---
title: "Prayer in America"
description: "Nearly six-in-ten U.S. adults say they pray at least once a day although the frequency of prayer differs significantly by religious tradition, age, gender and income.\\n\\n"
date: "2009-05-07"
authors:
  - name: "Tom Rosentiel"
    job_title: "Guest Contributor"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2009/05/07/prayer-in-america/"
categories:
  - "Beliefs & Practices"
---

# Prayer in America

The National Day of Prayer, established by Congress in 1952, occurs on May 7 this year. The [U.S. Religious Landscape Survey](http://religions.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/religion/), conducted by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life, shows that prayer is a common religious practice in America, with nearly six-in-ten adults in the U.S. saying they pray at least once a day. However, frequency of prayer differs significantly by religious tradition, age, gender and income.

![](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/12/old-assets/publications/1211-1.gif)

Data from the Pew Forum [U.S. Religious Landscape Survey](http://religions.pewresearch.org/pewresearch-org/religion/), conducted May 8 to Aug. 13, 2007, among more than 35,000 Americans age 18 and older; released in 2008.

Question wording: People practice their religion in different ways. Outside of attending religious services, do you pray several times a day, once a day, a few times a week, once a week, a few times a month, seldom, or never?