Megachurches aren’t exactly a niche American phenomenon anymore.
According to the Hartford Institute for Religion Research, the U.S. had more than 1,800 megachurches by 2020, up from just 350 in 1990 and 650 in 2000. And a new map using Hartford’s megachurch database breaks down exactly where those churches are concentrated across the country.
Hartford defines a megachurch as a congregation with an average weekly attendance of 2,000 people or more. By raw numbers, California leads the country with 218 megachurches, followed closely by Texas with 207. Florida comes in third with 120.
But the rankings get more interesting once population enters the equation.
California, despite leading the country overall, has about 0.55 megachurches per 100,000 residents. Texas jumps to 0.71. Tennessee, meanwhile, takes the top spot nationally at 0.91, or nearly one megachurch for every 100,000 people.
The data lines up with broader church trends in the South, where Christian culture and large church networks remain deeply embedded in regional life. Tennessee already sits in the middle of the Bible Belt, home to major Christian institutions, denominational headquarters and enough giant church parking lots to be visible from space.
