<P> The United States government does not collect religious data in its census . The survey below, the American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) 2008, was a random digit - dialed telephone survey of 54,461 American residential households in the contiguous United States . The 1990 sample size was 113,723; 2001 sample size was 50,281 . </P> <P> Adult respondents were asked the open - ended question, "What is your religion, if any?". Interviewers did not prompt or offer a suggested list of potential answers . The religion of the spouse or partner was also asked . If the initial answer was "Protestant" or "Christian" further questions were asked to probe which particular denomination . About one - third of the sample was asked more detailed demographic questions . </P> <P> Religious Self - Identification of the U.S. Adult Population: 1990, 2001, 2008 Figures are not adjusted for refusals to reply; investigators suspect refusals are possibly more representative of "no religion" than any other group . </P> <Table> Source: ARIS 2008 <Tr> <Th> Group </Th> <Th> 1990 adults × 1,000 </Th> <Th> 2001 adults × 1,000 </Th> <Th> 2008 adults × 1,000 </Th> <Th> Numerical Change 1990--2008 as% of 1990 </Th> <Th> 1990% of adults </Th> <Th> 2001% of adults </Th> <Th> 2008% of adults </Th> <Th> change in% of total adults 1990--2008 </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Adult population, total </Td> <Td> 175,440 </Td> <Td> 207,983 </Td> <Td> 228,182 </Td> <Td> 30.1% </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> <Td> </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Adult population, Responded </Td> <Td> 171,409 </Td> <Td> 196,683 </Td> <Td> 216,367 </Td> <Td> 26.2% </Td> <Td> 97.7% </Td> <Td> 94.6% </Td> <Td> 94.8% </Td> <Td>--2.9% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Total Christian </Th> <Th> 151,225 </Th> <Th> 159,514 </Th> <Th> 173,402 </Th> <Th> 14.7% </Th> <Th> 86.2% </Th> <Th> 76.7% </Th> <Th> 76.0% </Th> <Th>--10.2% </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Catholic </Td> <Td> 46,004 </Td> <Td> 50,873 </Td> <Td> 57,199 </Td> <Td> 24.3% </Td> <Td> 26.2% </Td> <Td> 24.5% </Td> <Td> 25.1% </Td> <Td>--1.2% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Non-Catholic Christian </Td> <Td> 105,221 </Td> <Td> 108,641 </Td> <Td> 116,203 </Td> <Td> 10.4% </Td> <Td> 60.0% </Td> <Td> 52.2% </Td> <Td> 50.9% </Td> <Td>--9.0% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Baptist </Td> <Td> 33,964 </Td> <Td> 33,820 </Td> <Td> 36,148 </Td> <Td> 6.4% </Td> <Td> 19.4% </Td> <Td> 16.3% </Td> <Td> 15.8% </Td> <Td>--3.5% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Mainline Protestant </Td> <Td> 32,784 </Td> <Td> 35,788 </Td> <Td> 29,375 </Td> <Td>--10.4% </Td> <Td> 18.7% </Td> <Td> 17.2% </Td> <Td> 12.9% </Td> <Td>--5.8% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Methodist </Td> <Td> 14,174 </Td> <Td> 14,039 </Td> <Td> 11,366 </Td> <Td>--19.8% </Td> <Td> 8.1% </Td> <Td> 6.8% </Td> <Td> 5.0% </Td> <Td>--3.1% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Lutheran </Td> <Td> 9,110 </Td> <Td> 9,580 </Td> <Td> 8,674 </Td> <Td>--4.8% </Td> <Td> 5.2% </Td> <Td> 4.6% </Td> <Td> 3.8% </Td> <Td>--1.4% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Presbyterian </Td> <Td> 4,985 </Td> <Td> 5,596 </Td> <Td> 4,723 </Td> <Td>--5.3% </Td> <Td> 2.8% </Td> <Td> 2.7% </Td> <Td> 2.1% </Td> <Td>--0.8% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Episcopalian / Anglican </Td> <Td> 3,043 </Td> <Td> 3,451 </Td> <Td> 2,405 </Td> <Td>--21.0% </Td> <Td> 1.7% </Td> <Td> 1.7% </Td> <Td> 1.1% </Td> <Td>--0.7% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> United Church of Christ </Td> <Td> 438 </Td> <Td> 1,378 </Td> <Td> 736 </Td> <Td> 68.0% </Td> <Td> 0.2% </Td> <Td> 0.7% </Td> <Td> 0.3% </Td> <Td> 0.1% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Christian Generic </Td> <Td> 25,980 </Td> <Td> 22,546 </Td> <Td> 32,441 </Td> <Td> 24.9% </Td> <Td> 14.8% </Td> <Td> 10.8% </Td> <Td> 14.2% </Td> <Td>--0.6% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jehovah's Witness </Td> <Td> 1,381 </Td> <Td> 1,331 </Td> <Td> 1,914 </Td> <Td> 38.6% </Td> <Td> 0.8% </Td> <Td> 0.6% </Td> <Td> 0.8% </Td> <Td> 0.1% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Christian Unspecified </Td> <Td> 8,073 </Td> <Td> 14,190 </Td> <Td> 16,384 </Td> <Td> 102.9% </Td> <Td> 4.6% </Td> <Td> 6.8% </Td> <Td> 7.2% </Td> <Td> 2.6% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Non-denominational Christian </Td> <Td> 194 </Td> <Td> 2,489 </Td> <Td> 8,032 </Td> <Td> 4040.2% </Td> <Td> 0.1% </Td> <Td> 1.2% </Td> <Td> 3.5% </Td> <Td> 3.4% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Protestant - Unspecified </Td> <Td> 17,214 </Td> <Td> 4,647 </Td> <Td> 5,187 </Td> <Td>--69.9% </Td> <Td> 9.8% </Td> <Td> 2.2% </Td> <Td> 2.3% </Td> <Td>--7.5% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Evangelical / Born Again </Td> <Td> 546 </Td> <Td> 1,088 </Td> <Td> 2,154 </Td> <Td> 294.5% </Td> <Td> 0.3% </Td> <Td> 0.5% </Td> <Td> 0.9% </Td> <Td> 0.6% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Pentecostal / Charismatic </Td> <Td> 5,647 </Td> <Td> 7,831 </Td> <Td> 7,948 </Td> <Td> 40.7% </Td> <Td> 3.2% </Td> <Td> 3.8% </Td> <Td> 3.5% </Td> <Td> 0.3% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Pentecostal - Unspecified </Td> <Td> 3,116 </Td> <Td> 4,407 </Td> <Td> 5,416 </Td> <Td> 73.8% </Td> <Td> 1.8% </Td> <Td> 2.1% </Td> <Td> 2.4% </Td> <Td> 0.6% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Assemblies of God </Td> <Td> 617 </Td> <Td> 1,105 </Td> <Td> 810 </Td> <Td> 31.3% </Td> <Td> 0.4% </Td> <Td> 0.5% </Td> <Td> 0.4% </Td> <Td> 0.0% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Church of God </Td> <Td> 590 </Td> <Td> 943 </Td> <Td> 663 </Td> <Td> 12.4% </Td> <Td> 0.3% </Td> <Td> 0.5% </Td> <Td> 0.3% </Td> <Td> 0.0% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Other Protestant Denomination </Td> <Td> 4,630 </Td> <Td> 5,949 </Td> <Td> 7,131 </Td> <Td> 54.0% </Td> <Td> 2.6% </Td> <Td> 2.9% </Td> <Td> 3.1% </Td> <Td> 0.5% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Seventh - Day Adventist </Td> <Td> 668 </Td> <Td> 724 </Td> <Td> 938 </Td> <Td> 40.4% </Td> <Td> 0.4% </Td> <Td> 0.3% </Td> <Td> 0.4% </Td> <Td> 0.0% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Churches of Christ </Td> <Td> 1,769 </Td> <Td> 2,593 </Td> <Td> 1,921 </Td> <Td> 8.6% </Td> <Td> 1.0% </Td> <Td> 1.2% </Td> <Td> 0.8% </Td> <Td>--0.2% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Mormon / Latter - Day Saints </Td> <Td> 2,487 </Td> <Td> 2,697 </Td> <Td> 3,158 </Td> <Td> 27.0% </Td> <Td> 1.4% </Td> <Td> 1.3% </Td> <Td> 1.4% </Td> <Td> 0.0% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Total non-Christian religions </Th> <Th> 5,853 </Th> <Th> 7,740 </Th> <Th> 8,796 </Th> <Th> 50.3% </Th> <Th> 3.3% </Th> <Th> 3.7% </Th> <Th> 3.9% </Th> <Th> 0.5% </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Jewish </Td> <Td> 3,137 </Td> <Td> 2,837 </Td> <Td> 2,680 </Td> <Td>--14.6% </Td> <Td> 1.8% </Td> <Td> 1.4% </Td> <Td> 1.2% </Td> <Td>--0.6% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Eastern Religions </Td> <Td> 687 </Td> <Td> 2,020 </Td> <Td> 1,961 </Td> <Td> 185.4% </Td> <Td> 0.4% </Td> <Td> 1.0% </Td> <Td> 0.9% </Td> <Td> 0.5% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Buddhist </Td> <Td> 404 </Td> <Td> 1,082 </Td> <Td> 1,189 </Td> <Td> 194.3% </Td> <Td> 0.2% </Td> <Td> 0.5% </Td> <Td> 0.5% </Td> <Td> 0.3% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Muslim </Td> <Td> 527 </Td> <Td> 1,104 </Td> <Td> 1,349 </Td> <Td> 156.0% </Td> <Td> 0.3% </Td> <Td> 0.5% </Td> <Td> 0.6% </Td> <Td> 0.3% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> New Religious Movements & Others </Td> <Td> 1,296 </Td> <Td> 1,770 </Td> <Td> 2,804 </Td> <Td> 116.4% </Td> <Td> 0.7% </Td> <Td> 0.9% </Td> <Td> 1.2% </Td> <Td> 0.5% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> None / No religion, total </Th> <Th> 14,331 </Th> <Th> 29,481 </Th> <Th> 34,169 </Th> <Th> 138.4% </Th> <Th> 8.2% </Th> <Th> 14.2% </Th> <Th> 15.0% </Th> <Th> 6.8% </Th> </Tr> <Tr> <Td> Agnostic + Atheist </Td> <Td> 1,186 </Td> <Td> 1,893 </Td> <Td> 3,606 </Td> <Td> 204.0% </Td> <Td> 0.7% </Td> <Td> 0.9% </Td> <Td> 1.6% </Td> <Td> 0.9% </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Th> Did Not Know / Refused to reply </Th> <Th> 4,031 </Th> <Th> 11,300 </Th> <Th> 11,815 </Th> <Th> 193.1% </Th> <Th> 2.3% </Th> <Th> 5.4% </Th> <Th> 5.2% </Th> <Th> 2.9% </Th> </Tr> </Table>

Over 12 of the population of the united states is over the age of 65