American Muslim Population Diverse, Religious, and Highly Educated: Pew Study
A new report from the Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape Study has provided a detailed portrait of the Muslim American community, revealing a population that is small in number but marked by striking diversity and high levels of religious commitment. Muslims make up about 1% of the adult population in the United States, yet their beliefs, practices, and demographics distinguish them as one of the most multifaceted religious groups in the country. According to the study, 60% of Muslim adults say religion plays a very important role in their lives—a rate comparable to the 55% reported among Christian adults. An overwhelming 93% of Muslims affirm belief in God or a higher power, closely mirroring theistic beliefs held by Christians. Religious practice remains a central aspect of Muslim life in the U.S., with 59% of Muslims reporting that they pray several times each day, consistent with Islamic traditions of daily worship. The community is racially and ethnically diverse, differing sharply from the majority-white makeup of most Christian denominations and the religiously unaffiliated. The study found that 30% of Muslim Americans identify as White, another 30% as Asian, 20% as Black, and 11% as Hispanic. This racial diversity is paired with a strong immigrant presence: nearly 6 in 10 Muslim adults were born outside the United States, highlighting the group’s deep transnational connections and the continued role of immigration in shaping its composition. Educational attainment among U.S. Muslims is also notably high. Forty-four percent have obtained a college degree, and 26% hold postgraduate degrees—figures that exceed those of many other religious groups in the country. The Muslim population is also demographically young. More than a third (35%) are between the ages of 18 and 29, with many actively engaged in family life and raising children. The findings present a nuanced view of a community often the subject of political debate and public misunderstanding. The report underscores that Muslim Americans are both deeply religious and broadly integrated across racial, educational, and generational lines, contributing to the country’s cultural and religious fabric in diverse and evolving ways.
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