Mainline Protestant - Religious Tradition
Mainline Protestant denominations typically emphasize a proactive view on issues of social and economic justice and a tolerance of varied individual beliefs. While mainline Protestantism is usually seen as more theologically and socially liberal than evangelical Protestantism, there obviously is variation among mainline denominations, congregations, and individuals. Examples of Mainline Protestant denominations include the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Methodist Church, the Reformed Church in America, the Episcopal Church, the United Church of Christ, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
Maps: Mainline Protestant1
Adherence Rate per 1,000 (2020)
Congregations (2020)
Top 5 Mainline Protestant States (2020)1 [View all States]
| Rank | State | Adherents | Adherence Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | 163,695 | 210.10 |
| 2 | South Dakota | 159,068 | 179.40 |
| 3 | Iowa | 501,643 | 157.20 |
| 4 | Minnesota | 773,970 | 135.60 |
| 5 | West Virginia | 219,148 | 122.20 |
Top 5 Mainline Protestant Counties (2020)1 [View all counties]
| Rank | County | Adherents | Adherence Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nelson County, North Dakota | 2,094 | 694.50 |
| 2 | Burke County, North Dakota | 1,470 | 667.90 |
| 3 | Renville County, North Dakota | 1,489 | 652.50 |
| 4 | Steele County, North Dakota | 1,071 | 595.70 |
| 5 | Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota | 3,832 | 570.30 |
Top 5 Mainline Protestant Metro Areas (2020)1 [View all Metro Areas]
| Rank | Metro Area | Adherents | Adherence Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Albert Lea, MN Micro Area | 11,876 | 384.40 |
| 2 | Red Wing, MN Micro Area | 16,671 | 350.40 |
| 3 | Willmar, MN Micro Area | 14,911 | 341.00 |
| 4 | Pella, IA Micro Area | 11,018 | 329.70 |
| 5 | Beatrice, NE Micro Area | 7,121 | 328.10 |
Mainline Protestant Groups: Adherence Rates (1980 - 2020)1
Sources
1 The 2020 data were collected by the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies (ASARB) and include data for 372 religious bodies or groups. Of these, the ASARB was able to gather data on congregations and adherents for 217 and on congregations only for 155. [More information on the data sources]
