Unites States >> Religion >> South Dakota
Religion in South Dakota
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. South Dakota is 5th least populous, and the 5th least densely populated US State. Christianity is the majority religion and Protestantism is its largest branch.
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 South Dakota
Table of Content
South Dakota Religion Percentage
Christianity is the main religion followed by 79% of the population. The largest Christian denomination in South Dakota is Protestant (57%) followed by Roman Catholics (22%), Mormonism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Other Christians.
Non-Christian faiths account for 3%, and the remaining 18% 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 | 79% |
| – Protestantism | – 57% |
| – Roman Catholicism | – 22% |
| – Mormonism | -<1% |
| – Eastern Orthodoxy | – <1% |
| – Jehovah’s Witnesses | – <1% |
| – Other Christian | – 1% |
| Other Religion | 3% |
| Judaism | <1% |
| Islam | <1% |
| Buddhism | 1% |
| Hinduism | <1% |
| smaller faiths | 2% |
| No religion | 18% |
| Don’t know | 1% |
Source: Pew Research Center
read about Religion in United States
Christianity in South Dakota
Christianity with 79% followers is the largest religion in South Dakota. All Protestant denominations accounted for 57% of the population, Catholics are 22% 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 | 57% |
| – Mainline Protestant | – 25% |
| – EvangelicalProtestant | – 32% |
| – Black church | – <1% |
| Roman Catholicism | 22% |
| Mormonism | <1% |
| Eastern Orthodoxy | <1% |
| Jehovah’s Witnesses | <1% |
| Other Christians | <1% |
read about Christianity in the United States
Protestantism in South Dakota
Among Christians in South Dakota, Protestantism is the largest group comprising about 57% 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 32% of the population, Next are Evangelical Protestants (25%) and Historically Black Protestants at 1%.
| Protestants Affiliation | % of population |
| Mainline Protestant | 32% |
| Evangelical Protestant | 25% |
| Historically Black Protestant | <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 Protestant denominations by adherents in 2020 are as follows
| Protestant Churches | Tradition | Family | Adherents |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | Mainline | Lutheran | 97,189 |
| Non-denominational Christian | Evangelical | Other Groups | 63,992 |
| Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod (LCMS) | Evangelical | Lutheran | 27,410 |
| Wesleyan Church | Evangelical | Holiness | 27,042 |
| United Methodist Church | Mainline | Methodist | 25,345 |
read about Protestants in United States
Catholics in South Dakota
Catholic Church at 22% 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 2020 is Catholic Church with 132,805 adherents.
Other religions in South Dakota account for just 3% of the population. the 1990s, the religious share of Christians decreased, while Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, and other religions spread, mainly from immigration. Other Religions include Hinduism, Buddhism, Jews, Islam, and other smaller faiths.
| Other Religion | 3% |
| Judaism | <1% |
| Islam | <1% |
| Buddhism | 1% |
| Hinduism | <1% |
| smaller faiths | 2% |
also read about the Population of South Dakota
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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