Americans in the South remain more religious than people in other regions, but religious affiliation and practices have declined across the country over the past two decades, according to a new Pew Research Center analysis.
The report found that while the South still ranks as the most religious region in the United States, the level of religious participation there has dropped significantly since 2007.
Today, 74% of adults in the South identify with a religion, down from 86% in 2007.
Daily prayer has also declined. About 51% of Southerners say they pray every day, compared with much higher levels nearly two decades ago.
Researchers say the trend reflects broader national shifts in religious belief and identity.
Across all regions of the country — including the Midwest, Northeast, and West — religious affiliation, belief in God, and daily prayer have decreased since 2007.
The Midwest saw the share of adults identifying with a religion fall from 83% in 2007 to 69% in the 2023–24 study.
In the West, the share of adults who say they believe in God with absolute certainty dropped from 65% to 47% over the same period.
Christianity remains the largest religious identity in every region, but its share of the population has declined nationwide.
In the South, 68% of adults now identify as Christian, down from 83% in 2007.
At the same time, the number of Americans who say they are religiously unaffiliated — including those identifying as atheist, agnostic, or “nothing in particular” — has grown significantly.
In both the Midwest and Northeast, the share of unaffiliated adults has roughly doubled since 2007, rising from 16% to about 30%.
The study also found small increases in the share of Americans who identify with religions other than Christianity.
Pew researchers say the findings highlight long-term changes in religious identity and practice across the United States, even as regional differences remain.
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