LDS Church Is United States’ Fastest Growing Denomination

In a study updated every 10 years, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was named the fastest growing denomination in the United States for the years 1990 to 2000.

The study also indicated that the fastest growing churches were those considered socially conservative—and that the slowest growing churches were those viewed as socially liberal. With a growth rate of 19.3 percent, the Church led the trend toward conservative religion in the United States. The next fastest growing religions were the Churches of Christ, the Assemblies of God, and the Roman Catholic Church.

The Glenmary Research Center, a Catholic research and social service organization, conducted the study through responses received from 149 religious groups. Because the United States census does not seek information about religion, this study is widely considered the most comprehensive assessment available of religious affiliation in the United States.

Also according to the study, the Church is the sixth largest denomination in the United States, and Utah tops the nation for “most faithful states,” having the highest percentage of religious adherents (75 percent). Provo, Utah, was singled out as the metro area with the highest percentage (90 percent) of its population claimed by one of the 149 participating religious groups.