Religion in Vermont: Churches and Denominations

The Northeast

A study of religion in Vermont reveals one of the most distinctive spiritual profiles in the United States. While Vermont frequently ranks as the least religious state nationwide due to high percentages of unaffiliated residents, it maintains a historic Christian foundation centered on Roman Catholicism, Congregationalism, and mainline Protestantism dating back to eighteenth-century settlement across the Green Mountains.

Demographics and Patterns in Religion in Vermont

According to comprehensive demographic surveys, including the Pew Research Center 2014 Religious Landscape Study, Vermont stands out for its high degree of secularity. Approximately 37 percent of adult Vermonters identify as religiously unaffiliated, including 7 percent who identify as atheist, 7 percent as agnostic, and 23 percent who report their religion as nothing in particular. This unaffiliated proportion ranks among the highest recorded in any American state, reflecting a cultural tradition of fierce personal independence and low civic pressure toward institutional church affiliation. Despite secular tendencies, Christianity remains the faith of 54 percent of adult Vermonters. Roman Catholicism represents the largest single organized tradition at roughly 22 percent of the population, supported by French Canadian and Irish heritage concentrated in northwestern counties. Protestants comprise about 30 percent of adults, with 19 percent identifying with mainline denominations such as the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, and the United Methodist Church, alongside 11 percent belonging to evangelical congregations. Non-Christian faiths account for about 4 percent of adults, led by Jewish communities (2 percent), Buddhists (1 percent), and Hindus (1 percent). Data from the 2020 US Religion Census recorded over 110,000 Catholic adherents statewide within the Diocese of Burlington. For national comparisons of Catholic density, visit our guide to Catholic churches by state.

Church Directory Data for Vermont

Our directory currently records 58 active congregations across Vermont, reflecting the smaller institutional scale of rural New England towns. Roman Catholic parishes account for the largest single share with 24 listings, representing 41.4 percent of all documented congregations. Mainline and historic reformed assemblies represent the second-largest grouping: Presbyterian and Reformed congregations account for 10 listings (17.2 percent), followed by Methodist churches with 7 listings (12.1 percent) and Episcopal or Anglican parishes with 4 listings (6.9 percent). Baptist congregations and Non-Denominational evangelical fellowships each record 3 listings (5.2 percent). Smaller denominations include the Church of the Nazarene (2 listings), Jewish synagogues (2 listings), Lutheran congregations (2 listings), and Pentecostal assemblies (1 listing). Although overall directory totals are modest compared to populous coastal states, these figures emphasize the enduring prominence of Catholic parishes and historic mainline denominations in anchoring local community life.

Churches in Vermont in our directory, by denomination

Denomination	Churches listed	Share
Catholic	24	41%
Presbyterian/Reformed	10	17%
Methodist	7	12%
Episcopal / Anglican	4	7%
Baptist	3	5%
Non-Denominational/Evangelical	3	5%
Jewish	2	3%
Lutheran	2	3%
Holiness / Church of the Nazarene	2	3%
Pentecostal	1	2%

Cities with the most churches

All 58 churches in Vermont

Worshipers and researchers looking for congregational contacts can review our statewide catalog of churches in Vermont, or search directly for specific traditions in our guides to Catholic churches in Vermont, Presbyterian churches in Vermont, and Methodist churches in Vermont.

Settlement History and Green Mountain Independence

Vermont's religious history developed differently from neighboring colonies. In the mid-eighteenth century, pioneer families moved north from Connecticut and Massachusetts to settle the New Hampshire Grants, bringing Congregationalist theology and New England town meeting governance. However, because Vermont operated as an independent republic between 1777 and 1791 before joining the union as the fourteenth state, it never established a tax-supported state church, unlike Massachusetts or Connecticut. This early separation of church and civil authority cultivated a climate of religious nonconformity and philosophical skepticism, personified by early patriot Ethan Allen, whose 1784 book Reason: The Only Oracle of Man was the first openly deistic work published in America. During the Second Great Awakening of the early nineteenth century, spiritual revivals swept through Green Mountain valleys. Remarkably, Vermont served as the birthplace for two of the most influential figures in indigenous American religion. Joseph Smith Jr., the founder of the Latter Day Saint movement, was born in the town of Sharon in Windsor County in 1805. Just four years earlier, in 1801, Brigham Young, who succeeded Smith and led Mormon pioneers west to the Great Salt Lake Valley, was born in Whitingham in Windham County. Other revivalists, including Millerite Adventists preaching the second coming of Christ, also found enthusiastic followings throughout rural Vermont townships. During the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, industrial development dramatically altered Vermont's religious environment. The construction of railroads, the expansion of marble quarries in Rutland, and the growth of granite finishing works in Barre brought thousands of Italian, Irish, and Scottish stonecutters to the state. Concurrently, thousands of French Canadian Catholic families migrated across the northern border from Quebec to work in textile mills along the Winooski River and on dairy farms across the Champlain Valley. These migrations firmly established Roman Catholicism as the largest religious denomination in a state originally colonized by Puritan Congregationalists.

Historic Sanctuaries and Religious Landmarks

Vermont contains several celebrated religious landmarks that reflect its architectural and theological heritage. In Sharon, the Joseph Smith Birthplace Memorial features a polished granite obelisk standing 38.5 feet high, representing one foot for each year of the prophet's life. Dedicated in 1905, the monument and its surrounding historic park attract thousands of visitors annually. In Old Bennington, the Old First Church, constructed in 1805 and designed by master builder Lavius Fillmore, stands as a masterpiece of federal-era church architecture, officially designated by the Vermont legislature as Vermont's Colonial Shrine. In its adjacent cemetery lies the grave of acclaimed poet Robert Frost. In Richmond, the Old Round Church, built between 1812 and 1813, represents a rare sixteen-sided wooden meetinghouse originally constructed to serve five different Protestant denominations concurrently. In Rockingham, the 1787 Rockingham Meeting House preserves an austere eighteenth-century interior with original unpainted box pews and a towering elevated pulpit. In Burlington, the Cathedral of Saint Joseph, built in 1883 by French Canadian artisans, features striking Romanesque revival architecture and serves as the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Burlington.

Geographic Concentration Across Population Centers

Congregational listings in Vermont concentrate heavily in northwestern counties bordering Lake Champlain. Burlington leads all municipalities with 13 directory entries. Those exploring churches in Burlington will find historic downtown sanctuaries, active college ministries serving the University of Vermont, and immigrant-led fellowships. Neighboring Essex Junction records 6 listings; our directory of churches in Essex Junction illustrates active suburban Catholic and evangelical assemblies. To the north, Saint Albans accounts for 5 listings; researchers can explore churches in St Albans to locate historic Franklin County parishes with strong French Canadian ties. Williston also records 5 listings, and South Burlington accounts for 4 listings, demonstrating that while rural hill towns preserve historic white-steepled meetinghouses, active church participation is concentrated along the greater Chittenden County urban corridor.

Regional Comparison with Surrounding States

Examining Vermont within the broader scope of religion in the Northeast highlights its position as the epicenter of New England secularism. Like its immediate neighbor explored in our review of religion in New Hampshire, Vermont records significantly lower rates of weekly church attendance and formal religious adherence than the national average. However, Vermont possesses an even higher percentage of adults who claim no religious affiliation whatsoever. When contrasted with religion in Massachusetts and religion in New York, Vermont lacks the vast urban density and diverse global religious communities found in major metropolitan centers. While New York and Massachusetts host hundreds of synagogues, mosques, and Hindu temples, Vermont's non-Christian communities remain small and concentrated in a few college towns. Nonetheless, Vermont shares with its southern neighbors a deep Roman Catholic foundation, created by nineteenth-century immigrant families who built enduring parishes across the Green Mountain State.

Find a church in Vermont

Frequently asked questions

What is the most common religion in Vermont?

Christianity is the most common religion in Vermont, representing about 54 percent of adult residents. Roman Catholicism is the largest single branch at roughly 22 percent of the population, followed by mainline Protestant denominations at 19 percent and evangelical congregations at 11 percent.

Why is Vermont considered the least religious state?

Vermont consistently ranks among the least religious states because roughly 37 percent of adults identify as religiously unaffiliated, with high percentages identifying as atheist or agnostic. A historical tradition of Green Mountain independence and low societal pressure contribute to lower rates of weekly church attendance.

What is the largest denomination in Vermont?

The Roman Catholic Church is the largest single denomination in Vermont, with 24 parishes recorded in our directory and over 110,000 adherents statewide. The largest Protestant bodies include the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, and the United Methodist Church.

What religious leaders were born in Vermont?

Two major leaders of the Latter Day Saint movement were born in Vermont: Joseph Smith Jr., the movement's founder, was born in Sharon in 1805, and Brigham Young was born in Whitingham in 1801. A 38.5-foot granite obelisk marks Joseph Smith's birthplace memorial in Sharon.

What is the Old Round Church in Vermont?

The Old Round Church in Richmond, Vermont, is a sixteen-sided wooden meetinghouse built between 1812 and 1813. It was constructed collaboratively to serve five different Christian denominations, representing an early example of multi-denominational cooperation and unique early American vernacular architecture.

Keep reading

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Religion in New Hampshire: Churches and DenominationsPuritan covenants and French-Canadian mill migrations shaped religion in New Hampshire, establishing white-steepled village churches, historic Catholic parishes, and one of the nation's most secular modern cultures.
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