Churches & Religious Organizations

The 184,591 churches and religious organizations in the US provide spiritual worship, guidance, and education. Some organizations operate hospitals or schools. While such ancillary programs are generally managed separately from their associated organization, churches often provide financial support.

Slow-growing Membership

Church membership among major denominations has been flat or declining in recent years, challenging organizations to discover innovative ways to attract new members.

Ideological Conflict

Disagreements over controversial issues can cause congregations to split, significantly reducing revenue for the original organization.

Sep 2, 2026 - California Legislation Would Make Jewish Identity An Ethnicity As Well As A Religion

• The California Legislature passed legislation which recognizes Jewish identity as an ethnicity in California law and data. California is often referred to as a "policy incubator" because the state regularly passes groundbreaking legislation that serves as a model for other states and the federal government. The bill requires that when a California state agency collects data on ancestry or ethnic origin, “Jewish” is one of the options a person can select. Over 50% of American Jews surveyed by Pew Research Center said that ancestry and culture are essential to what being Jewish means to them, while 36% said that religion is essential. The legislation also writes into the Education Code that ethnicity is inclusive of Jewish identity. The bill now goes to Governor Newsom, who has until September 30 to sign it into law. If he does, California becomes the first state in the nation to recognize Jewish identity as an ethnicity in statute.
• More countries saw spikes in religious hostility by individuals and groups in 2023, the last year for which data is available, according to the Pew Research Center. The rise is attributable in part to harassment of religious minorities and the ongoing impact of the Israel-Hamas war. Fifty-five of the 198 countries studied had "elevated (high or very high) levels of social hostilities involving religion in 2023," up from 45 in the year prior. Government harassment of religious groups (either verbal or physical) was one of the most common types of restrictions on religion in 2023, continuing a pattern in recent years, according to Pew Research.
• Religion has been the most programmed radio format in the US since February 2026, according to Inside Radio/PrecisionTrak’s monthly station counts. The number of stations featuring religious teaching, hymns, and other related content increased by 73 during the 12-month period ending on May 31, 2026, up 3.4% year over year. Thirty-two of those stations joined the format in 2026.
• The US ranks first in religious diversity among the world’s most populous nations, according to the Pew Research Center. Christianity remains the majority faith in many regions but believers increasingly live in religiously plural societies. Pew found that despite examples of pluralism, a single religious group forms a majority in most countries.

Industry size & Structure

A typical church or religious organization operates out of a single location, employs fewer than 10 workers and generates about $933,000 million annually.

• Churches and religious organizations consist of about 184,591 organizations, which employ nearly 1.5 million workers and generate $172 billion in annual revenue.
• Religious organizations include temples, synagogues, mosques, and shrines.
• Church size can be classified by average weekly attendance: Small (less than 200 people), medium (200 to 400), large (400 to 2,000), and megachurch (2,000+).
• About 21% of Americans claim to attend weekly, and about 11% claim to attend nearly weekly or monthly, according to Gallup.
• Large religious organizations include the Catholic Church (53 million members), the Southern Baptist Convention (12.9 million), the United Methodist Church (5.4 million), and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (6.9 million).