Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
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5. Religious upbringing and childhood education
Among U.S. adults raised in families in which religion was very important, younger ones are less likely to say religion is very important to them now
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- 5. Religious upbringing and childhood education
- Most Americans say they were raised in a religion, grew up going to religious services at least monthly
- 55% of Americans who grew up in families in which religion was very important say religion is very important in their own lives today
- 86% of Americans were raised in a religion
- Among Americans raised as Christians, 78% say they grew up going to church at least once a month
- 45% of Americans say religion was very important to their family growing up
- Most U.S. adults say they received at least some formal religious education as a kid
- 35% of U.S. adults received ‘a lot’ of formal religious education as children
- Compared with older U.S. adults, fewer young people say they were raised in a religion or received a lot of religious education
- People who went to religious services at least monthly growing up say they go more regularly now as adults than do people who went less often growing up
- Among U.S. adults who were raised Protestant or Catholic, those who grew up in religious homes are more likely to have retained their religious identity
- Among U.S. adults raised in families in which religion was very important, younger ones are less likely to say religion is very important to them now
- Among Americans raised as Protestants, young adults are less likely than older adults to identify as Protestant today; the same is true for Catholics
- Compared with older U.S. adults, fewer young people who grew up attending religious services monthly still attend monthly as adults