The phrase “largest Protestant churches” can mean either the largest individual congregations or the largest denominations. The older version of this article mixed those two ideas. This revised page compares Protestant denominations using Pew Research Center’s 2023–24 Religious Landscape Study, which measures the share of U.S. adults who identify with each denomination.
This article treats these figures as survey estimates rather than permanent membership totals. Denominational records and surveys use different definitions, and many Americans identify simply as Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, nondenominational, or “just Christian” without naming a specific church body.
Largest Protestant denominations in Pew’s 2023–24 study
| Denomination | Share of U.S. adults | Pew tradition |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Baptist Convention | 4.4% | Evangelical Protestant |
| United Methodist Church | 2.7% | Mainline Protestant |
| Evangelical Lutheran Church in America | 1.4% | Mainline Protestant |
| Assemblies of God | 1.1% | Evangelical Protestant |
| Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod | 1.1% | Evangelical Protestant |
| Churches of Christ | 1.1% | Evangelical Protestant |
| American Baptist Churches USA | 1.0% | Mainline Protestant |
| National Baptist Convention, USA | 1.0% | Historically Black Protestant |
| Episcopal Church | 0.9% | Mainline Protestant |
| Presbyterian Church (USA) | 0.8% | Mainline Protestant |
What these percentages do—and do not—mean
The figures above are percentages of all U.S. adults in a nationally representative survey. They are not the same as baptized membership, average weekly attendance, the number of congregations, or the official rolls reported by each denomination. A denomination can therefore rank differently depending on which measure is used.
Pew also groups Protestants into three broad traditions: evangelical Protestant, mainline Protestant, and historically Black Protestant. In 2023–24, evangelical Protestants were about 23% of U.S. adults, mainline Protestants about 11%, and historically Black Protestants about 5%. Nondenominational Protestants are important as well, but “nondenominational” is a family of identities rather than one denomination with a single national membership roll.
Why older rankings can become misleading
American denominational affiliation changes through migration, church switching, disaffiliation, denominational mergers and splits, and changes in survey identification. The United Methodist Church, for example, has experienced major institutional change in recent years. Historical lists that once treated denominational membership as stable can become outdated quickly.
For current comparisons, readers should always check the year, measurement method, and unit being ranked. “Largest denomination,” “largest congregation,” and “largest Protestant tradition” are three different questions.
Protestant diversity in the United States
Size does not determine theological or cultural importance. U.S. Protestantism includes Baptist, Methodist, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican/Episcopal, Pentecostal, Holiness, Restorationist, Adventist, historically Black, immigrant, and independent traditions. For broader context, see our overview of Protestantism.
