Americans’ engagement with religion continues to linger at much lower levels than in past decades, and a record share now say they have no religious affiliation, according to Gallup poll results released March 3.
The survey draws on more than 13,000 interviews conducted through Gallup’s monthly polling from May to December 2025. It found that 47% of U.S. adults in 2025 described religion as “very important” in their lives — a figure that has remained below 50% since 2018. By comparison, 58% said religion was very important in 2012, and roughly 70-75% did so in the 1950s and 1960s. Another 25% now say religion is “fairly important.” Twenty-eight percent say religion is “not important” in their lives, marking the highest level in Gallup’s trend data.
Decline tracks the rise of the religiously unaffiliated
The drop in the perceived importance of religion has coincided with the continued rise of Americans who identify with no religion, often called “nones.” According to the survey, 24% of Americans identified as “nones” in 2025, which is the highest share Gallup has on record. The figure had held between 21% and 22% from 2021 through 2024. By contrast, in 1948, just 2% of Americans said they had no religious affiliation.
At the same time, the share of Americans identifying as Protestant or nondenominational Christian has steadily fallen. When Gallup began tracking the measure in 1948, 69% of Americans belonged to that group. In 2025, that share had dropped to 44%. The share identifying as Roman Catholic, however, has remained relatively stable. In 1948, 22% said they were Roman Catholic, and in 2025, 20% did so. Americans identifying with “other religions” increased slightly, rising from 4% to 9% over the same period.
The trend appears most pronounced among younger adults. Thirty-five percent of Americans ages 18-29 identify as “nones,” compared with 29% of adults ages 30 to 49, 18% of those ages 50 to 64, and 14% of adults 65 and older.
Younger Americans are also less likely to say religion matters deeply in their lives. Just one-third of adults ages 18-29 said religion is very important, compared with nearly two-thirds of those 65 and older.
Religious service attendance remains low
Attendance at religious services has also declined over time. From the early 1990s through 2008, most Americans said they attended religious services at least monthly. Since 2018, however, a majority say they rarely or never attend, according to Gallup. In 2025, 57% said they seldom or never attend religious services, while 31% reported attending weekly or nearly every week, and 10% said they attend about once a month.
Again, younger adults stand out as less engaged. Among Americans under 30, 61% said they rarely or never attend services, compared with 51% of adults ages 65 and older.
Long-term shift
Gallup pollsters said the trends indicate a gradual transformation in the country’s religious landscape. While religion remains highly important for large segments of the population — particularly older Americans, Protestants, Southerners, and black adults — younger generations are significantly less likely to identify with a religion or regularly attend services. As those younger cohorts make up a growing share of the population, Gallup said generational turnover will likely continue to reshape religious life in the U.S.