Religion in Pennsylvania: Churches and Denominations

The Northeast

A study of religion in Pennsylvania reveals one of the most historically diverse faith environments in America. Originating as a seventeenth-century sanctuary for religious dissenters, the Commonwealth today maintains a balanced distribution of Roman Catholic parishes, historic Lutheran and Presbyterian bodies, United Methodist congregations, and internationally recognized Anabaptist communities spanning from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.

Demographics and Traditions in Religion in Pennsylvania

According to comprehensive demographic surveys, including the Pew Research Center 2014 Religious Landscape Study, Christianity accounts for roughly 73 percent of the adult population in Pennsylvania. Roman Catholics represent the largest single tradition at approximately 24 percent of adults, supported by extensive diocesan networks across Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Allentown, Scranton, Erie, and Harrisburg. Mainline Protestant denominations encompass about 23 percent of adults, reflecting deep colonial roots in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, the Presbyterian Church (USA), the United Methodist Church, and the Episcopal Church. Evangelical Protestant churches represent roughly 19 percent of adult Pennsylvanians, while historically Black churches account for approximately 5 percent. Non-Christian religious traditions comprise about 6 percent of the population combined, led by Jewish communities (about 1 to 2 percent), Muslims (1 percent), and Hindus (1 percent). Approximately 21 percent of adults describe themselves as religiously unaffiliated. Data from the 2020 US Religion Census recorded over 3.1 million Catholic adherents in the Commonwealth alongside substantial Protestant memberships, illustrating a resilient institutional foundation across both metropolitan regions and rural valleys.

Church Directory Data for Pennsylvania

Our directory records 4,167 active congregations across Pennsylvania, displaying an unusually even distribution among major Christian traditions. Unlike many neighboring coastal states where a single denomination dominates the listings, Pennsylvania exhibits a four-way balance among historic faith families. Presbyterian and Reformed congregations lead with 768 listings (18.4 percent), closely followed by Lutheran churches with 734 listings (17.6 percent), Methodist congregations with 707 listings (17.0 percent), and Catholic parishes with 694 listings (16.7 percent). Baptist congregations represent 325 listings (7.8 percent), while Non-Denominational and evangelical bodies account for 184 listings (4.4 percent). Episcopal and Anglican parishes contribute 152 listings (3.6 percent), and Pentecostal congregations account for 117 listings (2.8 percent). Reflecting the Commonwealth's unique settlement heritage, German sectarian and peace church traditions remain prominently visible: Church of the Brethren congregations account for 72 listings (1.7 percent), while Mennonite assemblies record 68 listings (1.6 percent). Eastern Orthodox parishes total 77 listings (1.8 percent), Jewish synagogues record 70 listings (1.7 percent), and Holiness bodies contribute 58 listings (1.4 percent). You can examine how Presbyterian numbers compare nationwide in our overview of Presbyterian churches by state.

Churches in Pennsylvania in our directory, by denomination

Denomination	Churches listed	Share
Presbyterian/Reformed	768	18%
Lutheran	734	18%
Methodist	707	17%
Catholic	694	17%
Baptist	325	8%
Non-Denominational/Evangelical	184	4%
Episcopal / Anglican	152	4%
Pentecostal	117	3%
Orthodox	77	2%
Brethren	72	2%
Jewish	70	2%
Mennonite	68	2%
Holiness / Church of the Nazarene	58	1%
Christian	57	1%
Independent Fundamentalist	39	1%
Adventist	25	1%
Church of Christ	11	0%
Mormon/Latter Day Saints	7	0%
Metaphysical	2	0%

Cities with the most churches

All 4,167 churches in Pennsylvania

Individuals looking for active congregations in their area can explore our complete directory of churches in Pennsylvania, or narrow their search by tradition through our specialized directories for Presbyterian churches in Pennsylvania, Lutheran churches in Pennsylvania, and Methodist churches in Pennsylvania.

William Penn's Holy Experiment and Settlement History

The exceptional diversity of denominations in Pennsylvania originated with the founding of the province in 1681. Granted a proprietary charter by King Charles II, Quaker statesman William Penn conceived Pennsylvania as a Holy Experiment where complete liberty of conscience would reign. Penn actively recruited religious dissenters from across the British Isles and continental Europe, welcoming groups that faced severe persecution elsewhere. English and Welsh Quakers established Philadelphia and the surrounding Delaware Valley, building austere meetinghouses that emphasized inner spiritual illumination, simplicity, and pacifism. Penn's open invitation prompted substantial German immigration during the late seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, collectively known as the Pennsylvania Dutch. Among these arrivals were Lutherans and German Reformed refugees from the Palatinate. In 1748, pastor Henry Melchior Muhlenberg organized the Ministerium of Pennsylvania, the first Lutheran ecclesiastical synod in North America, establishing southeastern Pennsylvania as the historical cradle of American Lutheranism. Concurrently, Count Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf helped establish Moravian communal centers at Bethlehem and Nazareth, renowned for their communal industry, missionary zeal, and sophisticated choral music traditions. Anabaptist groups fleeing European oppression settled fertile agricultural valleys in Lancaster, Berks, and Lebanon counties. Swiss and German Mennonites and Amish established tight-knit farming communities governed by strict adherence to non-resistance, adult baptism, and community accountability. Meanwhile, tens of thousands of Scotch-Irish Presbyterians arrived through the port of Philadelphia and moved steadily westward, establishing sturdy congregations along the Susquehanna frontier and transforming Pittsburgh into a central hub of American Presbyterianism. In the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, coal mining, steel production, and rail transport sparked massive waves of Catholic immigration from Ireland, Italy, Poland, Slovakia, and Lithuania, alongside Eastern Rite Catholics who established Byzantine and Ukrainian Catholic parishes across western and northeastern Pennsylvania.

Historic Congregations and Sacred Architecture

Pennsylvania contains several of the most consequential religious landmarks in American history. In Philadelphia, Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, founded in 1794 by former slave and bishop Richard Allen, represents the oldest parcel of real estate continuously owned by African Americans in the United States. Mother Bethel became the mother church of the AME denomination, playing an essential role in the Underground Railroad and the national civil rights struggle. Nearby, historic Christ Church, chartered in 1695, served as the colonial spiritual home of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and many signers of the Declaration of Independence. Roman Catholic heritage is exemplified by the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul in Philadelphia, dedicated in 1864, and Old Saint Joseph's Church, founded in 1733 as the only place in the English-speaking world where the Catholic Mass could be celebrated publicly at the time. In Pittsburgh, Saint Anthony's Chapel in Troy Hill houses over 5,000 certified Christian relics, the largest public collection outside the Vatican. In Latrobe, Saint Vincent Archabbey, established in 1846 by Father Boniface Wimmer, stands as the first Benedictine monastery in the United States. In the Lehigh Valley, the historic Moravian settlement at Bethlehem preserves eighteenth-century stone communal buildings recognized internationally as a World Heritage site.

Geographic Distribution Across Urban Centers

Congregational listings reflect the Commonwealth's dual metropolitan axes and extensive regional centers. Philadelphia dominates the eastern sector with 333 listings in our directory; researchers exploring churches in Philadelphia will find everything from centuries-old Quaker meetinghouses to expansive African American Baptist sanctuaries and historic Roman Catholic parishes serving immigrant neighborhoods. Pittsburgh anchors the western counties with 220 listings, documented in our directory of churches in Pittsburgh. Its skyline of church spires highlights the city's rich ethnic heritage, featuring prominent Presbyterian strongholds, Slovak and Polish Catholic parishes, and Orthodox domes overlooking the three rivers. In the state capital, our listing of churches in Harrisburg records 78 congregations along the Susquehanna corridor. Further south and west, the historic manufacturing cities of York (73 listings) and Erie (72 listings) maintain active congregational clusters that anchor their respective regional communities.

Regional Comparison with Neighboring States

Placing Pennsylvania within the wider framework of religion in the Northeast reveals distinct structural contrasts. While Pennsylvania shares strong Catholic communities with neighbors analyzed in our surveys of religion in New York and religion in New Jersey, the Commonwealth is differentiated by its heavy German Lutheran and Anabaptist presence. Neither New York nor New Jersey possesses the dense concentration of Amish and Old Order Mennonite communities that characterize south-central Pennsylvania. Similarly, western Pennsylvania displays a Scotch-Irish Presbyterian heritage far more pervasive than anything found along the northern Atlantic coast, aligning more closely with Appalachian and midwestern settlement corridors. When contrasted with southern neighbor religion in Delaware, Pennsylvania demonstrates greater institutional complexity, higher concentrations of historic European ethnic parishes, and an exceptionally well-preserved network of colonial-era peace churches.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the most common religion in Pennsylvania?

Christianity is the most common religion in Pennsylvania, encompassing about 73 percent of adult residents. Roman Catholicism is the largest single branch at roughly 24 percent of the population, followed closely by mainline Protestant bodies at 23 percent and evangelical Protestant congregations at 19 percent.

What is the largest denomination in Pennsylvania?

The Roman Catholic Church is the largest single denomination in Pennsylvania, with over 3.1 million adherents and 694 directory parishes. In terms of directory congregations, Presbyterian, Lutheran, and United Methodist bodies each maintain more individual church listings across the Commonwealth's rural and suburban counties.

Why did so many religious groups settle in Pennsylvania?

William Penn founded Pennsylvania in 1681 as a Holy Experiment based on unconditional religious tolerance. He welcomed persecuted groups across Europe, attracting English Quakers, German Lutherans, Reformed Protestants, Moravians, Swiss Mennonites, Amish farmers, and Scotch-Irish Presbyterians seeking freedom of worship and land.

What is Mother Bethel AME Church in Pennsylvania?

Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia was founded in 1794 by Bishop Richard Allen. It stands on the oldest parcel of real estate continuously owned by African Americans in the nation and served as the mother church of the AME denomination and a station on the Underground Railroad.

Where do the Amish live in Pennsylvania?

The Old Order Amish primarily reside in Lancaster County, as well as parts of Chester, Berks, Lebanon, and Juniata counties. Lancaster County hosts the oldest and second-largest Amish settlement in North America, known for traditional horse-drawn buggies, Plain dress, and productive family farms.

Keep reading

Religion in the NortheastColonial covenants and waves of immigration shaped religion in New England and the Mid-Atlantic, transforming Puritan meetinghouses and Quaker colonies into dynamic Catholic, Jewish, and pluralistic urban centers.
Religion in New York: Churches and DenominationsFrom colonial Dutch settlements and upstate revival movements to historic immigrant sanctuaries, religion in New York reflects substantial Catholic and Protestant communities alongside leading Jewish and global faiths.
Religion in New Jersey: Churches and DenominationsShaped by colonial tolerance, waves of European immigration, and global arrivals, religion in New Jersey combines prominent Catholic parishes with historic Protestant traditions and a growing multi-faith population.
Religion in Delaware: Churches and DenominationsFrom seventeenth-century colonial Swedish settlements to the birth of American Methodism, religion in Delaware blends historic Mid-Atlantic traditions with active modern congregations.
Where Presbyterians Live: Presbyterian and Reformed Churches by StateMapping the Presbyterian population by state reveals deep historical roots in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic, strong Scots-Irish corridors in the South, and Dutch Reformed communities across Michigan and Iowa.
Religion in Connecticut: Churches and DenominationsPuritan covenants and immigrant migrations shaped religion in Connecticut, turning colonial meetinghouses on town greens into diverse communities anchored by Roman Catholic parishes and historic mainline churches.