Attached is a job posting for the Research Information Division at LDS Church headquarters. Quoting from an accompanying letter:
“As identified in the announcement, we are seeking bright, talented, energetic people with background in the social sciences. We work in a dynamic, team-oriented, multi-disciplinary environment. As a reminder, all applicants must be members of the Church in good standing. In addition, over the next several years we expect to be filling other similar positions. If you are familiar with individuals who might become qualified over the next two to five years, qualified please forward their contact information to me. We are setting up a database to track future potential candidates.”
Q: (1) What percentage of the Utah population is LDS and what percentage is evangelical and, (2) how have these percentages changed over time? (3) Which evangelical denominations are present in Utah.
Answer:
Rick Phillips, Andrew Miles, and Armand Mauss all wrote in to suggest that the questioner peruse the American Religion Data Archive (ARDA) for this information. Below are some maps generated using the ARDA website that illustrate the percentages Mormon and Evangelical by counties in Utah in 1980, 1990, 2000, and 2009.
% Mormon - 1980 (click for full size)
% Evangelical - 1980 (click for full size)
Mormons - 1990 (click for full size)
Evangelicals - 1990 (click for full size)
Mormons - 2000 (click for full size)
Evangelicals - 2000 (click for full size)
Mormons - 2009 (click for full size)
Evangelicals - 2009 (click for full size)
These maps were generated here. The maps do indicate a declining percentage Mormon in some counties and an increasing percentage Evangelical Protestant.
The ARDA also includes a table with specific information on denominations in Utah in 2000 (see here). According to that table, there were 42,420 Evangelical Protestants in Utah in 2000 and 1,483,858 Mormons/LDS. This table reports 1990 membership information. In 1990 there were 38,137 Evangelical Protestants and 1,236,242 Mormons/LDS. Finally, this table reports the 1980 membership information. In 1980 there were 23,464 Evangelical Protestants and 985,070 Mormons/LDS. These numbers suggest a 51% increase in members for Mormons/LDS and an 81% increase in members for Evangelical Protestants. These percentages suggest Evangelical Protestants are growing more rapidly relative to their size, but in absolute members the Mormons/LDS Church is growing more rapidly.
Finally, the 2000 table also provides a list of Evangelical Protestant denominations with members in Utah, though they vary in size substantially:
American Baptist Association, The
Apostolic Christian Churches (Nazarene)
Assemblies of God
Calvary Chapel Fellowship Churches
Christian and Missionary Alliance, The
Christian Churches and Churches of Christ
Christian Reformed Church in North America
Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)
Church of God of Prophecy
Church of the Nazarene
Churches of Christ
Community of Christ
Conservative Baptist Association of America
Evangelical Free Church of America, The
General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
Independent, Charismatic Churches
International Church of the Foursquare Gospel
International Churches of Christ
International Pentecostal Holiness Church
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
Mennonite Brethren Churches, U.S. Conference of
Mennonite; Other Groups
National Association of Free Will Baptists
Orthodox Presbyterian Church, The
Pentecostal Church of God
Presbyterian Church in America
Salvation Army, The
Seventh-day Adventist Church
Southern Baptist Convention
Southwide Baptist Fellowship
Vineyard USA
Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
Rick Phillips also suggested the following articles from the Salt Lake Tribune:
