For years, the story has been the same: Fewer and fewer Americans call themselves Christian, churches are closing, and Sunday morning looks more like brunch time than worship time. But according to a new Pew Research study, something surprising is happening—the decline of Christianity in the U.S. has hit pause.
According to the 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study, 62% of U.S. adults still identify as Christian. That’s down from 71% in 2014 and 78% in 2007, but here’s the twist: that number hasn’t really changed much since 2019. Meanwhile, the “nones” (atheists, agnostics, and the “nothing in particulars”) have stopped their meteoric rise and are now holding steady at 29% of the U.S. population.
So, has the whole “America is getting less religious” thing peaked? Or is this just a momentary blip before the next wave of church dropouts?
The Trendline Isn’t Free-Falling Anymore
For the last two decades, Pew has been tracking religious identity, and the chart looked about as promising as Blockbuster’s stock in 2010. Christianity was dropping fast, the religiously unaffiliated were surging, and it seemed inevitable that Christians would be in the minority before long. But in the last five years, that downward spiral has slowed—if not completely leveled off.
Now, don’t get it twisted: Christianity isn’t “bouncing back.” It’s just that it’s stopped shrinking at the same alarming rate. The study finds that fewer people are leaving their faith than before, and the “nones” aren’t growing at the same rapid clip. In short, the great exodus might be losing steam.
Young People Are Still Less Religious (And That’s Not Changing)
Here’s the part that matters: if you’re a Christian in your 20s, you’re in the minority of your generation. While 80% of older Americans were raised Christian, only 67% of Gen Z grew up in a religious home. Of those, a much smaller percentage are actually sticking with Christianity into adulthood.
Some key takeaways from the study:
- Only 27% of 18-24-year-olds pray daily, compared to 58% of seniors.
- Only 25% of young adults attend religious services monthly, compared to 49% of their grandparents’ generation.
- Younger people are more likely to identify as “nothing in particular” than any previous generation.
So yeah, Christianity isn’t dropping off a cliff, but it’s not exactly winning over Gen Z either.
What’s Actually Happening?
A few things. First, switching religions isn’t as trendy as it used to be. Christianity still loses more people than it gains (for every one convert, six leave), but that churn has slowed. Meanwhile, some people who left their faith aren’t loving the “nones” lifestyle and may be drifting back to religion—or at least staying open to spirituality.
Second, nondenominational Christianity is on the rise. The big losers here are mainline Protestant churches, which have been in steady decline, while nondenominational churches are growing. That means fewer people are identifying with denominations like Methodists, Lutherans and Presbyterians, but they’re not necessarily leaving Christianity altogether.
And finally, there’s a “pandemic effect”—which means some people hit pause on everything during COVID, including switching faiths.
So, Should Christians Care?
Yes. A lot.
Christianity’s freefall might have slowed, but the numbers still paint a clear picture: Gen Z is less religious than any previous generation, and that trend isn’t reversing overnight. Fewer young adults are identifying as Christian, and most of them aren’t coming back—at least not yet. But before you throw in the towel, there are signs of something stirring.
In the last year, college campuses across the country have seen growing spiritual movements. Students are gathering for prayer, worship, and open-air baptisms—some in places where Christianity isn’t exactly the cultural norm. Schools like Auburn University, Texas A&M and even some Ivy League campuses have made headlines as young adults rediscover faith in a way that doesn’t look like previous generations’ church experiences.
So while the numbers say one thing, real life may be telling another story. The future of faith in America depends on what happens next. Do these campus revivals spark something lasting? Do churches step up and engage young people in ways that actually resonate? Or does this stabilization turn out to be just a temporary plateau before another drop?
For now, Christianity in America isn’t dying, but it is evolving—and whether the next chapter is one of decline or renewal depends on what happens next.
The full 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study is available on Pew Research Center’s website.
