Young Women in the U.S. Are Leaving Religion at Rising Rates, New Studies Show

WASHINGTON — For decades, women have been the backbone of religious life in the United States, consistently reporting higher levels of faith, prayer, and attendance at worship services than men. But among Generation Z, that longstanding pattern is shifting — and in some cases, reversing.

A new report from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI), released April 15, 2026, finds that 43 percent of women under the age of 30 now identify as religiously unaffiliated — often referred to as “nones.” That figure marks a sharp increase from 29 percent in 2013.

In a notable turn, young women are now more likely than their male counterparts to report no religious affiliation. Among men under 30, 35 percent identify as unaffiliated. Overall, about 39 percent of Americans in this age group fall into the “none” category.

The findings align with recent data from the Pew Research Center, which shows that the gender gap in religious identity among young adults has nearly disappeared. Today, 57 percent of young women and 58 percent of young men say they identify with a religion — a near parity that would have been unlikely a generation ago.

Melissa Deckman, chief executive of PRRI, said the shift is not driven by a surge in religiosity among young men, but rather by a decline among young women. “What we’re seeing is a convergence,” she said. “Young women are disengaging from organized religion at higher rates, bringing them closer to where young men have been.”

Researchers point to a range of social and political factors. Many young women, Deckman noted, are increasingly at odds with religious institutions they perceive as upholding traditional gender roles or opposing positions on issues such as reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ inclusion.

“There is a clear tension,” she said. “For many young women, the values promoted by some conservative religious communities feel incompatible with their own.”

Even so, women continue to make up the majority of active participants in religious congregations. Research from the Hartford Institute for Religion Research indicates that women account for roughly 60 percent of regular attendees. But younger generations remain underrepresented: people under 30 comprise only about 14 percent of congregational membership, despite representing roughly a quarter of the U.S. population.

Charissa Mikoski, a researcher at Hartford, noted that while some young adults report consistent attendance, the broader trajectory points to long-term decline in institutional participation.

At the same time, the rapid rise of the religiously unaffiliated — a defining trend in American religion over the past two decades — may be stabilizing. Pew data show that the share of Americans with no religious affiliation grew from 16 percent in 2007 to 31 percent in 2022, before leveling off to around 28 percent.

Still, a majority of young Americans continue to identify with a religion, underscoring a more complex landscape than simple narratives of decline.

Recent polling from Gallup adds another dimension: for the first time in 25 years, men ages 18 to 29 are more likely than women in the same age group to say religion is “very important” in their lives — 42 percent compared with roughly 30 percent of women.

Taken together, the data suggest that the narrowing gender gap in religiosity is being driven primarily by changes among women.

Parallel findings from Barna Research and the American Survey Center echo these conclusions, highlighting concerns about gender equality, institutional trust, and the influence of digital culture as key factors shaping Gen Z attitudes toward religion.

While the trend is particularly pronounced in the United States, similar shifts are being observed elsewhere, though often in different forms. In countries like Indonesia, for example, overall religiosity among young people remains relatively high, but social indicators — such as delayed marriage among young women — suggest evolving attitudes toward traditional roles.

Despite the changes, experts say religious institutions are unlikely to disappear, though they may continue to shrink. “We’re living in a time when many people feel isolated and are searching for community,” Deckman said. “Religious institutions, at their best, are uniquely positioned to meet that need.” []