--- title: "6 facts about U.S. Mormons" description: "Mormons place a very high value on good parenting and a successful marriage, and they are among the most involved in their congregations of any Christian faith." date: "2016-09-30" authors: - name: "Aleksandra Sandstrom" url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/09/30/6-facts-about-u-s-mormons/" categories: - "Beliefs & Practices" - "Gender Roles" - "Household Structure & Family Roles" - "Latter-day Saint (Mormon)" - "Religion & Politics" - "U.S. Religious Demographics" --- # 6 facts about U.S. Mormons Twice each year, in April and October, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints holds its[ General Conference](https://www.lds.org/church/events/october-2016-general-conference?lang=eng) in Salt Lake City, Utah. These conferences – which are open to all members of the LDS church and are broadcast around the world – offer Mormons an opportunity to hear their leaders speak on a host of topics. As the next conference gets underway this weekend, here are six facts about U.S. Mormons from Pew Research Center surveys: **The LDS church typically places very high importance on families and traditional gender roles**. Indeed, [81% of Mormons](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2012/01/12/mormons-in-america-family-life/#life-goals) say being a good parent is one of the most important things in life. And 73% say the same about having a successful marriage. By comparison, half of all U.S. adults say being a good parent is one of the most important things in life, and only one-third say having a successful marriage is of utmost importance. Additionally, 58% of Mormons say a marriage where the husband provides and the wife stays at home is preferable to one in which both spouses have jobs. Among the general public, most people (62%) express the opposite view, saying a marriage in which both spouses have jobs and take responsibility for housework and child rearing is more satisfying. At this fall’s pre-conference session specifically for Mormon women, participants [were urged](http://www.sltrib.com/home/4386825-155/defend-mormon-teachings-on-marriage-family) to defend the church's teachings on marriage, family and sexuality. [![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2016/09/FT_16.09.29_congregationalInvolvement_mormon.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/09/30/6-facts-about-u-s-mormons/ft_16-09-29_congregationalinvolvement_mormon/) While nearly all Mormons consider themselves Christian (97%), **only about half (51%) of U.S. adults say Mormonism is a Christian religion**, according to a 2012 Pew Research Center [report](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2012/01/12/mormons-in-america-executive-summary/). When asked to volunteer the one word that best describes Mormons, the most common response from Mormons surveyed was “Christian” or “Christ-centered” (17%), and an additional 5% volunteered “Jesus.” The most commonly offered response by non-Mormons was “cult.” [![](https://www.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/20/2016/09/FT_16.09.29_congregationalInvolvement_christian.png)](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/09/30/6-facts-about-u-s-mormons/ft_16-09-29_congregationalinvolvement_christian/) Among all Christian religious traditions in the U.S., **Mormons are among the most highly involved in their congregations (67%)**, according to an [analysis](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2015/11/16/church-involvement-varies-widely-among-u-s-christians/) based on three measures of congregational involvement: membership in a congregation, frequency of attendance at worship services and frequency of attendance at small group religious activities. Jehovah’s Witnesses have comparable levels of highly involved members (64%), while evangelical Protestants (43%), members of historically black Protestant denominations (41%) and those in other Christian groups have lower average levels of congregational involvement. In addition, [our Religious Landscape Study](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2015/11/03/u-s-public-becoming-less-religious/) found that Mormons are among the groups most likely to believe the Bible is the word of God (91%), pray daily (85%), say religion is very important in their lives (84%) and read scripture regularly (77%). **A number of tenets central to the teachings of the LDS church and widely held by Mormons are *not* shared by other Christian traditions**, [our 2011 survey found](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2012/01/12/mormons-in-america-beliefs-and-practices/). Nine-in-ten Mormons believe that the president of the LDS church is a prophet of God (94%) and that the Book of Mormon was written by ancient prophets (91%). Large majorities of Mormons believe that families can be bound together eternally in temple ceremonies (95%) and that God the Father and Jesus Christ are separate, physical beings (94%). **Mormons are among the most politically and socially conservative religious groups in the U.S. **For example, two-thirds of Mormons say they oppose allowing gay and lesbian couples to marry legally, and seven-in-ten say they think abortion should be illegal in all or most cases, according to the [2014 U.S. Religious Landscape Study](https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/religious-landscape-study/). And most Mormons (69% in 2016) identify with or lean toward the Republican Party, though the share who do so has [edged downward](https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2016/09/13/the-parties-on-the-eve-of-the-2016-election-two-coalitions-moving-further-apart/) in recent years. **Mormons are **[**relatively young**](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2016/07/11/which-u-s-religious-groups-are-oldest-and-youngest/)** and less diverse when compared with other Christian groups**, and they are younger than the U.S. population as a whole. The median age of U.S. Mormons is 43, while the median age of the general population is 46. As a religious group, they also are [much less racially and ethnically diverse](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2015/07/27/the-most-and-least-racially-diverse-u-s-religious-groups/) than the U.S. population as a whole, with fully 85% of U.S. Mormons identifying as non-Hispanic white.