US Religion Census: Religious Congregations and Membership Study
Organization
The Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA)
Description
- Compiles data on the number of congregations and adherents for 236 religious groups in each county of the United States.
- Participants included 217 Christian denominations, associations, or communions (including Latter-day Saints, Messianic Jews, and Unitarian/Universalist groups); counts of Jain, Shinto, Sikh, Tao and National Spiritualist Association congregations, and counts of congregations and adherents from Bahá’ís, three Buddhist groupings, four Hindu groupings, four Jewish groupings, Muslims and Zoroastrians.
Vintage/Release Frequency
Varies by file
Observational Unit
County or State-level
Collection Methodology
- In 2009, an invitation to participate in the study was sent to every U.S. religious body listed in the Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches. Invitations also were sent to contacts suggested by the Advisory Committee and by members of the ASARB. Several special efforts were made to identify and include data from several religious bodies that have not traditionally participated or been underrepresented in similar past studies.
- Groups agreeing to participate were asked to appoint a contact person. Two forms were sent to the contact person: instructions for reporting data and a transmittal sheet to be signed and sent with the data collected.
Proposal or Application required?
No