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Religion in Rhode Island

The United States had rich and diverse religious cultures, and the freedom to practice beliefs has helped give rise to a highly unique religious pluralism and freedom. Christianity is the majority religion in Rhode Island and Catholicism is its largest branch. 

Rhode Island has had the highest proportion of Catholic population of any state in the United States. Since the 1990s, the religious share of Christians has decreased, while Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, and other religions have spread, mainly from immigration.

also read about Race and Ethnicity in Rhode Island

Rhode Island Religion Percentage

Christianity is the largest religion followed by 75% of the population. The largest Christian denomination in Rhode Island is Protestants (30%) followed by Roman Catholics (42%), Mormonism (1%),  Jehovah’s Witnesses (2%), and Other Christians.

Non-Christian faiths account for 5%, and the remaining 20% are classified as unaffiliated, which can mean agnostic, atheist, or “nothing in particular.”

Other Religions include Hinduism, Buddhism, Jews, Islam, and other smaller faiths.

Religion/AffiliationsPercentage
Christianity 75%
 – Protestantism – 30%
 – Roman Catholicism – 42%
 – Mormonism -1%
 – Eastern Orthodoxy -< 1%
 – Jehovah’s Witnesses – 2%
 – Other Christians – 1%
Other Religion 5%
  Judaism -1%
  Islam -<1%
  Buddhism -<1%
  Hinduism -1%
  Other religion -1%
  No religion 20%
  Don’t know 1%

Source: Pew Research Center

read about Religion in United States

Christianity in Rhode Island

Christianity with 75% followers is the largest in Rhode Island. Catholics are 42% of the population and are the largest individual denomination and also the largest percentage of Catholics by any state of the US. Its followed by All Protestant denominations and together they accounted for 30% of the population.

Rest include Mormons,  Eastern Orthodoxy, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and other smaller denominations. 

Christianity AffiliationsPercentage
Protestantism 30%
– Evangelical Protestant– 14%
– Mainline Protestant– 14%
– Black church– 2%
Roman Catholicism 42%
Mormonism 1%
Eastern Orthodoxy <1%
Jehovah’s Witnesses 2%
Other Christians 1%
Protestantism in Rhode Island

Among Christians in Rhode Island, Protestantism is the second largest group comprising about 30% of the state’s population. Protestantism in the United States has branched out into several branches, denominations, and various interdenominational and related movements. 

Protestants by tradition can be further classified into three main denominations. Evangelical is the largest and followed by 14% of the population, Next are Mainline Protestants (14%) and Historically Black Protestants (2%)

Protestants Affiliation% of  population
Evangelical Protestant20%
Mainline Protestant10%
Black church2%

Protestantism is also comprised of numerous denominational families (e.g., Baptist, Methodist, and Pentecostal) that fit into one or more of the traditions. The largest Protestant denomination by the number of adherents in 2020 are as follows

Protestant ChurchesTraditionFamilyAdherents
Non-denominational Christian ChurchesEvangelical Other 25,880
Episcopal ChurchMainline Anglican/Episcopal14,678
American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A.Mainline Baptist 11,381
United Methodist ChurchMainline Methodist 5,825
Assemblies of God, General Council of theEvangelical Pentecostal 5,428
United Church of ChristMainline Congregationalists 4,892

read about  Protestants in the United States

Catholics in Rhode Island

Rhode Island has the largest percentage of Roman Catholics in the United States. Catholic Church at 42 % of the state population is the largest religious grouping. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), the largest denomination by adherents in 2020 was the Catholic Church with 445,597 adherents.

Since the 1990s, the religious share of Christians has decreased, while Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, and other religions have spread, mainly from immigration. Other Religions include Hinduism, Buddhism, Jews, Islam, and other smaller faiths.

Other Religion 5%
  Judaism -1%
  Islam -<1%
  Buddhism -<1%
  Hinduism -1%
  Other religion -1%

also read about the Population of Rhode Island

Sources

Note: The US census does not contain questions about one’s religious affiliation. Our Article is based on surveys conducted by various institutions and agencies.

Religion in Rhode Island 2024 | Christianity in Rhode Island