Religious Landscape Study

Religiously unaffiliated people

Among religiously unaffiliated adults …

Regional composition

29% of U.S. adults identify as religiously unaffiliated adults.

21% of this group lives in the Midwest, 18% live in the Northeast, 33% live in the South and 28% live in the West.

28% are between the ages of 18 and 29, 41% are ages 30 to 49, 18% are ages 50 to 65 and 12% are 65 and older.

Note: Margin of error for figures based on religiously unaffiliated adults is ±1.4 percentage points.

Demographics

Explore charts about:

2023-24

2014

2007

Income distribution among religiously unaffiliated adults*

% of religiously unaffiliated adults who have a household income of …

Income distribution among religiously unaffiliated adults (2023-24)

% of religiously unaffiliated adults who have a household income of …

Survey year	<$30K	$30K- $49,999	$50K- $99,999	$100K+	No answer	Unweighted sample size	Margin of error
2023-24*	19%	17%	25%	34%	5%	10,729	±1.4 pct. pts.
2014*	29%	18%	23%	19%	10%	7,556	±1.4 pct. pts.
2007*	25%	20%	25%	16%	15%	5,048	±1.5 pct. pts.

Expand to find question wording

Last year, that is in 2022, what was your total family income from all sources, before taxes? Less than $30,000; $30,000 to less than $40,000; $40,000 to less than $50,000; $50,000 to less than $75,000; $75,000 to less than $100,000; $100,000 to less than $125,000; $125,000 to less than $150,000; $150,000 or more.

[This is the question asked in the web version of the 2023-24 RLS. For more details, including how the question was asked in the paper/telephone versions and in the prior studies (if available), refer to the topline and the web/phone or paper questionnaires.]

* The 2023-24 RLS was conducted mainly online and on paper, while the earlier surveys were done by telephone. Because of this “mode shift,” the results of the 2023-24 survey should not be compared with the earlier results in this chart/table. Refer to Appendix A for details.

Note: Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding. For sample sizes and margins of error, go to the “Table” tab above.

Note: Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding.

Note: Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Data from 2023-24. U.S. population shown for comparison. Refer to the accompanying link for sample sizes and margins of error.

Source: Religious Landscape Study of U.S. adults conducted July 17, 2023-March 4, 2024. Pew Research Center’s 2014 Religious Landscape Study. Pew Research Center’s 2007 Religious Landscape Study.

Source: Religious Landscape Study of U.S. adults conducted July 17, 2023-March 4, 2024.