Church Membership In The U.S. Drops Below 50% For The First Time Ever

A new Gallup poll found that the percentage of Americans who consider themselves to be a member of a religious organization has dropped below 50%. It is the first time since the poll was first conducted in 1937 that a majority of Americans did not belong to a church, synagogue, or mosque. In 1937, 73% of Americans said they belonged to a religious group.

According to the poll, which was based on telephone interviews conducted between 2018-2020, just 47% of U.S. adults said they belonged to a church, synagogue, or mosque.

The number of people turning away from religious groups has been dropping since the turn of the century. From the first poll in 1937 until 1999, roughly 70% of Americans said they were affiliated with a religious group. By 2018, the percentage had dropped by 20 points and was sitting at 50%.

While many Americans may identify with a specific religion, even if they do not belong to a church, a growing number are shunning religion altogether. Over the past twenty years, the percentage of Americans who do not identify with any religion grew from 8% to 21%.

The poll also noted that older people were more likely to belong to a church compared to younger generations. Sixty-six percent of Americans born before 1946 said they belonged to a church, while just 36% of Millennials told pollsters they were members of a church.

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