US growing out of religion? 1 in 3 Gen-Z and millennials say ‘not religious’: Gallup poll

Youth in America are losing their faith, with a third of Generation Z and millennials now identifying as people with no religion, a Gallup study has found. This comes after a similar study was conducted in Germany that showed that the number of atheists in the country rose significantly in the past year.

A Gallup analysis released Thursday reveals that 70 per cent of US adults reported having a religious preference over the past year, though that number is declining across all age groups, with the steepest drop among those aged 43 and under.

Meanwhile, 34 per cent of Gen Z respondents (born between 1997 and 2006) and 30 per cent of the surveyed millennials (born between 1981 and 1996) said they do not follow any religion.

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“The decline in religious affiliation in the US over the past two decades is thus largely a result of generational change, as younger adults — who are much more likely to have no religious identity — have replaced older generations, which had relatively few unaffiliated members," Gallup’s analysis wrote.

Gallup observed that the rise in Americans identifying with no religion over the past 20 years has coincided with steady declines in both Protestant and Catholic affiliation.

Last year, a survey found that 45 per cent of respondents identified as Protestants, while 21 per cent as Catholic and 10 per cent as another religion.

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The recent poll indicates a significant decline in the number of Americans who view religion as “very important” in their lives. In the 2024 survey, approximately 45 per cent of respondents considered religion important, a notable decrease from 70 per cent in 1965, when the question was first asked.

In Germany, for instance, experts say that people are abandoning their religions “simply because they have lost the connection or religious faith.” They add that cases of sexual abuse, particularly of minors, in churches have also weighed in heavily on people’s faith.