# Atheism in the United States

A 2023 poll by the Pew Research Center found that 4% of Americans in the United States self-identified as atheists. This is an increase from 3.1% of Americans in 2014. However, in 2014, 9% of Americans agreed with the statement "Do not believe in God" while 2% agreed with the statement "Do not know if they believe in God". According to a poll by non-profit PRRI in 2023, 4% of Americans were atheist and 5% were agnostic. Polling by Gallup in 2022 showed that 17% of respondents replied "No" when asked "Do you believe in God?" in a binary fashion, but when worded differently in 2023, Gallup found that 12% of respondents replied they "Do not believe in" God and 14% replied they were "Not sure about" the existence of God. According to Gallup, there are variations in their polling results because they ask about God in three different wordings, each with a different result.
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According to the 2014 General Sociological Survey, the number of atheists and agnostics in the U.S. grew over the previous 23 years. In 1991, only 2% identified as atheist, and 4% identified as agnostic; while in 2014, 3.1% identified as atheists, and 5% identified as agnostics.
According to the 2008 ARIS, only 2% the US population was atheist, while 10% were agnostics.
One 2018 research paper using indirect methods estimated that 26% of Americans are atheists, which is much higher than the 3%-11% rates that are consistently found in surveys. However, methodological problems have been identified with this particular study; in particular, it has been posted that many people might not have a binary outlook to the question of the existence of God.
Accurate demographics of atheism are difficult to obtain since conceptions of atheism and self-identification are context dependent by culture. In 2009, Pew stated that only 5% of the US population did not have a belief in a god and out of that small group only 24% self-identified as "atheist", while 15% self-identified as "agnostic" and 35% self-identified as "nothing in particular". In 2023, Pew stated that 23% of atheists believe in a higher power, but not a god.

## Demographics (2014)
### Age

Lack of belief in god/gods among age groups in the United States (2014) :
| Age group | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| 18-29 year olds | 16 | 16 | 6 | 6 |
| 30-49 year olds | 9 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| All Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| 50-64 year olds | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| 65+ year olds | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 |

### Education

Lack of belief in god/gods among education in the United States (2014) :
| Highest degree earned | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| Post-graduate degree | 14 | 14 | 5 | 5 |
| College graduate | 14 | 14 | 5 | 5 |
| All Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Some college | 9 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| High school or less | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 |

### Gender

Lack of belief in god/gods among genders in the United States (2014) :
| Gender | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| Male American | 12 | 12 | 4 | 4 |
| Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Female American | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 |

### Generation

Lack of belief in god/gods among generations in the United States (2014) :
| Generation | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| Younger Millennial Americans | 17 | 17 | 6 | 6 |
| Older Millennial Americans | 13 | 13 | 4 | 4 |
| Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Generation X Americans | 9 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Greatest Americans | 7 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| Baby Boomer Americans | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| Silent Americans | 6 | 6 | 1 | 1 |

### Household income

Lack of belief in god/gods among household income in the United States (2014) :
| Cohort | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| $100,000 or more, Americans | 14 | 14 | 5 | 5 |
| $50,000-$99,999, Americans | 11 | 11 | 3 | 3 |
| $30,000-$49,999, Americans | 9 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Less than $30,000, Americans | 7 | 7 | 2 | 2 |

### Immigrant status

Lack of belief in god/gods among immigrant status in the United States (2014) :
| Generation | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| Second generation Americans | 14 | 14 | 4 | 4 |
| Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Third generation or higher Americans | 9 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Immigrants | 8 | 8 | 3 | 3 |

### Marital status

Lack of belief in god/gods among marital status in the United States (2014) :
| Cohort | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| Never married Americans | 15 | 15 | 5 | 5 |
| Living with a partner Americans | 14 | 14 | 5 | 5 |
| Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Married Americans | 7 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| Divorced/separated Americans | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| Widowed Americans | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |

### Metro area

Lack of belief in god/gods/self described atheists among metro areas in the United States (2014) :
| State/federal district | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| Greater San Francisco Bay Area | 21 | 21 | 5 | 5 |
| Seattle metropolitan area | 20 | 20 | 10 | 10 |
| Boston metropolitan area | 17 | 17 | 4 | 4 |
| Providence metropolitan area | 15 | 15 | 4 | 4 |
| Baltimore metropolitan area | 14 | 14 | 3 | 3 |
| Philadelphia metropolitan area | 13 | 13 | 5 | 5 |
| Tampa metropolitan area | 13 | 13 | 4 | 4 |
| San Diego metropolitan area | 12 | 12 | 3 | 3 |
| Washington metropolitan area | 12 | 12 | 4 | 4 |
| Greater Los Angeles Area | 11 | 11 | 4 | 4 |
| New York metropolitan area | 11 | 11 | 4 | 4 |
| Phoenix metropolitan area | 11 | 11 | 3 | 3 |
| Chicago metropolitan area | 10 | 10 | 3 | 3 |
| Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Detroit metropolitan area | 9 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Miami metropolitan area | 9 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Riverside metropolitan area | 8 | 8 | 1 | 1 |
| Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex | 7 | 7 | 1 | 1 |
| Atlanta metropolitan area | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Houston metropolitan area | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| St. Louis metropolitan area | 6 | 6 | 3 | 3 |
| Pittsburgh metropolitan area | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 |

### Political affiliation

Lack of belief in god/gods among political affiliation in the United States (2014) :
| Political affiliation | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| Democrat/Lean Democrat Americans | 13 | 13 | 5 | 5 |
| Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| No lean, Americans | 9 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Republican/Lean Republican Americans | 5 | 5 | 1 | 1 |

### Parental status

Lack of belief in god/gods among parental status in the United States (2014) :
| Parental status | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| Non-parents of children under 18 year old Americans | 10 | 10 | 3 | 3 |
| Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Parents of children under 18 year old Americans | 7 | 7 | 2 | 2 |

### Political ideology

Lack of belief in god/gods among political ideology in the United States (2014) :
| Political ideology | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| Liberal Americans | 19 | 19 | 7 | 7 |
| Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Moderate Americans | 9 | 9 | 3 | 3 |
| Don't know, Americans | 8 | 8 | | |
| Conservative Americans | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 |

### Race

Lack of belief in god/gods among racial groups in the United States (2014) :
| Racial group | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| Asian Americans | 19 | 19 | 6 | 6 |
| White Americans | 11 | 11 | 4 | 4 |
| Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Other/Mixed Americans | 8 | 8 | 2 | 2 |
| Latino Americans | 6 | 6 | 2 | 2 |
| African Americans | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 |

### Region

Lack of belief in god/gods/self described atheists among regions in the United States (2014) :
| State/federal district | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| Northeastern United States | 12 | 12 | 4 | 4 |
| Western United States | 12 | 12 | 4 | 4 |
| Americans | 9 | 9 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Midwestern United States | 8 | 8 | 3 | 3 |
| Southern United States | 7 | 7 | 2 | 2 |

### Religion

Lack of belief in god/gods among religious/belief groups in the United States (2014) :
| Religious group | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods |
| Atheist Americans | 92 | 92 |
| Agnostic Americans | 41 | 41 |
| Nothing in particular (religion not important), Americans | 33 | 33 |
| Unaffiliated Americans | 33 | 33 |
| Buddhist Americans | 27 | 27 |
| New Age movement, Americans | 21 | 21 |
| Nothing in particular, Americans | 20 | 20 |
| Unitarians and other liberal faiths in "other faiths", Americans | 19 | 19 |
| Jewish Americans | 17 | 17 |
| Hindu Americans | 10 | 10 |
| Americans | 9 | 9 |
| Episcopalian (Mainline Protestant) Americans | 4 | 4 |
| Anglican Church, Americans | 3 | 3 |
| Episcopal Church, Americans | 3 | 3 |
| Nothing in particular (religion important), Americans | 3 | 3 |
| Eastern Orthodox Americans | 3 | 3 |
| Lutheran (Mainline Protestant) Americans | 2 | 2 |
| Mainline Protestant Americans | 2 | 2 |
| Nondenominational (Mainline Protestant) Americans | 2 | 2 |
| Roman Catholic Americans | 2 | 2 |
| Baptist (Mainline Protestant) Americans | 1 | 1 |
| Christian Americans | 1 | 1 |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, Americans | 1 | 1 |
| Muslim Americans | 1 | 1 |
| Pentecostal (Evangelical Protestant) Americans | 1 | 1 |
| Presbyterian (Evangelical Protestant) Americans | 1 | 1 |
| Presbyterian (Mainline Protestant) Americans | 1 | 1 |
| Presbyterian Church in America, Americans | 1 | 1 |
| Presbyterian Church, Americans | 1 | 1 |
| United Church of Christ, Americans | 1 | 1 |
| United Methodist Church, Americans | 1 | 1 |
| Adventist (Evangelical Protestant) Americans | <1 | |
| African Methodist Episcopal Church, Americans | <1 | |
| American Baptist Churches, Americans | <1 | |
| Assemblies of God, Americans | <1 | |
| Baptist (Evangelical Protestant) Americans | <1 | |
| Baptist (Historically Black Protestant) Americans | <1 | |
| Church of God, Americans | <1 | |
| Church of God in Christ, Americans | <1 | |
| Mormon, Americans | <1 | |
| Church of the Nazarene, Americans | <1 | |
| Churches of Christ, Americans | <1 | |
| Evangelical Protestant Americans | <1 | |
| Historically Black Protestant, Americans | <1 | |
| Holiness (Evangelical Protestant), Americans | <1 | |
| Independent Baptist (Evangelical Protestant) Americans | <1 | |
| Interdenominational (Evangelical Protestant) Americans | <1 | |
| Interdenominational (Mainline Protestant) Americans | <1 | |
| Jehovah's Witness, Americans | <1 | |
| Lutheran (Evangelical Protestant) Americans | <1 | |
| Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod, Americans | <1 | |
| Methodist (Historically Black Protestant) Americans | <1 | |
| Mormon Americans | <1 | |
| National Baptist Convention, Americans | <1 | |
| Nondenominational (Evangelical Protestant) Americans | <1 | |
| Nondenominational (Historically Black Protestant) Americans | <1 | |
| Nondenominational charismatic Americans | <1 | |
| Nondenominational evangelical Americans | <1 | |
| Nondenominational fundamentalist Americans | <1 | |
| Pentecostal (Historically Black Protestant) Americans | <1 | |
| Restorationist (Evangelical Protestant) Americans | <1 | |
| Seventh-day Adventist Americans | <1 | |
| Southern Baptist Convention, Americans | <1 | |

### Sexual orientation

Self described atheists among sexual orientations in the United States (2014) :
| Sexual orientation | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| LGBT Americans | 8 | 8 |
| Americans | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Straight Americans | 3 | 3 |

### State/federal district

Lack of belief in god/gods/self described atheists among states/local district in the United States (2014) :
| State/federal district | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of lack of belief in god/gods | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists | % of self described atheists |
| | # of population | | | # of population | | |
| Vermont | 131,406 | 21 | 21 | 43,802 | 7 | 7 |
| Massachusetts | 1,178,573 | 18 | 18 | 327,381 | 5 | 5 |
| Maine | 212,538 | 16 | 16 | 26,567 | 2 | 2 |
| New Hampshire | 210,635 | 16 | 16 | 78,988 | 6 | 6 |
| District of Columbia | 84,241 | 14 | 14 | 24,069 | 4 | 4 |
| Oregon | 498,040 | 13 | 13 | 191,554 | 5 | 5 |
| Washington | 874,190 | 13 | 13 | 336,227 | 5 | 5 |
| Alaska | 85,228 | 12 | 12 | 35,512 | 5 | 5 |
| California | 4,470,475 | 12 | 12 | 1,490,158 | 4 | 4 |
| Connecticut | 427,834 | 12 | 12 | 178,264 | 5 | 5 |
| Nevada | 324,066 | 12 | 12 | 135,028 | 5 | 5 |
| Wisconsin | 682,438 | 12 | 12 | 170,610 | 3 | 3 |
| New York | 2,131,591 | 11 | 11 | 968,905 | 5 | 5 |
| Idaho | 172,434 | 11 | 11 | 31,352 | 2 | 2 |
| New Mexico | 226,510 | 11 | 11 | 61,775 | 3 | 3 |
| Rhode Island | 115,782 | 11 | 11 | 42,103 | 4 | 4 |
| Arizona | 639,202 | 10 | 10 | 191,761 | 3 | 3 |
| Colorado | 502,920 | 10 | 10 | 201,168 | 4 | 4 |
| Florida | 1,880,131 | 10 | 10 | 564,039 | 3 | 3 |
| Indiana | 648,380 | 10 | 10 | 194,514 | 3 | 3 |
| Maryland | 577,355 | 10 | 10 | 173,207 | 3 | 3 |
| Pennsylvania | 1,270,238 | 10 | 10 | 381,071 | 3 | 3 |
| Hawaii | 122,427 | 9 | 9 | 27,206 | 2 | 2 |
| Illinois | 1,154,757 | 9 | 9 | 384,919 | 3 | 3 |
| Iowa | 274,172 | 9 | 9 | 121,854 | 4 | 4 |
| Michigan | 889,528 | 9 | 9 | 296,509 | 3 | 3 |
| Minnesota | 477,353 | 9 | 9 | 159,118 | 3 | 3 |
| Nebraska | 164,371 | 9 | 9 | 18,263 | 1 | 1 |
| United States | 27,787,098 | 9 | 9 | 9,571,112 | 3.1 | 3.1 |
| Montana | 79,153 | 8 | 8 | 39,577 | 4 | 4 |
| New Jersey | 703,352 | 8 | 8 | 175,838 | 2 | 2 |
| North Dakota | 53,807 | 8 | 8 | 13,452 | 2 | 2 |
| Utah | 221,111 | 8 | 8 | 82,917 | 3 | 3 |
| Virginia | 640,082 | 8 | 8 | 160,020 | 2 | 2 |
| Kentucky | 303,756 | 7 | 7 | 173,574 | 4 | 4 |
| Delaware | 62,855 | 7 | 7 | 17,959 | 2 | 2 |
| Kansas | 199,718 | 7 | 7 | 57,062 | 2 | 2 |
| North Carolina | 667,484 | 7 | 7 | 190,710 | 2 | 2 |
| Ohio | 807,555 | 7 | 7 | 230,730 | 2 | 2 |
| South Dakota | 56,993 | 7 | 7 | 24,425 | 3 | 3 |
| Georgia | 581,259 | 6 | 6 | 193,753 | 2 | 2 |
| Louisiana | 272,002 | 6 | 6 | 90,667 | 2 | 2 |
| Missouri | 359,336 | 6 | 6 | 119,779 | 2 | 2 |
| Texas | 1,508,734 | 6 | 6 | 502,911 | 2 | 2 |
| Wyoming | 33,818 | 6 | 6 | 16,909 | 3 | 3 |
| South Carolina | 231,268 | 5 | 5 | 46,254 | 1 | 1 |
| West Virginia | 92,650 | 5 | 5 | 18,530 | 1 | 1 |
| Arkansas | 116,637 | 4 | 4 | 58,318 | 2 | 2 |
| Mississippi | 118,692 | 4 | 4 | 29,673 | 1 | 1 |
| Tennessee | 190,383 | 3 | 3 | 63,461 | 1 | 1 |
| Alabama | 95,595 | 2 | 2 | 47,797 | 1 | 1 |

## Public officials
### United States Representatives

| Name | State | Position | Party | Term |
| Pete Stark | California | United States Representative from California's 8th district, 9th district, 13th district | Democratic | 1973–2013 |
| Jared Huffman | California | United States Representative from California's 2nd district | Democratic | 2013–present |
| Barney Frank | Massachusetts | United States Representative from Massachusetts's 4th district | Democratic | 1981–2013 |

### United States Senators

| Photo | Name | State | Position | Party | Term | Source |
| | Thomas Gore | Oklahoma | United States Senator from Oklahoma | Democratic | 1907–1921 1931, 1937 | |
| | Kyrsten Sinema | Arizona | United States Senator from Arizona | Independent | 2019–2025 | |

### Governors

| Photo | Name | State | Position | Party | Party | Term | Source |
| | Culbert Olson | California | 29th Governor of California | Democratic | Democratic | 1939–1943 | |
| | Jesse Ventura | Minnesota | 38th Governor of Minnesota | Reform (1998-2000) | Independence (2000-2003) | 1999–2003 | |

### State legislators

| Name | State | Position | Party | Term |
| Timothy Smith | New Hampshire | New Hampshire State Representative | Democratic | 2012–2022 |
| Culbert Olson | California | California State Senator | Democratic | 1934–1938 |
| Jared Huffman | California | California State Assembly, 2nd district | Democratic | 2006–2012 |
| Sean Faircloth | Maine | Maine Representative, 17th and 117th districts Maine State Senator | Democratic | 1992–1994 2002–2008 1994–1996 |
| Barney Frank | Massachusetts | Massachusetts State Representative, 5th and 8th Suffolk districts | Democratic | 1973–1981 |
| Ernie Chambers | Nebraska | Nebraska State Senator, 11th district | Independent | 1971–2009 2013–2021 |
| Megan Hunt | Nebraska | Nebraska State Senator, 8th district | Democratic | 2019–present |
| Lori Lipman Brown | Nevada | Nevada State Senator | Democratic | 1992–1994 |
| Andrew Zwicker | New Jersey | New Jersey General Assembly, 16th District | Democratic | 2016–present |
| Culbert Olson | Utah | Utah State Senator | Democratic | 1916–1920 |

### Mayors

| Photo | Name | State | Position | Party | Term | Source |
| | Jesse Ventura | Minnesota | Mayor of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota | Independent | 1991–1995 | |
| | Rocky Anderson | Utah | 33rd Mayor of Salt Lake City, Utah | Democratic | 2000–2008 | |

### City councils

| Photo | Name | State | Position | Party | Term | Source |
| | Sean Faircloth | Maine | Chair of the City Council of Bangor | Democratic | 2016–present | |
| | Cecil Bothwell | North Carolina | City councilor of Asheville | Democratic | 2009–2017 | |

## Political views

| Rocky Anderson, founder of the Justice Party | Douglas Campbell, co-founder of the Godless Americans Political Action Committee | Emma Goldman, founder of anarcho-feminism | James P. Cannon, co-founder of the Communist League of America | Abbie Hoffman, co-founder of the Youth International Party | Richard B. Spencer, founder of the alt-right | Murray Rothbard, founder of anarcho-capitalism | Cenk Uygur, co-founder of the Justice Democrats |

### Views of atheists

A June–September 2014 Pew Research Center survey found that 69% of atheist Americans identify as Democratic or lean Democratic, 17% have no lean, 15% identify as Republican, 56% liberal, 29% moderate, 10% conservative, and 5% don't know. Among Americans who don't believe in god/gods, 65% identify as Democratic or lean Democratic, 17% have no lean, 18% identify as Republican, 50% liberal, 31% moderate, 13% conservative, and 6% don't know. That makes atheist and nonbelievers in god/gods Americans as belief groups to be the most politically liberal belief group in America and the least politically aligned belief group with Republicans and conservatism in the United States.

### Views about atheists

In 2014, a Pew survey found that 53% of Americans claimed they would be less likely to vote for a presidential candidate who was an atheist.

### Groups that include atheists

An October 2013 Public Religion Research Institute American Values Survey found 58% of American libertarians report they believe in a personal god, 25% believe god is an impersonal force in the universe, and 16% report that they do not believe in a god. It also found 73% of Americans who identify with the Tea Party report they believe in a personal god, 19% believe god is an impersonal force in the universe, and 6% report that they do not believe in a god. It also found 90% of white evangelical Protestants report they believe in a personal god, 8% believe god is an impersonal force in the universe, and less than 1% report that they do not believe in a god.

## Organizations

* American Atheists
* Atheist Alliance International
* The Clergy Project
* Freedom From Religion Foundation
* Freethinking Atheist and Agnostic Kinship
* International League of non-religious and atheists
* Internet Infidels
* Military Association of Atheists & Freethinkers
* Rational Response Squad
* Recovering from Religion
* The Satanic Temple