More adults believe religion is gaining influence in American life, Pew Research Center finds

SALT LAKE CITY — A growing number of adults in the U.S. believe religion is gaining influence in American life, according to a Pew Research Center report released on Monday. According to the Pew Research Center, in February 2024, only 18% of adults said religion was gaining influence in American life, the lowest level seen in more than two decades. However, in a report released just a year later, 31% of adults said religion was gaining influence in American life, the highest level seen in 15 years.The Pew Research Center conducted two American Trends Panels to develop its religion report. The first panel, Wave 162, ran from Feb. 3 to Feb. 9, while the second, Wave 170, ran from May 5 to May 11. During Wave 162 of the American Trends Panel, 9,544 panelists out of 10,594 responded to the Pew Research Center, resulting in a 90% response rate. The Pew Research Center determined the results were within the 95% expected level of confidence. Wave 170 had a slightly smaller pool, with 8,937 panelists responding compared to 9,531 sampled, leaving a response rate of 94%. Wave 170 also fell within the 95% expected level of confidence. According to the Pew Research Center, there were gains of at least 10 percentage points among Democrats, Republicans, adults in every age category and in most large religious groups. Approximately 59% of Americans polled have a net positive view of religion's influence on American life, with 17% believing religion's influence growing is good and 42% believing religion's influence shrinking is bad. An increasing number of Americans believe Christianity's influence on American life is increasing, up to 27% in 2025 compared to just 19% in 2019, based on information provided by the Pew Research Center. Even while religion appears to be gaining influence in American life, it remains in conflict with American culture. According to the Wave 162 American Trends Panel performed in February 2025, 58% of Americans believe their personal religious views are at odds with mainstream culture in some form.

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