Religion in Idaho: Churches and Denominations

The West

The study of religion in Idaho reveals a state defined by clear regional religious traditions. Southeastern counties form a core section of the Mormon Corridor, where the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints represents the majority faith, while the Treasure Valley, northern panhandle, and central mining valleys maintain diverse Catholic, evangelical, and mainline Protestant congregations.

Demographics and Traditions in Religion in Idaho

According to comprehensive demographic surveys, including the Pew Research Center 2014 Religious Landscape Study, Christianity encompasses approximately 67 percent of adult residents in Idaho. The state is distinguished nationally by having the second-highest concentration of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the nation, with members comprising roughly 19 percent of the adult population. In southeastern counties bordering Utah, Latter-day Saints represent the dominant religious and civic force, shaping community calendars, education, and public life. Protestant traditions account for roughly 38 percent of adults, divided between evangelical congregations (21 percent), mainline denominations (16 percent), and historically Black churches (1 percent). Roman Catholicism claims about 10 percent of adult residents, served by the statewide Diocese of Boise and supported by historic Hispanic farming communities in the Snake River Plain, Basque enclaves in Boise, and northern mining towns. Non-Christian religious traditions comprise approximately 4 percent of the population, while 27 percent of adult Idahoans identify as religiously unaffiliated. Data from the 2020 US Religion Census recorded over 460,000 Latter-day Saints alongside 180,000 Catholics and substantial Southern Baptist, Lutheran, and Nazarene memberships. You can read more about how independent congregations are expanding nationwide in our guide to non-denominational churches by state.

Church Directory Data for Idaho

Our directory currently records 126 active congregations across Idaho, illustrating the prominent institutional presence of evangelical and historic Protestant bodies alongside liturgical traditions. Non-Denominational and independent evangelical congregations hold the largest share with 17 listings, comprising 13.5 percent of all recorded houses of worship. Baptist assemblies hold the second position with 15 listings (11.9 percent), followed closely by Lutheran congregations with 14 listings (11.1 percent). Holiness traditions, led by the Church of the Nazarene, maintain an exceptionally strong presence with 13 listings (10.3 percent), anchored by Northwest Nazarene University in Nampa. Roman Catholic parishes and Presbyterian/Reformed bodies each account for 11 listings (8.7 percent), while Methodist congregations and Pentecostal fellowships each record 10 listings (7.9 percent). Independent Christian churches contribute 9 listings (7.1 percent), Episcopal parishes represent 5 listings (4.0 percent), and Latter-day Saint meetinghouses account for 5 directory listings (4.0 percent). Seventh-day Adventist, Church of Christ, Brethren, and independent fundamentalist assemblies represent the remaining directory entries.

Churches in Idaho in our directory, by denomination

Denomination	Churches listed	Share
Non-Denominational/Evangelical	17	13%
Baptist	15	12%
Lutheran	14	11%
Holiness / Church of the Nazarene	13	10%
Presbyterian/Reformed	11	9%
Catholic	11	9%
Pentecostal	10	8%
Methodist	10	8%
Christian	9	7%
Episcopal / Anglican	5	4%
Mormon/Latter Day Saints	5	4%
Adventist	2	2%
Church of Christ	2	2%
Independent Fundamentalist	1	1%
Brethren	1	1%

Cities with the most churches

All 126 churches in Idaho

Worshipers and researchers looking for congregational contacts across the state can consult our complete directory of churches in Idaho, or search directly for specific traditions through our targeted guides for evangelical churches in Idaho, Baptist churches in Idaho, and Lutheran churches in Idaho.

Missionary Encounters and Pioneer Settlement History

Idaho's religious history began with early nineteenth-century missionary endeavors among Indigenous nations. In 1836, Presbyterian missionaries Henry and Eliza Spalding arrived at Lapwai among the Nez Perce, establishing the first Christian mission, school, and printing press in Idaho territory. A few years later, in the early 1840s, Belgian Jesuit missionary Father Pierre-Jean De Smet traveled into northern Idaho to minister to the Coeur d'Alene people. In 1850, Italian Jesuit Father Antonio Ravalli designed the Mission of the Sacred Heart, known today as the Cataldo Mission, constructed along the Coeur d'Alene River by tribal members and Catholic friars. In 1860, Latter-day Saint pioneers established Idaho's first permanent white agricultural settlement at Franklin in the Cache Valley, believing the site was located within Utah territory. When boundary surveys confirmed the area lay in Idaho, Brigham Young directed additional colonization companies into the Bear Lake Valley, the Upper Snake River Plain, and the Malad Valley. Settlers built communal irrigation networks and laid out orderly grid-pattern towns such as Rexburg, Paris, and Idaho Falls, establishing a cohesive agricultural society that remains culturally dominant in eastern Idaho. Meanwhile, mid-nineteenth-century gold and silver rushes in the Boise Basin, Silver City, and the Coeur d'Alene mining district attracted thousands of prospectors and miners from across America and Europe. Circuit-riding Methodists, Episcopalians, and Catholic priests traveled dangerous mountain passes to establish boomtown chapels. In southwestern Idaho, fertile farmland along the Boise and Snake rivers drew Dutch Reformed, Baptist, Lutheran, and Nazarene homesteaders. In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, thousands of Basque Catholic immigrants arrived to work as sheepherders across southwestern Idaho's rangelands, establishing Boise as the premier cultural center of the Basque diaspora in North America. In recent years, substantial in-migration from California, Oregon, and Washington has fueled the growth of independent evangelical megachurches across the Treasure Valley and the northern panhandle.

Historic Sanctuaries and Architectural Landmarks

Idaho preserves several extraordinary historic sanctuaries that reflect its diverse religious heritage. The Cataldo Mission, officially the Mission of the Sacred Heart, stands in Old Mission State Park near Coeur d'Alene. Completed in 1853, it is the oldest standing building in Idaho, constructed entirely without nails using local timber, wattle, and river daub. In Bear Lake County, the massive Paris Tabernacle, completed in 1889 by Latter-day Saint pioneers, features Richardsonian Romanesque styling constructed from red sandstone hauled by ox teams from surrounding mountain canyons. In Idaho Falls, the Idaho Falls Idaho Temple, dedicated in 1945 along the banks of the Snake River, was the first Latter-day Saint temple constructed in Idaho, featuring an imposing modern art deco tower visible for miles across the eastern valley. In downtown Boise, the Cathedral of Saint John the Evangelist, consecrated in 1921, stands as the mother church of Roman Catholics statewide, celebrated for its Romanesque revival sandstone facade and rich interior marble altars. Also in Boise, historic Christ Chapel, built in 1866, remains one of the oldest surviving Episcopal Gothic revival wood-frame chapels in the Intermountain West.

Geographic Centers of Congregational Life

Congregational listings in Idaho reflect major population centers along the Interstate 84 corridor and eastern agricultural hubs. Boise leads the directory with 60 listings; visitors exploring churches in Boise will find historic downtown sanctuaries, active college ministries, Basque Catholic celebrations, and thriving contemporary evangelical campuses. In Canyon County, Nampa ranks second with 20 recorded listings; our directory of churches in Nampa highlights extensive Nazarene, Baptist, and Roman Catholic congregations. Adjoining Caldwell records 13 listings; researchers can consult our guide to churches in Caldwell to find historic Hispanic Catholic parishes and Protestant community churches. Fast-growing Meridian also accounts for 13 listings, serving expanding suburban families, while Pocatello records 12 listings, serving as a historic rail hub and spiritual center for eastern Idaho.

Regional Comparison with Surrounding Western States

Evaluating Idaho within the broader context of religion in the West reveals a dramatic contrast with its coastal neighbors. Unlike Washington and Oregon, analyzed in our studies of religion in Washington and religion in Oregon, where secularity and non-affiliation dominate the civic environment, Idaho maintains significantly higher rates of religious adherence and weekly worship attendance, driven by its large Latter-day Saint population. When contrasted with southern neighbor religion in Nevada, Idaho displays far greater institutional stability and agricultural continuity. While Nevada's religious environment is heavily influenced by transient resort economies, Idaho preserves close-knit rural faith communities and strong family-centered congregational networks that date back to nineteenth-century homesteading days. At the same time, northern Idaho shares the Pacific Northwest's independent frontier spirit, creating an engaging internal contrast between the Mormon south and the evangelical and secular north.

Find a church in Idaho

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common religion in Idaho?

Christianity is the most common religion in Idaho, representing about 67 percent of adult residents. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest individual organized denomination, encompassing roughly 19 to 24 percent of the state's population, followed by diverse evangelical Protestant groups and Roman Catholicism.

Why are there so many Latter-day Saints in Idaho?

In 1860, Mormon pioneers founded Idaho's first permanent white settlement at Franklin. Church leader Brigham Young directed systematic colonization into the Bear Lake and Snake River valleys, building agricultural towns and irrigation systems that established eastern Idaho as an essential part of the Mormon Corridor.

What is the oldest church building in Idaho?

The Cataldo Mission, also known as the Mission of the Sacred Heart, is the oldest standing building in Idaho. Built between 1850 and 1853 near Coeur d'Alene by Jesuit missionaries and Coeur d'Alene tribal members, it was constructed without nails using local timber and river daub.

What is the largest Protestant denomination in Idaho?

Evangelical Protestant churches represent the largest collective Protestant group in Idaho, accounting for about 21 percent of adults. In our directory, non-denominational evangelical congregations, Baptist assemblies, and the Church of the Nazarene maintain the highest number of church listings.

How does religion in Idaho compare to Washington and Oregon?

While Washington and Oregon have some of the highest percentages of religiously unaffiliated adults in the nation, Idaho has much higher rates of religious adherence and church attendance. This difference is driven primarily by Idaho's large Latter-day Saint community and active evangelical congregations.

Keep reading

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