Religion in America: beliefs, numbers, and church and state
Religion in America is more visible in public life than in most other wealthy democracies, yet the country has no state religion and its Constitution forbids one. That combination of a fairly religious population and a government barred from taking sides often puzzles visitors from Europe, where the pattern is frequently the reverse. This guide sets out the religious landscape, the legal framework, and the role of faith in society, without taking a position on any of it.
No official religion, by design
The legal foundation is the First Amendment (1791), which contains two clauses on religion:
- Establishment Clause: government may not set up an official religion or favor one faith over another.
- Free Exercise Clause: people may practice any religion, or none.
The Constitution also bans religious tests for federal office (Article VI). The phrase "separation of church and state" does not appear in it. It comes from an 1802 letter by Thomas Jefferson and later became the courts' shorthand. Though the First Amendment names only Congress, the Supreme Court has applied both clauses to the states since the 1940s. The rules are in our page on the US Constitution.
Some practical results may surprise newcomers. There is no church tax. Public schools cannot lead students in prayer, following the Supreme Court's 1962 decision in Engel v. Vitale, although students may pray on their own. Religious organizations are generally exempt from income tax. And the census does not ask about religion, so all figures come from private surveys.
The religious landscape in numbers
The most detailed source is the Pew Research Center's Religious Landscape Study, which surveyed about 37,000 adults in 2023–24. The figures below are rounded and vary somewhat between surveys.
| Group | Share of US adults, 2023–24 |
|---|---|
| Christian, total | 62% |
| Protestant | 40% |
| of which evangelical | 23% |
| of which mainline | 11% |
| of which historically Black | 5% |
| Catholic | 19% |
| Other Christian (Latter-day Saints, Orthodox, Jehovah's Witnesses) | 3% |
| Religiously unaffiliated ("nones") | 29% |
| Other religions (Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and others) | 7% |
Jewish Americans are just under 2% of adults, and Muslims, Buddhists, and Hindus are each around 1%. These groups are concentrated in large metro areas and have outsized visibility in those places. New York, for example, has one of the largest Jewish populations in the world.
A fragmented Protestantism
There is no national "Church of America." Protestants divide into hundreds of denominations: Baptists (the largest family, at about 12% of adults), Methodists, Lutherans, Presbyterians, Pentecostals, and many nondenominational congregations. This variety goes back to the colonies, several of which were founded by religious dissenters, and to the absence of a state church, which left religious groups to compete for members.
Three broad traditions stand out:
- Evangelical Protestants emphasize personal conversion, the authority of the Bible, and active faith. They are the largest Protestant bloc.
- Mainline Protestants, such as Episcopalians and many Methodists and Presbyterians, tend to be more theologically and socially liberal. Their numbers have been falling for decades.
- Historically Black churches were built under slavery and segregation. They have long been centers of community life, and they played a leading role in the civil rights movement.
Catholicism is the largest single church. Irish, Italian, Polish, and German immigrants built it, and Latino Americans now make up a large and growing share of its members. The United States also gave rise to homegrown movements, among them The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons), founded in New York State in 1830.
The rise of the "nones"
The biggest change in recent decades is the growth of the religiously unaffiliated: atheists, agnostics, and above all people who say their religion is "nothing in particular." According to Pew, this group rose from 16% of adults in 2007 to 29% in 2023–24, while the Christian share fell from 78% to 62%. Most of the change comes from younger generations, who are far less religious than their grandparents.
The decline may have slowed. Pew found the numbers roughly stable since about 2020, though it is too early to say whether this is a lasting plateau. Many "nones" are not hostile to religion, and a good number still believe in God or describe themselves as spiritual.
How religious are Americans?
In the same Pew study, 44% of adults said they pray daily and 33% said they attend services at least monthly. Both numbers have dropped since 2007, but they remain well above those in most of Western Europe. The US is often described as an outlier among rich countries, being far more religious than its wealth would predict.
The Bible Belt and regional differences
Religion varies strongly by region. The Bible Belt is the informal name for a band of Southern and South-Central states, including Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Georgia, Oklahoma, and much of Texas, where evangelical Protestantism is strong and churchgoing is common. In these areas, a new acquaintance may ask which church you attend, simply as small talk.
New England and the Pacific Northwest are among the least religious regions. Utah is a special case, shaped by its large Latter-day Saint population. Heavily Catholic areas include the Northeast, Louisiana, and the Hispanic Southwest. More on these differences appears in our guide to US geography and regions.
Religion in public life and politics
Despite the legal separation, religion is present in civic ritual. Congress opens its sessions with a prayer, presidents often end speeches with "God bless America," and many officials take the oath of office on a Bible, by custom and not by law. The Pledge of Allegiance has included "under God" since 1954. Courts have mostly treated these practices as historical tradition, not as government promotion of religion.
No denomination is tied by law to a party, but religion does predict voting. White evangelicals lean strongly Republican. Black Protestants and the unaffiliated lean Democratic, and Catholics are more evenly divided. Disputes over abortion, same-sex marriage, schools, and religious exemptions often turn on these divisions. For more, see our page on US political parties and the discussion of American values.
Megachurches and community life
A megachurch is usually defined as a Protestant congregation drawing 2,000 or more people a week. Many meet in large modern buildings with live bands, big screens, and programs for every age group. Television preachers, or televangelists, are another American invention, and many churches now stream services online.
Beyond worship, congregations are important social institutions. They run food banks, youth groups, addiction programs, and private schools, and they help newly arrived immigrants settle in. In a country with a thinner welfare state than Europe's, and especially in small towns, the local church can be the main community hub.
"In God We Trust"
The official national motto is "In God We Trust," adopted by Congress in 1956. It first appeared on coins in the 1860s and on paper money in the 1950s. Federal courts have repeatedly rejected challenges to it, treating it as ceremonial and historical, not as a religious endorsement. Read more on our American symbols page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the main religion in America?
Christianity, at about 62% of adults according to Pew's 2023–24 study. Protestants are 40% in total, and Catholics, at 19%, are the largest single church. About 29% have no religious affiliation.
Does the United States have an official religion?
No. The First Amendment forbids the government from establishing one.
What is the Bible Belt?
An informal name for a group of Southern and South-Central states where evangelical Protestantism is strong and church attendance is relatively high.
Is Thanksgiving a religious holiday?
No. It is a secular federal holiday, although some families say grace at the meal. Christmas is the only federal holiday with a religious origin, and it is also observed as a cultural occasion by many non-Christians.
Is prayer allowed in US public schools?
Students may pray privately. Schools and teachers may not organize or lead prayer as part of the school day.
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