---
title: "How Important is the Abortion Issue?"
description: "The public is split on whether abortion is a critical or important issue or whether it is not that important an issue. But this masks stark differences in opinion between regular churchgoers and those who attend religious services less often."
date: "2013-01-24"
authors:
  - name: "Joseph Liu"
    job_title: "Guest Contributor"
url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2013/01/24/how-important-is-the-abortion-issue/"
categories:
  - "Abortion"
  - "Issue Priorities"
  - "Religion & Abortion"
  - "Religion & Social Values"
---

# How Important is the Abortion Issue?

![importance-graphic](https://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/11/2013/01/PF_13.01.23_AbortionIssue.png)

About half (53%) of the public says abortion is “not that important” compared with other issues, while 45% says abortion is either “one among many important issues” (27%) or “a critical issue facing the country” (18%), according to a recent [Pew Research Center survey](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/Abortion/roe-v-wade-at-40.aspx). But this split masks stark differences in opinion between those who say they attend religious services at least once a week (37% of U.S. adults) and those who say they attend less often. About two-thirds of weekly churchgoers say abortion is a critical or important issue, while roughly two-thirds of those who attend less often take the other view, that abortion is not that important an issue.