{"id":198707,"date":"2025-02-26T06:09:14","date_gmt":"2025-02-26T11:09:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/?p=198707"},"modified":"2025-10-28T14:49:29","modified_gmt":"2025-10-28T18:49:29","slug":"age-race-education-and-other-demographic-traits-of-us-religious-groups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alpha.pewresearch.org\/pewresearch-org\/religion\/2025\/02\/26\/age-race-education-and-other-demographic-traits-of-us-religious-groups\/","title":{"rendered":"24. Age, race, education and other demographic traits of U.S. religious groups"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Like the country\u2019s overall population<\/a>, many U.S. religious groups have experienced a decline in the share of adults who identify as White, according to the 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study (RLS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, 61% of U.S. Christians are non-Hispanic White, compared with 66% in 2014 and 70% in 2007. There has been a similar decline in the share of White adults in the religiously unaffiliated category.[87. numoffset=”87″ In the 2007 and 2014 Religious Landscape Studies, demographic results were re-percentaged to exclude people who did not answer the question, whereas in the current analysis, the percentages shown account for those who did not answer. As a result, numbers shown in this chapter for 2007 and 2014 may differ slightly from the numbers published in the original reports.]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Table<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, there has been growth or stability in the shares of Christians who identify as Black, Hispanic or Asian.[88. The survey asked respondents two questions about their race and ethnicity. First, respondents were asked, \u201cAre you of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin, such as Mexican, Puerto Rican or Cuban?\u201d Then, respondents were asked, \u201cWhat is your race or origin? {{Please mark all that apply.}} White; Black or African American; Asian or Asian American; American Indian or Alaska Native; Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; Some other race or origin (please specify).\u201d]<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, Hispanic Americans now make up 18% of Christians, compared with 13% in 2007. And Asian Americans now make up 7% of the religiously unaffiliated, compared with 4% in 2007.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There have been other demographic changes as well. The median age of Christians has risen to 54, from 49 in 2014 and 46 in 2007. The median age of adults who identify with other religions is lower (41) and has not changed much since 2014 and 2007. The median age of religiously unaffiliated adults in the new survey is 38, which also is in line with both 2014 and 2007.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Line<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Women continue to make up a majority of Christians. But, today, women also account for nearly half of all religiously unaffiliated Americans (47%). In the 2007 and 2014 Religious Landscape Studies, the religiously unaffiliated population was composed much more heavily of men than of women.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on for more details about the demographic traits of U.S. religious groups:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n