Day: August 23, 2011

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Q: Mormons vs. Evangelicals in Utah?

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:
And Armand Mauss suggested the New Historical Atlas of Religion in America by Edwin Gustad and Philip Barlow.