Unites States >> Religion >> Montana
Religion in Montana
The United States has rich and diverse religious cultures, and the freedom to practice beliefs has helped give rise to a unique religious pluralism and freedom. Montana is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Christianity is the majority religion and Protestantism is its largest branch.
Despite Protestants having the majority in Montana, it has a growing percentage of the irreligious population. 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 Montana
Table of Content
Montana Religion Percentage
Christianity is the main religion followed by 65% of the population. The largest Christian denomination in Montana is Protestants (42%) followed by Roman Catholics (17%), Mormonism (4%), Eastern Orthodoxy (1%), Jehovah’s Witnesses (1%), and Other Christians.
Non-Christian faiths account for 5%, and the remaining 30% 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 | 65% |
| – Protestantism | – 42% |
| – Roman Catholicism | – 17% |
| – Mormonism | -4% |
| – Eastern Orthodoxy | – 1% |
| – Jehovah’s Witnesses | – 1% |
| – Other Christian | – <1% |
| Other Religion | 5% |
| Judaism | <1% |
| Islam | <1% |
| Buddhism | 1% |
| Hinduism | <1% |
| smaller faiths | 4% |
| No religion | 30% |
| Don’t know | 1% |
Source: Pew Research Center
read about Religion in United States
Christianity in Montana
Christianity with 65% followers is the largest religion in Montana. All Protestant denominations accounted for 42% of the population. Catholics are 17% 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 | 42% |
| – Evangelical Protestant | – 28% |
| – Mainline Protestant | – 14% |
| – Black church | – <1% |
| Roman Catholicism | 17% |
| Mormonism | 4% |
| Eastern Orthodoxy | 1% |
| Jehovah’s Witnesses | 1% |
| Other Christians | 1% |
read about Christianity in United States
Protestantism in Montana
Among Christians in Montana, Protestantism is the largest group comprising about 42% 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 28% of the population, Next are Mainline Protestants (14%) and historically black protestants are at less than a percent.
| Protestants Affiliation | % of population |
| Evangelical Protestant | 28% |
| Mainline Protestant | 14% |
| Black church | <1% |
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 denominations by adherents in 2020 are as follows
| Religious Bodies | Tradition | Family | Adherents |
| Non-denominational Christian Churches | Evangelical | Other | 54,540 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | Mainline | Lutheran | 26,883 |
| Assemblies of God, General Council of the | Evangelical | Pentecostal | 22,607 |
| Southern Baptist Convention | Evangelical | Baptist | 11,818 |
| Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) | Evangelical | Lutheran | 11,405 |
read about Protestants in United States
Catholics in Montana
Catholic Church at 17% of the state population is the second largest religious grouping, after Protestantism. Catholics are the largest individual denomination if Protestantism is divided into various denominations instead of being counted as a single category.
According to the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA), the largest denomination by adherents in 2010 is the Catholic Church with 112,389 adhere followed by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (50,552)
Since the 1990s, the religious share of Christians has decreased, while Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, and other religions have spread, mainly from immigration.
The state is also known for a wide range of philosophical and spiritual belief systems. Eastern spiritual beliefs have been adopted by an unusually large number of people, and Tibetan Buddhism in particular has a strong local following. Some people in the state also embrace alternative religions, such as New Age spirituality and Neo-Paganis.
Other Religions include Hinduism, Buddhism, Jews, Islam, and other smaller faiths.
| Other Religion | 5% |
| Judaism | <1% |
| Islam | <1% |
| Buddhism | 1% |
| Hinduism | <1% |
| smaller faiths | 4% |
also read about religion in Washington State
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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