Older Millennials, younger Gen Xers and those living in the American West are driving the surge of Americans who identify as “religiously unaffiliated,” according to the latest census of religious diversity in the U.S.
Why it matters: The new data show that the number of white Christian Americans continues to shrink while the ranks of the unaffiliated swell in a historic shift in attitudes toward religion.
By the numbers: Every age group has seen declines in religious affiliation during the past decade, but the largest jumps are among Americans ages 30 to 49 — older millennials and younger Gen Xers, the data from the nonpartisan Public Religion Research Institute show.
- From 2013 to 2023, the percentage of religiously unaffiliated among that age group skyrocketed nearly 48%.
- Those 18 to 29 — mostly older Generation Zers — also saw increases in the number who identified as religiously unaffiliated, growing from 32% to 36%.
- Even among Baby Boomers and older Americans, who remain the nation’s most religious generations, the number of religiously unaffiliated increased from 11% to 18%.
- Overall, 27% of all Americans now consider themselves religiously unaffiliated, up from 21% a decade ago.
PragDem
Article URL : https://www.axios.com/2024/09/13/religious-unaffiliated-millennials-us-west