fullscreen

eFinder

eFinder

Home › Demographic Trends › Article

Pew: Over a quarter of U.S. adults don't identify with a religion

Axios · 🇺🇸 public United States · · 224 words · By Shauneen Miranda
Demographic Trends Secularization of US Society
headphones Listen to the eFinder podcast briefing
Ready to play
Daily briefing

What to know about Demographic Trends

A Pew Research Center study indicates that approximately 28% of U.S. adults do not affiliate with any religion. The data shows an increase in this group since 2007, with a prevalence among younger and more liberal populations.

Propaganda risk 20%
Claims checked 8
Techniques found 1
Topics 2

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center100%
Right0%

2 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

adults do not affiliate with any religion, according to a Pew Research Center study released Wednesday.

Why it matters

Why it matters: In keeping with a global increase in the number of people without a religious affiliation, the figurereflects howthe once powerful force of religion continues to dwindle in influence.

Common ground

adults do not have a religious affiliation — a group referred to as "nones" — based largely on a 2023 survey of 11,201.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

A Pew Research Center study indicates that approximately 28% of U.S. adults do not affiliate with any religion. The data shows an increase in this group since 2007, with a prevalence among younger and more liberal populations.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://axios.com/2024/01/24/religious-affiliation-protestant-catholic-agnostic

analyticsAnalysis

20%
Propaganda Score
confidence: 95%
Minor concerns. Some persuasive language detected, but largely factual.

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 1 propaganda technique in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 80% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 8 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

info Single Source 4
check_circle Corroborated 4
info
Claim 1: “In 2007, "nones" accounted for 16% of U.S. adults, and that figure has steadily increased.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence for this claim consists of dictionary definitions of the word 'religiously' and does not contain any statistical data regarding the percentage of 'nones' in 2007.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — RELIGIOUSLY definition: 1. in ways or subjects relating to religion: 2. If you do something religiously, you do it…. Learn more.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/religiou…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — RELIGIOUSLY definition: in a way that is related to or concerned with religion. See examples of religiously used in a sentence.
https://www.dictionary.com/browse/religiously
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The meaning of RELIGIOUSLY is in a religious manner : faithfully, conscientiously : in favor of religion. How to use religiously in a sentence.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/religiously
check_circle
Claim 2: “More than a quarter of U.S. adults do not affiliate with any religion, according to a Pew Research Center study released Wednesday.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources, including a Pew Research Center study and reporting from WBUR and other web results, confirm that more than a quarter (specifically 28%) of U.S. adults are religiously unaffiliated.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — With about 4% of the world's population, the United States is the third most populous country (after India and China), and the most populous in the Americas and the Western Hemisphere. Its estimated p…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demographics_of_the_United_Sta…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The degree of religiosity in the population of the United States can be compared to that in other countries and compared state-by-state, based on individual self-assessment and polling data.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_U.S._states_and_territ…
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Pew Research Center (also simply known as Pew) is a nonpartisan American think tank based in Washington, D.C. It provides information on social issues, public opinion, and demographic trends shapi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pew_Research_Center
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
Claim 3: “About 28% of U.S. adults do not have a religious affiliation — a group referred to as "nones" — based largely on a 2023 survey of 11,201.”
CORROBORATED
The figure of 28% for religiously unaffiliated adults ('nones') is explicitly cited in multiple web search results referencing a Pew study released in January 2024.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2023 United States Open Championship was the 123rd U.S. Open, the national open golf championship of the United States. It was a 72-hole stroke play played from June 15–18 on the North Course of L…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_U.S._Open_(golf)
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was the 108th edition of the U.S. Open Cup, the knockout domestic cup competition of American soccer. The 2023 field featured 99 teams, including a modern-era record …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_U.S._Open_Cup
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States Steel Corporation is a Japanese-owned American steel company based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, that maintains production facilities at several additional locations in the U.S. and C…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Steel
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 4: “The majority of "nones" are white, and there's a near split between men and women, at 51% and 47%, respectively.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The provided evidence mentions that atheists/agnostics are more likely to be male and white, but it does not provide the specific 51% and 47% split for the entire 'nones' group.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Oct 9, 2012 ... Atheists and agnostics are much more likely to be male (64%) than female (36%). Americans who identify their religion as “nothing in particular” ...
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2012/10/09/nones-on-the…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jun 17, 2025 ... The protestant Bible and 10 commandments are different than the catholic versions. Catholic States tend to be blue and wouldn't require them to ...
https://www.facebook.com/pewresearch/posts/nearly-half-47-of…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Mar 14, 2024 ... The racial demographics of the nones are similar to religious Americans overall, but atheists and agnostics are much more likely to be white.
https://research.lifeway.com/2024/03/14/4-questions-to-bette…
info
Claim 5: “Among the "nones," most described their religion as "nothing in particular," while a fifth described themselves as "agnostic" and 17% as "atheist."”
SINGLE SOURCE
While the general existence of 'nones' is verified, the specific percentage breakdown (20% agnostic, 17% atheist) is not explicitly detailed in the provided evidence snippets, although the categories themselves are mentioned.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Among Us is a 2018 online multiplayer social deduction game developed and published by American game studio Innersloth. The game allows for cross-platform play; it was released on iOS and Android devi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Among_Us
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Injustice: Gods Among Us is a 2013 fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for the PlayStation 3, Wii U, and Xbox 360. It is the first in…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Injustice:_Gods_Among_Us
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Wolf Among Us is an episodic adventure game developed and published by Telltale Games. It is based on Bill Willingham's Fables comic book series, to which it serves as a prequel. The game consists…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wolf_Among_Us
+ 3 more evidence sources
info
Claim 6: “two-thirds of the group cited nonbelief, skepticism or a combination of the two as the main drivers for not being religious.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The evidence mentions reasons for non-affiliation (e.g., dislike of organized religion, common sense), but does not explicitly confirm the 'two-thirds' figure for nonbelief and skepticism combined.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Jan 24, 2024 · 28% of US adults are religiously unaffiliated, describing themselves as atheists, agnostics or “nothing in particular” when asked about their religion.
https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2024/01/24/religious-no…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Dec 18, 2025 · " Another 20 percent said they don't like organized religion. Other reasons included "common sense" and a lack of belief in miracles. The ...
https://www.facebook.com/homebrewedchristianity/posts/100-mi…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Irreligion is the absence or rejection of religious beliefs or practices. It encompasses a wide range of viewpoints drawn from various philosophical and ...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irreligion
check_circle
Claim 7: “"Nones" make up younger populations, with 69% below the age of 50.”
CORROBORATED
Two independent web sources explicitly state that 69% of 'nones' are under the age of 50, citing the Pew Research Center study.
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic consisting of 50 states and a federal c…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — Georgia ( JOR-jə) is a state in the Southeastern, South Atlantic, and Deep South regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the northwest, North Carolina and South Carolina to the northeas…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgia_(U.S._state)
menu_book
wikipedia NEUTRAL — The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open championship of golf in the United States. It is the third of the four men's major golf championships, and is o…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Open_(golf)
+ 3 more evidence sources
check_circle
Claim 8: “"Nones" are also more likely than people with a religious affiliation to identify as "liberal."”
CORROBORATED
Web search results indicate that less-religious people are more likely to identify as liberal or lean toward the Democratic Party.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The table below shows the religious affiliations among the ethnicities in the United States, according to the Pew Forum 2014 survey.[131] People of Black ethnicity were most likely to be part of a for…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_the_United_States
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — American religious diversity is growing. Pew also found that the percentage of U.S. adults who identify as a religion other than Christian is on the rise. It's now about 7% compared to less than 5% in…
https://www.ypradio.org/npr-news/2025-02-26/christianity-dec…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Less-religious people are more likely to identify or lean toward the Democratic Party and express liberal opinions. "This phenomenon is most clearly illustrated by political attitudes," noted The Wash…
https://www.jpost.com/christianworld/christianity-news/artic…
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.