U.S. Religious Demographics

Catholics are one of the largest religious groups in the United States, outnumbering any single Protestant denomination.

Around six-in-ten U.S. atheists are men (64%). And seven-in-ten are ages 49 or younger, compared with about half of U.S. adults overall (52%).

Pew Research Center’s political typology sorts Americans into cohesive, like-minded groups based on their values, beliefs, and views about politics and the political system. Use this tool to compare the groups on some key topics and their demographics.

The vast majority of religiously unaffiliated Black Americans believe in God and about half pray regularly, although few attend services.

Black American religious life is diverse, encompassing a wide range of religious affiliations, worship practices and beliefs.

Today, most Black adults say they rely on prayer to help make major decisions, and view opposing racism as essential to their religious faith.

The religious landscape of the United States continues to change at a rapid clip, with both Protestantism and Catholicism experiencing losses of population share.

Southern Baptists are the largest evangelical Protestant group in the United States. Yet the total number of Southern Baptists is falling.

The global Muslim population is more concentrated in Islam’s main population centers than the global Christian population is for Christianity.

About half of black Muslims are converts to Islam, a relatively high conversion level. Black Muslims, like black Americans overall, have high levels of religious commitment.