Gallup: Americans 77% Christian, 0.6% Muslim

America is largely a Christian nation with 77 percent of adults identifying themselves as Christian, according to a Gallup survey, while only 0.6 percent identified as Muslim. The survey also found that Mormons were the most religious in practicing their faith.

“The United States remains a largely Christian nation; more than 9 in 10 Americans who have a religious identity are affiliated with a Christian religion,” reported Gallup on Dec. 24.

“There has been little change in this portrait of religious identity in the U.S. from last year.”

“Mormons remain the most religious group of those measured, while Jews are the least,” said Gallup. “Protestants and Muslims continue to be slightly more religious than Catholics.”
Gallup interviewed more than 326,000 Americans between January and November 2012 and found that 77.3 percent identified with a Christian faith: 51.9 percent Protestant/Other Christian; 23.3 percent Catholic; and 2.1 percent Mormon.

Another 1.7 percent identified as Jewish; 0.6 percent identified as Muslim; and 2.6 percent as “Other/non-Christian.”

The number of American adults who said they had no religious identity was up over last year, from 15.0 percent to 15.6 percent.

When asked, “Is religion important in your daily life?” Mormons ranked highest with 87 percent saying “yes.” Protetants followed with 79 percent saying “yes,” and then Muslims, 78 percent “yes,” and Catholics, 70 percent “yes.”

Only 41 percent of Jews said that religion was important in their daily life.

When asked, “How often do you attend religious services?” Mormons again ranked highest with 81 percent saying they did so “monthly or more often.” For Protestants, 64 percent said they attend religious services monthly or more often; 64 percent of Muslims; and 60 percent of Catholics. For Jews, only 34 percent said they attend religious services “monthly or more often.”