Sep 2026 Pew report from 2024 RLS on LDS trends.

[MrShorty]

This came across my computer today. Perhaps because Pew is well known and already well-respected, they are known to have more of a random sampling method rather than the convenience methods that dominate most attempts to collect data on Latter-day Saints. An interesting, fairly comprehensive report.

I note that disaffiliation/retention has been a hot topic this year. This report shows LDS retention (specifically of those "raised as Latter-day Saints") at 54% with some breakdowns by age and gender. This seems to be similar to what others are saying about LDS retention -- somewhere near half.

Anything that strikes you as discussion worthy?

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2026/09/22/tradition-and-change-among-latter-day-saints-in-the-us/

[Calm]

6 hours ago, MrShorty said:

This report shows LDS retention (specifically of those "raised as Latter-day Saints") at 54% with some breakdowns by age and gender. This seems to be similar to what others are saying about LDS retention -- somewhere near half.

I thought people were saying it was closer to 30%.  Am I misremembering or just out of date?  Definitely not keeping up with the news and research as much as I used to.  

[Eschaton]

14 hours ago, Calm said:

I thought people were saying it was closer to 30%.  Am I misremembering or just out of date?  Definitely not keeping up with the news and research as much as I used to.  

I think maybe that's activity rate as opposed to self-reported affiliation? 

[Calm]

5 hours ago, Eschaton said:

I think maybe that's activity rate as opposed to self-reported affiliation? 

You are right, thank you.  

[3DOP]

On 9/22/2026 at 5:52 PM, MrShorty said:

This came across my computer today. Perhaps because Pew is well known and already well-respected, they are known to have more of a random sampling method rather than the convenience methods that dominate most attempts to collect data on Latter-day Saints. An interesting, fairly comprehensive report.

I note that disaffiliation/retention has been a hot topic this year. This report shows LDS retention (specifically of those "raised as Latter-day Saints") at 54% with some breakdowns by age and gender. This seems to be similar to what others are saying about LDS retention -- somewhere near half.

Anything that strikes you as discussion worthy?

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2026/09/22/tradition-and-change-among-latter-day-saints-in-the-us/

72% of self-identified LDS say their faith is very important. Relatively commendable. But not enough. My Catholic religion is middling at 44%. What does it mean? Then there are Americans who self-identify as Jews, Buddhists, and Hindus but only about a quarter of them find their religion very important. 

Religions seem too demanding to me to be anything but at the least "very important". But there has to be a sociological reason why many people self-identify with a religion, that isn't even merely "very important" to them. 

 I didn't have any religion in my family unless you count Christmas trees and Easter eggs. If it wasn't even very important, I know I wouldn't identify, and I am sure wouldn't submit to the obligations imposed.

I am an older guy who remembers some kids at school on Monday talking about church. I would be quiet. I developed a sense of awe about religion; it was a mysterious unknown that I wondered about.

Maybe it is different when in one's youth you were something instead of nothing. Maybe those who had something still feel identity with what they don't think much about or practice for the time being? Sometimes an experience like a death or love can draw one back to what was unimportant in a less thoughtful and distracted period.

 

 

 

[Teancum]

On 9/22/2026 at 6:52 PM, MrShorty said:

This came across my computer today. Perhaps because Pew is well known and already well-respected, they are known to have more of a random sampling method rather than the convenience methods that dominate most attempts to collect data on Latter-day Saints. An interesting, fairly comprehensive report.

I note that disaffiliation/retention has been a hot topic this year. This report shows LDS retention (specifically of those "raised as Latter-day Saints") at 54% with some breakdowns by age and gender. This seems to be similar to what others are saying about LDS retention -- somewhere near half.

Anything that strikes you as discussion worthy?

https://www.pewresearch.org/religion/2026/09/22/tradition-and-change-among-latter-day-saints-in-the-us/

Does retention include adults who no longer practice or participate but are still members on the rolls. People like me, really/

[SeekingUnderstanding]

22 minutes ago, Teancum said:

Does retention include adults who no longer practice or participate but are still members on the rolls. People like me, really/

Well depends on if you identify as a Latter-day Saint. Pew uses self reported identity.

"The church’s retention rate also has fallen over this time span. About half of Americans who say they were raised as Latter-day Saints still identify as members of the church in adulthood (54%), according to the 2023-24 RLS. That retention rate has steadily declined since 2007, when it stood at 70%."

[Doctor Steuss]

30 minutes ago, Teancum said:

Does retention include adults who no longer practice or participate but are still members on the rolls. People like me, really/

If I'm remembering correctly, the survey was self-reported affiliation.  So, if you no longer practice/participate, but self-identify as LDS, you'd likely be counted as someone who has retained their LDS faith/identity.  The primary indicator for retention would be self-reported religious affiliation identity, rather than LDS orthopraxy.

ETA:  That rapscallion SeekingUnderstanding has beaten my slow typing chonk fingers.

Edited yesterday at 06:31 PM by Doctor Steuss

[3DOP]

3 hours ago, Doctor Steuss said:

If I'm remembering correctly, the survey was self-reported affiliation.  So, if you no longer practice/participate, but self-identify as LDS, you'd likely be counted as someone who has retained their LDS faith/identity.  The primary indicator for retention would be self-reported religious affiliation identity, rather than LDS orthopraxy.

ETA:  That rapscallion SeekingUnderstanding has beaten my slow typing chonk fingers.

But you beat me to it, Doc! Chonk fingers are troublesome on a phone where you are hitting multiple keys at the same time.

Edited yesterday at 09:41 PM by 3DOP

[Tacenda]

I saw something the other day about women being less active than their male counterparts. I'll try and find the article. Or actually leaving the church more than men. I found an article: https://religionnews.com/2026/08/13/put-on-a-pedestal-kept-out-of-power-how-the-lds-church-is-losing-women/

Edited 23 hours ago by Tacenda

[Teancum]

19 hours ago, Doctor Steuss said:

If I'm remembering correctly, the survey was self-reported affiliation.  So, if you no longer practice/participate, but self-identify as LDS, you'd likely be counted as someone who has retained their LDS faith/identity.  The primary indicator for retention would be self-reported religious affiliation identity, rather than LDS orthopraxy.

ETA:  That rapscallion SeekingUnderstanding has beaten my slow typing chonk fingers.

Thanks to you and @SeekingUnderstandingfor clarifying.