Is the U.S. becoming less religious? Yes, modestly - at least by some measures of what it means to be a religious person. Among all U.S. adults, 92% believed in God in 2007 while 89% believed in God in 2014. 58% prayed daily in 2007 compared to 55% praying daily in 2014. 56% reported that religion was very important to them in 2007 while only 53% reported the same in 2014. 54% attended services at least monthly in 2007 while 50% attended services at least monthly in 2014.


But there is also a great deal of stability in the U.S. religious landscape. People who are affiliated with a specific religion are, by and large, about as religious today as they were in 2007. Of religiously affiliated adults, 97% believed in God in 2007 and in 2014. 65% prayed daily in 2007 and 66% prayed daily in 2014. 64% reported that religion was very important to them in 2007 and 66% reported that religion was very important to them in 2014. 63% attended services at least monthly in 2007 and 62% attended services at least monthly in 2014.


… and in some ways even more devout. Share of the religiously affiliated who read scripture weekly or more often: in 2007 it was 40% and in 2014 it was 43%.Participate in prayer or scripture study groups at least weekly: in 2007 it was 27% and in 2014 it was 30%. Share faith with others at least weekly: in 2007 it was 23% and in 2014 it was 26%.


The recent decrease in religious beliefs and behaviors is largely attributable to those people unaffiliated with a specific religion, who have continued to grow in number. Share of religiously unaffiliated in the U.S. population grew from 16% in 2007 to 23% in 2014. Among the religiously unaffiliated, people who say religion is not too or not at all important in their lives has grown from 57% in 2007 to 65% in 2014. Among the religiously unaffiliated, people who seldom or never pray grew from 56% in 2007 to 62% in 2014. Among the religiously unaffiliated, people who say they do not believe in god dropped from 70% in 2007 to 61% in 2014.


The net result is an overall U.S. adult population that has become slightly less religious. Among U.S. adults, those who believe in God dropped from 92% in 2007 to 89% in 2014. Those who pray daily dropped from 58% in 2007 to 55% in 2014. Those who report religion as very important to them dropped from 56% in 2007 to 53% in 2014. Those who report attending services at least monthly dropped from 54% in 2007 to 50% in 2014.


For more on America’s changing religious landscape, go to pew research.org/RLS.