedded in American culture. The fact that 35% of adults have switched religious affiliations since childhood demonstrates both the fluidity of American religious identity and the competitive spiritual marketplace in which various traditions vie for adherents.

Christian Denomination Breakdown in the US 2025

Data Source: Pew Research Center 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, PRRI 2024 Census

The denominational landscape of American Christianity tells a story of significant realignment and change. Protestant Christians collectively represent 40% of the US population, approximately 136 million people, making Protestantism still the largest religious tradition in America. However, this broad category masks important internal dynamics. Evangelical Protestants have declined from 26% to 23% of the population, representing roughly 78 million Americans, while Mainline Protestants have experienced an even steeper drop from 18% to 11%, now numbering approximately 37 million. Historically Black Protestant churches, which play unique roles in African American communities, have also decreased from 7% to 5% of the population, representing about 17 million Americans.

The Catholic Church maintains its position as the second-largest Christian tradition with 19% of Americans, approximately 65 million people, claiming Catholic identity. The internal composition of American Catholicism reflects broader demographic trends, with White Catholics declining from 16% to 12% of the population while Hispanic Catholics increasingly represent the church’s growth potential and future, now constituting approximately 7% of all Americans or roughly 24 million people. Smaller traditions like Orthodox Christianity maintain stable but minimal presence at less than 1%, while the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints represents 2% of the population at approximately 7 million members. These denominational patterns reflect not only different rates of retention and conversion but also differential birth rates, immigration patterns, and age distributions across various Christian communities.

Age Distribution of Christians in the US 2025

Data Source: PRRI 2024 Census of American Religion, Pew Research Center 2023-24 RLS

Age represents perhaps the most consequential dividing line in American religious life today. Only 54% of young adults aged 18-29 identify as Christian, a stark contrast with 76% of seniors aged 65 and older. This 22-percentage-point gap reveals a fundamental generational shift that will reshape American religion for decades to come. Among young adults, White Christians constitute only 28% while Christians of color represent 26%, showing relative parity between these groups in the youngest cohort. Meanwhile, 38% of young adults claim no religious affiliation whatsoever, making the religiously unaffiliated the largest single “religious” category among Americans under 30.

The middle-age cohorts show transitional patterns. Americans aged 30-49 are 59% Christian, with 32% identifying as White Christian and 27% as Christians of color, while 34% claim no religious affiliation. Those aged 50-64 are 73% Christian, with 46% White Christian and 27% Christian of color, and only 22% unaffiliated. The oldest Americans tell a very different story: 76% identify as Christian, with White Christians representing 57% of this age group and Christians of color only 19%, while just 18% are religiously unaffiliated. These patterns reflect not only generational replacement but also the reality that Americans who came of age in different eras experienced vastly different religious socialization. Research shows that no recent birth cohort has become more religious as it aged, suggesting today’s young adults will likely remain less Christian throughout their lives, fundamentally altering America’s religious composition as older, more Christian generations pass away.

Political Party Affiliation and Christianity in the US 2025

Data Source: PRRI 2024 Census of American Religion

The intersection of religion and politics reveals one of the most significant divisions in contemporary American society. Republicans are overwhelmingly Christian at 84%, with White Christians representing a commanding 68% of all Republicans. Within the Republican coalition, 29% identify as White evangelical Protestants, 19% as White mainline Protestants, and 17% as White Catholics, making White Christianity nearly synonymous with Republican identity. Only 16% of Republicans are Christians of color, and just 12% claim no religious affiliation, making the Republican party the political home of traditional American Christianity.

The Democratic party presents a starkly different religious profile. While 58% of Democrats still identify as Christian, they are actually more likely to be Christians of color at 35% than White Christians at 23%. This represents a dramatic reversal from traditional American patterns. The largest Christian groups among Democrats include Black Protestants at 15%, Hispanic Catholics at 11%, White mainline Protestants at 10%, and White Catholics at 9%. Perhaps most significantly, 34% of Democrats are religiously unaffiliated, nearly matching the percentage who are White Christian. Independents closely mirror the overall American population in their religious composition, with 60% Christian, 38% White Christian, 22% Christian of color, and 33% religiously unaffiliated. Since 2007, the share of self-described political liberals who identify as Christian has plummeted 25 percentage points from 62% to 37%, while among conservatives it has declined only 7 points from 89% to 82%, illustrating the growing religious divide between America’s political tribes.

Geographic and Ethnic Diversity Among US Christians 2025

Data Source: Pew Research Center 2023-24 RLS, PRRI 2024 Census

The ethnic and demographic composition of American Christianity reveals important variations in religious adherence across different population segments. Black and African American communities maintain the highest rates of Christian identification at approximately 70-75%, with the vast majority belonging to Protestant traditions, particularly historically Black Protestant churches that have served as cornerstones of African American life for generations. Hispanic and Latino Americans show Christian identification rates around 60-65%, with the majority being Catholic, though evangelical Protestant churches have made significant inroads in recent decades, particularly among second and third-generation Hispanic Americans.

White Americans now show Christian identification rates of 53-54%, representing a significant decline from previous generations and placing them below both Black and Hispanic communities in terms of Christian adherence. Asian Americans display the most religious diversity of any ethnic group, with only 35-40% identifying as Christian, as many maintain connections to Buddhism, Hinduism, or other Asian religious traditions, while others are religiously unaffiliated. Among US immigrants, 58% identify as Christian, demonstrating that immigration continues to bring Christian communities from around the world to America. The LGBTQ community shows markedly lower Christian identification at 37% compared to 69% for straight Americans, with 54% of LGBTQ individuals claiming no religious affiliation, more than double the rate among straight Americans. This disparity reflects tensions between traditional Christian sexual ethics and LGBTQ identity, leading many LGBTQ individuals to distance themselves from organized religion.

Christian Religious Practice and Belief in the US 2025

Data Source: Pew Research Center 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study

The actual practice and belief patterns among American Christians and the broader population reveal the depth and nature of contemporary American religiosity. 44% of all US adults engage in daily prayer, a figure that has remained stable between 44-46% since 2021, though it represents a significant decline from higher levels in 2007. This suggests that while fewer Americans may identify with institutional Christianity, substantial numbers maintain personal spiritual practices. 33% of Americans attend religious services at least monthly, a figure that has hovered consistently in the low 30s since 2020, indicating that roughly one-third of the population maintains active participation in religious communities.

Belief measures show that supernatural worldviews remain deeply embedded in American consciousness. An overwhelming 86% of Americans believe people possess a soul or spirit beyond their physical body, making this the most widely shared religious belief in America. 83% believe in God or a universal spirit, 79% believe in a spiritual world beyond the natural world, and 70% believe in heaven, hell, or both. These numbers far exceed the percentage who identify with any particular religious tradition, suggesting that spiritual and supernatural beliefs extend well beyond the boundaries of organized religion. The high rate of religious switching, with 35% of adults having changed religious affiliation since childhood, demonstrates the voluntary and fluid nature of American religious identity. Particularly significant is the declining “stickiness” of Christian upbringing, meaning fewer young adults who were raised Christian remain Christian as adults, while the “stickiness” of non-religious upbringing is increasing, meaning those raised without religion are more likely to remain unaffiliated, accelerating the trend toward secularization in future generations.

Christian Denominational Trends and Declines in the US 2025

Data Source: Pew Research Center 2023-24 RLS comparing 2007, 2014, and 2023-24 data; PRRI historical comparisons

The long-term trends in American Christianity paint a picture of steady, substantial decline across nearly all Christian traditions. Total Christian identification has dropped from approximately 78% in 2007 to 62-65% in 2025, representing a decline of 13-16 percentage points over less than two decades. This is one of the most dramatic shifts in American religious history, fundamentally altering a religious landscape that had been majority-Protestant and overwhelmingly Christian since the nation’s founding. Every major strand of Protestantism has experienced decline: Evangelical Protestants down 3 points, Mainline Protestants down a dramatic 7 points, and Historically Black Protestant churches down 2 points despite relatively high retention rates within Black communities.

The Catholic Church has declined roughly 5 percentage points from approximately 24% to 19% of the population, though immigration from Latin America has partially offset losses among White Catholics and those leaving the church. Specific denominations have suffered even steeper losses: the United Methodist Church, wracked by schism over LGBTQ inclusion, has declined from 5% to less than 3% of Americans in less than two decades. The racial composition of American Christianity has shifted dramatically, with White Christians declining from approximately 54% in 2006 to 40-41% in 2025, a drop of roughly 13 percentage points. Meanwhile, Christians of color have grown from approximately 21% in 2013 to 25% in 2025, reflecting immigration patterns, higher birth rates, and better retention rates compared to White Christian communities. These trends suggest a future American Christianity that is smaller, more diverse, and less institutionally powerful than at any point in American history, though it will likely remain the nation’s largest religious tradition for the foreseeable future.

Gender Differences in Christian Identity in the US 2025

Data Source: Pew Research Center 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study

Gender remains a significant factor in American religious life, with women consistently showing higher rates of religious identification, practice, and belief than men across virtually all measures. Women are more likely than men to identify as Christian, attend religious services regularly, pray daily, and believe in God or a universal spirit. This gender gap in religiosity has been a consistent feature of American religious life for generations and reflects both socialization patterns and potentially different spiritual needs or orientations between men and women. However, the 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study reveals that this gender gap is less pronounced among the youngest adults than among older age groups, suggesting potential changes in how gender influences religious commitment.

Among young adults aged 18-29, women and men show more similar rates of religious identification and practice than in any other age cohort. This narrowing of the gender gap could reflect changing gender roles, different socialization patterns for younger generations, or the general decline in religiosity affecting both young men and young women. In contrast, among older Americans, particularly those 65 and older, the gender gap remains substantial, with women significantly more likely than men to identify as Christian, attend services, and maintain traditional religious beliefs. This pattern suggests that as more egalitarian generations replace older cohorts, the traditionally female-dominated nature of American Christianity may diminish, potentially accelerating decline if churches fail to engage younger men and women equally.

Regional Variations in Christian Population Across the US 2025

Data Source: PRRI county-level estimates, Pew Research Center regional analysis

Geographic location significantly influences Christian identification rates across the United States. The South maintains the highest concentration of Christians at approximately 70-75% of the population, reflecting the region’s historical and cultural ties to evangelical Protestantism and the persistence of Bible Belt religiosity. The Midwest shows Christian identification rates around 60-65%, with a diverse mix of Catholic populations in areas with German, Polish, and Irish immigration heritage, alongside various Protestant denominations in more rural areas. The Northeast demonstrates Christian identification rates of approximately 55-60%, with substantial Catholic populations in urban areas balanced against rapidly growing religiously unaffiliated populations, particularly in New England states.

The West shows the lowest regional Christian identification at approximately 50-55%, reflecting both the region’s more recent settlement patterns, which means less entrenched religious institutions, and its greater religious diversity, including significant numbers of Asian Americans who maintain non-Christian religious traditions. Rural areas across all regions tend to show higher-than-average Christian identification and church attendance, while urban areas demonstrate greater religious diversity and higher percentages of religiously unaffiliated residents. Suburban areas generally track close to national averages but show significant variation depending on regional context and demographic composition. These geographic patterns mean that the experience of being Christian in America varies substantially depending on location, with Christians in the South and rural areas living in heavily Christian environments, while those in Western cities or urban Northeast exist as part of much more pluralistic religious landscapes.

The trajectory of Christianity in America points toward continued, though possibly moderating, decline in the coming decades. The demographic realities are stark and unmistakable: young adults are far less Christian than older generations, and research shows that no recent cohort has become more religious as it has aged, breaking with historical patterns where people often returned to religion later in life. The “stickiness” of Christian upbringing continues to decline, meaning fewer children raised in Christian households maintain Christian identity into adulthood, while the stickiness of non-religious upbringing strengthens, meaning those raised without religion overwhelmingly remain unaffiliated. As the highly Christian senior generation passes away and is replaced by the much less Christian young adult cohort, the overall Christian percentage of the American population will likely decline further, potentially falling below 60% within the next decade and continuing downward from there.

However, this decline may not be uniform across all Christian communities or inevitable in its scope. Churches and denominations that successfully adapt to contemporary concerns, engage younger generations authentically, and build vibrant communities may stem or even reverse decline in their particular contexts. Christians of color have maintained more stable identification rates than White Christians, suggesting that as America becomes increasingly diverse, Christianity’s future may depend substantially on these communities. The rapid growth of nondenominational churches and the resilience of certain evangelical and Pentecostal traditions demonstrate that institutional Christianity can still attract adherents in the modern world. The key question facing American Christianity is not whether it will remain the nation’s largest religious tradition—it almost certainly will for many decades—but rather what form that Christianity will take, which communities will comprise it, and how it will navigate an increasingly pluralistic, secular, and politically polarized American society where religious authority no longer commands the automatic deference it once enjoyed.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.

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