In an era where TikTok gurus and AI-generated hymns make spirituality accessible online, America is witnessing a paradoxical and profound religious decline. New research unveils a stark reality: the 'unchurching' of the United States is accelerating at a historic pace, reshaping the nation's social and political landscape.
The Numbers Behind America's Religious Drift
Data from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) delivers a clear snapshot of this transformation. 28% of American adults now identify as "religiously unaffiliated," meaning nearly three in ten claim no formal religion. This marks a staggering 33% increase since 2013, a rate of change faster than almost any other major religious shift in modern US history.
The trend cuts across age groups but is most pronounced among the youth. About 38% of Americans aged 18 to 29 are religiously unaffiliated, up from 32% in 2013. For those between 30 and 49, the figure stands at 34%, compared to 23% a decade ago.
Here is the detailed religious composition of America according to the PRRI data:
- Religiously unaffiliated: 33%
- White Evangelical Protestant: 13%
- White mainline/non-evangelical Protestant: 13%
- White Catholic: 12%
- Black Protestant: 7%
- Hispanic Catholic: 8%
- Hispanic Protestant: 4%
- Other Protestant of colour: 3%
- Other Catholic of colour: 2%
- Latter-day Saint: 2%
- Jewish: 2%
- Muslim: 1%
- Buddhist: 1%
- Hindu: 1%
- Jehovah's Witness: 1%
- Orthodox Christian: 0.3%
- Unitarian Universalist: 0.5%
- Other non-Christian religion: 2%
Digital Faith vs. Physical Decline
This exodus from organised religion is particularly striking given the concurrent boom in digital spirituality. Platforms like YouTube and TikTok are flooded with influencers offering religious music, mystical guidance, and AI-powered spiritual content. Yet, this virtual abundance has not translated into traditional affiliation.
The consequences are tangible. A recent Gallup survey found that 57% of Americans now seldom or never attend religious services, a significant jump from 40% in the year 2000. Furthermore, a shocking 15,000 churches are projected to close their doors in 2025, far outnumbering new openings.
Political and Social Repercussions
This demographic shift carries deep implications for civic life and political strategy. The rise of the "nones" – those with no religious affiliation – is complicating voter outreach. Sisto Abeyta, a Democratic political consultant with the firm TriStrategies, highlighted the challenge to Axios, stating that parties can no longer rely solely on church networks. "We have to find (religiously unaffiliated voters), engage them and answer their sceptical questions, rather than just go to a church and pass out campaign literature," Abeyta said.
The data reveals a sharp partisan divide. Within the Republican party, White Christians form the largest bloc at 68%, with only 12% religiously unaffiliated. Among Democrats, the picture is different: Christians of colour make up 35%, while the religiously unaffiliated are a close second at 34%.
The findings also cast doubt on expectations of a Christian revival, particularly for Catholicism following the landmark appointment of the first American pope, Leo XIV, in 2025. Despite this historic event, the broader trend of disaffiliation continues unabated, presenting a worrisome scenario for a nation long defined by its Christian majority. This unchurching of America is fundamentally altering its social fabric, one digital scroll and shuttered church at a time.
