Unites States >> Religion >> Iowa
Overview of Religion in Iowa (2026)
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. Iowa is the US state with the 31st largest population, Christianity being the majority religion and Protestantism as its largest branch.
Despite Protestants having the majority still Iowa has a good percentage of Roman Catholics in the state. Since the 1990s, the religious share of Christians has decreased, and the Unaffiliated population is on the rise. Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, and other religions have spread, mainly from immigration.
also read about Race and Ethnicity in Iowa
Table of Content
Religion Percentage in Iowa
Christianity is the largest religion followed by 78% of the population. The largest Christian denomination in Iowa is Protestant (60%) followed by Roman Catholics (18%), Mormonism (1%), Eastern Orthodoxy (1%), Jehovah’s Witnesses (1%), and Other Christian (1%).
Non-Christian faiths account for 1%, and the remaining 21% 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/Affiliations | Percentage |
| Christianity | 78% |
| – Protestantism | – 60% |
| – Roman Catholicism | – 18% |
| – Mormonism | – <1% |
| – Eastern Orthodoxy | – <1% |
| – Jehovah’s Witnesses | – <1% |
| – Other Christian | – <1% |
| Other Religion | 1% |
| Judaism | <1% |
| Islam | <1% |
| Buddhism | <1% |
| Hinduism | <1% |
| Other faiths | <1% |
| No religion | 21% |
| Don’t know | 1% |
Source: Pew Research Center
read about Religion in United States
Christianity in Iowa — Population & Denominations
Christianity with 78% followers is the largest in Iowa. All Protestant denominations accounted for 60% of the population, Catholics are 18% of the population, and are the largest individual denomination if Protestantism is divided into various denominations instead of being counted as a single category.
Rest include Mormons, Eastern Orthodoxy, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and other smaller denominations.
| Christianity Affiliations | Percentage |
| Protestantism | 60% |
| – Evangelical Protestant | – 28% |
| – Mainline Protestant | – 30% |
| – Black church | – 2% |
| Roman Catholicism | 18% |
| Mormonism | <1% |
| Eastern Orthodoxy | <1% |
| Jehovah’s Witnesses | <1% |
| Other Christians | <1% |
read about Christianity in United States
Protestantism in Iowa
Among Christians in Iowa, Protestantism is the largest group comprising about 60% 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. Mainline is the largest and followed by 30% of the population, Next are Evangelical Protestants (28%), and Historically Black Protestants (2%)
| Protestants Affiliation | % of population |
| Mainline Protestant | 30% |
| Evangelical Protestant | 28% |
| Historically Black Protestants | 2% |
Protestantism is also comprised of numerous denominational families (e.g., Baptist, Methodist, and Pentecostal) that fit into one or more of the traditions. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), the largest Protestant denominations by adherents in 2020 are as follows
| Religious Bodies | Tradition | Family | Adherents |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church | Mainline | Lutheran | 173,750 |
| United Methodist Church | Mainline | Methodist | 185,217 |
| Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) | Evangelical | Lutheran | 89,917 |
| Non-denominational | Evangelical | Other Groups | 85,426 |
| Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) | Mainline | Presbyterian/Reformed | 41,570 |
Catholics in Iowa
Catholic Church at 18 % of the state population is the second largest religious grouping, after Protestantism. According to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), the largest denomination by adherents in 2020 was the Catholic Church with 470,487 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 are 1% of the Iowa population and include Hinduism, Buddhism, Jews, Islam, and other smaller faiths.
also read about Population of Iowa
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.
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