Michigan Sees Major Drop in Christians, Study Finds

Over the past nearly twenty years, the percentage of Michiganders who identify as Christians has declined by 17%, according to a study from the Pew Research Center.

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Meanwhile, the percentage of Michigan adults who identify as "other religions" has grown slightly.

Religion in Michigan By the Numbers

Bart?omiej Szewczyk

According to the most recent data (from 2023-24), 61% of Michigan adults identify as Christians. The bulk of those (40%) identify as Protestant, while 19% identify as Catholic.

When it comes to other religions, 1% of those who responded to the survey identify as either Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, or Hindu. In total, 6% of the respondents identify with other religions.

31% of those polled responded that they are religiously unaffiliated, with 22% saying that they don't consider themselves to be anything in particular, 5% identifying as agnostic, and 4% identifying as atheist.

The Declining Number of Christians in Michigan

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The Pew study didn't just show current numbers when it comes to those who identify as Christian in Michigan. It also showed data from past surveys.

In 2007, 78% of Michiganders polled identified as Christian. Back then, 53% of respondents identified as Protestant and 23% identified as Catholic. At that time, just 4% of respondents identified with other religions, with Jewish, Muslim, and Buddhist all clocking in at 1%. Just 17% of respondents identified as religiously unaffiliated.

Seven years later, in 2014, the number of respondents who identified as Christian had dropped by 8% to 70% of respondents. At that time, 51% identified as Protestant, while 18% identified as Catholic. The number of those who identified with other religions jumped slightly to 5%. 24% identified as religiously unaffiliated.

However, the Pew study also says that the decline of Christianity in the United States may actually be leveling off.

Why Are There Fewer Christians in Michigan Now Than There Were Before?

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It's hard to be completely certain, but the Pew study does take into account a bit of a generational changing of the guard. They say,

Older, highly religious, heavily Christian generations are passing away. The younger generations succeeding them are much less religious, with smaller percentages of Christians and more “nones.”

The entire report is pretty fascinating, and I definitely recommend checking it out for yourself.

Michigan's Official (And Unofficial) State Symbols

Michigan has plenty of things around the state that Michigan's government has declared as "official symbols". There are also plenty of things that Michiganders believe should be deemed official. Here is our proposed new official list.

Official list here, and Reddit posted this was inspired by here.

Gallery Credit: Tommy McNeill

What Michigan's Former Pizza Hut Locations Are Today

Pizza Hut, throughout the 90s and 2000's, had one of the most iconic building shapes, instantly recognizable because of its red and, well, hut-shaped roof. Even though Pizza Hut no longer builds stores like this, its classic buildings have found new lives as other businesses.

Though the colors and tenants may have changed, you still know a former Pizza Hut building when you see one.

These are a few around Michigan.

Gallery Credit: Tommy McNeill