Religion in Montana: Churches and Denominations

The West

The study of religion in Montana reveals a distinct spiritual heritage shaped by Big Sky Country's immense geography and low population density. Roman Catholicism and Lutheranism form the historical anchors of congregational life, complemented by growing evangelical fellowships, unique communal Hutterite colonies, and a high proportion of religiously unaffiliated residents across plains and mountain valleys.

Demographics and Traditions in Religion in Montana

According to comprehensive demographic surveys, including the Pew Research Center 2014 Religious Landscape Study, Christianity encompasses approximately 65 percent of adult residents in Montana. Protestant traditions collectively represent roughly 47 percent of the adult population, with evangelical Protestant congregations comprising 28 percent and mainline denominations accounting for 19 percent. Lutheran bodies, particularly the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and the Lutheran Churc—issouri Synod, form the backbone of Protestant life in farming and ranching communities across the eastern plains. Roman Catholicism represents the largest single organized denomination, claiming approximately 17 percent of adult Montanans. Catholic parishes operate under two diocese—he Diocese of Helena in the western mountains and the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings across the eastern plain—upported by historic mining communities, Native American reservations, and rural towns. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints accounts for roughly 4 percent of adults, maintaining active stakes along the southern border. Non-Christian faiths represent about 5 percent of the population, while approximately 30 percent of adult Montanans identify as religiously unaffiliated. Data from the 2020 US Religion Census recorded over 120,000 Catholic adherents, 50,000 Latter-day Saints, and extensive Lutheran memberships. For wider context on Lutheran distribution nationwide, consult our guide to Lutheran churches by state.

Church Directory Data for Montana

Our directory records 111 active congregations across Montana, reflecting the dispersed nature of the state's population. Lutheran congregations hold the largest single share with 28 listings, representing 25.2 percent of all recorded houses of worship. Roman Catholic parishes hold the second position with 18 listings (16.2 percent), underscoring the enduring significance of these two historic traditions in anchoring local civic life. Non-Denominational and independent evangelical congregations account for 12 listings (10.8 percent), followed closely by Baptist assemblies with 11 listings (9.9 percent). Presbyterian and Reformed bodies maintain 10 listings (9.0 percent), while Methodist congregations and Pentecostal fellowships each record 9 listings (8.1 percent). Episcopal parishes represent 4 listings (3.6 percent), Churches of Christ maintain 3 listings (2.7 percent), and independent Christian churches and the Church of the Nazarene each record 2 listings (1.8 percent). Seventh-day Adventist, independent fundamentalist, and Latter-day Saint bodies account for the remaining recorded directory listings.

Churches in Montana in our directory, by denomination

Denomination	Churches listed	Share
Lutheran	28	25%
Catholic	18	16%
Non-Denominational/Evangelical	12	11%
Baptist	11	10%
Presbyterian/Reformed	10	9%
Pentecostal	9	8%
Methodist	9	8%
Episcopal / Anglican	4	4%
Church of Christ	3	3%
Holiness / Church of the Nazarene	2	2%
Christian	2	2%
Adventist	1	1%
Mormon/Latter Day Saints	1	1%
Independent Fundamentalist	1	1%

Cities with the most churches

All 111 churches in Montana

Worshipers and researchers looking for congregational contacts across Big Sky Country can explore our complete directory of churches in Montana, or locate specific traditions through our targeted guides for Lutheran churches in Montana, Catholic churches in Montana, and evangelical churches in Montana.

Missionary Frontiers, Mining Towns, and Hutterite Colonies

Montana's religious history began in the early 1840s with missionary requests from the Salish people of the Bitterroot Valley, who had learned of Catholicism from Iroquois fur traders. In 1841, Belgian Jesuit missionary Father Pierre-Jean De Smet established Saint Mary's Mission in Stevensville, introducing agriculture and building Montana's first permanent European settlement. In 1854, Jesuits and native artisans founded Saint Ignatius Mission in the Mission Valley, establishing boarding schools, flour mills, and chapels that served as spiritual centers for the Flathead Reservation. Jesuit and Ursuline sisters subsequently established missions among the Blackfeet, Crow, and Assiniboine nations across the territory. In the 1860s and 1870s, gold discoveries at Bannack, Alder Gulch, and Last Chance Gulch attracted thousands of prospectors, establishing Virginia City and Helena. The rise of industrialized copper mining in Butte during the late nineteenth century created an industrial powerhouse with a distinctive Catholic culture. Known as the Richest Hill on Earth, Butte drew tens of thousands of Irish Catholic, Cornish Methodist, Croatian, and Italian miners; neighborhood parishes like Saint Patrick's and Saint Lawrence O'Toole became vital community anchors, providing social services and labor solidarity during mining strikes. Concurrently, the completion of the Great Northern and Northern Pacific railways opened eastern Montana to agricultural homesteading. Tens of thousands of Norwegian, Swedish, and German immigrants established dryland wheat farms and cattle ranches, planting Lutheran and Presbyterian church spires across prairie towns. Another distinctive element of Montana's religious environment is the presence of the Hutterian Brethren. Fleeing persecution in Europe and wartime hostility in South Dakota, Hutterite families established communal agricultural colonies in Montana beginning in the early twentieth century. Today, Montana hosts more than fifty Hutterite colonies, where families practice community of goods, adult baptism, and German-language worship while operating highly efficient modern farms.

Historic Sanctuaries and Architectural Landmarks

Despite its sparse population, Montana possesses magnificent religious landmarks that reflect its frontier history. In the state capital, the Cathedral of Saint Helena stands as one of the finest Gothic revival monuments in the Western United States. Modeled on the Votivkirche in Vienna, Austria, and dedicated in 1914, the cathedral features soaring 230-foot limestone spires and fifty-nine Bavarian stained-glass windows crafted by the Zettler studios in Munich. In Great Falls, Saint Ann's Cathedral, completed in 1907, serves as the co-cathedral seat for the Diocese of Great Falls-Billings. In the Mission Valley, Saint Ignatius Mission Church, constructed between 1891 and 1893, is celebrated worldwide for its interior artwork. Brother Joseph Carignano, an untrained Jesuit cook and handyman, painted fifty-eight magnificent biblical frescoes and murals covering the sanctuary's walls and ceiling. In Stevensville, historic Saint Mary's Mission preserves the original log chapel, Father Antonio Ravalli's hand-carved altar, and early medical instruments. In Arlee, the Garden of One Thousand Buddhas stands as an extraordinary Tibetan Buddhist peace monument, featuring one thousand cast statues arranged in a traditional eight-spoked dharma wheel against the dramatic backdrop of the Jocko Valley.

Geographic Centers of Congregational Life

Congregational listings reflect Montana's primary urban trade centers along major highway corridors. Billings leads the state with 44 directory entries; visitors exploring churches in Billings will find active multi-site evangelical congregations, historic downtown Lutheran and Catholic sanctuaries, and regional denominational offices. Great Falls ranks second with 34 recorded listings; our directory of churches in Great Falls highlights established Catholic and Lutheran parishes serving the Upper Missouri River valley. In the western mountains, Missoula records 24 listings; our guide to churches in Missoula encompasses university campus ministries, historic Protestant downtown churches, and growing non-denominational assemblies. Neighboring Laurel records 4 listings and Black Eagle records 1 listing, illustrating how smaller industrial and agricultural communities maintain dedicated local pulpits.

Regional Comparison with Neighboring States

Placing Montana within the wider context of religion in the West clarifies its position as a transitional zone between the northern Great Plains and the Rocky Mountain interior. In its eastern counties, Montana shares deep Scandinavian Lutheran roots with its neighbor explored in our review of religion in South Dakota, where rural homesteading created high rates of Lutheran adherence and traditional community values. To the south, Montana shares low church density and vast parish distances with neighbors analyzed in our surveys of religion in Wyoming and religion in Idaho. However, Montana differs markedly from southern Idaho by having a much smaller Latter-day Saint presence and a much stronger historic Catholic tradition rooted in early Jesuit missions and Butte mining unions. Additionally, Montana's extensive network of communal Hutterite colonies distinguishes it from all other western states, giving Big Sky Country a unique blend of frontier secularity and communal piety.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the most common religion in Montana?

Christianity is the most common religion in Montana, encompassing about 65 percent of adult residents. Protestantism is the largest overall branch at roughly 47 percent, led by evangelical congregations and Lutheran bodies, followed by Roman Catholicism at 17 percent and Latter-day Saints at 4 percent.

What is the largest denomination in Montana?

The Roman Catholic Church is the largest single denomination in Montana, with over 120,000 adherents across the Dioceses of Helena and Great Falls-Billings and 18 directory parishes. Lutheran denominations represent the second-largest grouping, leading our directory with 28 listings.

Who are the Hutterites in Montana?

Hutterites are Anabaptist Christians who live in communal agricultural colonies practicing common ownership of property, adult baptism, and pacifism. Montana is home to more than fifty Hutterite colonies, representing the highest concentration of Hutterite communities of any state in the nation.

What is Saint Ignatius Mission in Montana?

Saint Ignatius Mission is a historic Catholic mission in Montana's Flathead Reservation, established in 1854 by Jesuits and Native Americans. Its 1891 church is famous for fifty-eight biblical murals and frescoes painted on the walls and ceiling by Brother Joseph Carignano, an untrained Jesuit cook.

How does church attendance in Montana compare to other states?

Church attendance in Montana is lower than the national average, with roughly 31 percent of adults attending services weekly. Low population density, long travel distances between rural communities, and a high proportion of religiously unaffiliated residents contribute to lower formal church participation.

Keep reading

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