November 2001
 Geo100--Missouri Western

Major Religions in the United States
[data from American Religious Identity Survey-2001]
 
Religion
2001 Est. Adult Pop
% of US Population
% Change 1990-2000
Christianity
159,030,000
76.5%
+5%
Nonreligious
27,539,000
13.2%
+110%
Judaism
2,831,000
1.3%
-10%
Islam
1,104,000
0.5%
+109%
Buddhism
1,082,000
0.5%
+170%
Hinduism
766,000
0.4%
+237%
Baha'i
84,000
 
+200%
Sikhism
57,000
 .
+338%
What three religions have had the biggest increase in membership in the past ten years?  What explanation can be used to explain those religions that are gaining or losing membership?  What are the three largest religious groups living within the United States?

Largest denominational families in US, 2001
[self-identification]

Denomination
2001 Est Adult Pop
Est % of US Population 2001
% Change 1990-2001
Catholic
50,873,000
24.5%
+11%
Baptist
33,830,000
16.3%
0%
Methodist
14,140,000
6.8%
0%
Lutheran
9,580,000
4.6%
+5%
Presbyterian
5,596,000
2.7%
+12%
Episcoplalian/Anglican
3,451,000
1.7%
+13%
Judaism
2,831,000
1.3%
-10%
Latter-day Saints/Mormon
2,697,000
1.3%
+8%
Churches of Christ
2,593,000
1.2%
+47%
Congregational/ United Church of Christ
1,378,000
0.7%
+130%
Jehovah's Witnesses
1,331,000
0.6%
-4%
Assemblies of God
1,106,000
0.6%
+68%

What are the three largest Christian groups within the U.S.?  Which three groups have had the greatest increase in membership in the past ten years?



Religious Bodies which have the Most Congregations of any Denomination
                      in One or More States, 1990-- does not mean the highest number of people... rather the number of church buildings




    [click on map to increase the size]

 Largest non-Catholic Religious Body in Each State, by number of adherents.)

<click on map to increase the size>
Notice the regional groupings of the various religious bodies.

Major Religions of the World
 <from>


 
1.Christianity:                         2 billion
  2.Islam:                                  1.3 billion
  3.Hinduism:                            900 million
  4.Secular/Nonreligious/Agnostic/Atheist: 850 million
  5.Buddhism:                          360 million
  6.Chinese traditional religion: 225 million
  7.primal-indigenous:          190 million
  8.Sikhism:                               23 million
  9.Yoruba religion:                  20 million
  10.Juche:                                19 million
  11.Spiritism:                           14 million
  12.Judaism:                           14 million
  13.Baha'i:                                 6 million
  14.Jainism:                              4 million
  15.Shinto:                                4 million
  16.Cao Dai:                              3 million
  17.Tenrikyo:                            2.4 million
  18.Neo-Paganism:                 1 million
  19.Unitarian-Universalism: 800 thousand
 20.Scientology:                      750 thousand
  21.Rastafarianism:               700 thousand
 22.Zoroastrianism:                150 thousand