New Survey Finds About One-Third of Americans Believe America Is or Should Be a Christian Nation
February 17, 2026
A recent national survey from the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) offers a detailed look at how many Americans identify with or express sympathy for Christian nationalist ideas. The study asked respondents about beliefs related to religion’s role in American civic life, such as whether the United States should be officially considered a Christian nation and whether laws should reflect Christian values.
According to the report’s executive summary, about one-third of adults in the U.S.—including both adherents who agree with all core statements and sympathizers who agree with most—fell into categories associated with Christian nationalism in late 2025. The rest of the population was categorized as skeptics or rejecters of those positions.
The analysis also found variations in how different groups responded. For example, a larger share of respondents who attend religious services regularly or who identify with certain religious traditions tended to fall into the adherent or sympathizer groups, while those who attend services less frequently were more likely to be in the skeptic or rejecter categories.
The PRRI survey also showed differences along political lines. A majority of individuals who identified as Republican were in the adherent or sympathizer categories, while smaller shares of independents and Democrats were classified the same way.
Support for these views also varied geographically, with some states showing higher proportions of adults qualifying as adherents or sympathizers than others.
The PRRI study builds on years of data showing a range of attitudes in the U.S. on the relationship between Christian identity and national identity, with some Americans expressing agreement with phrases such as “being Christian is an important part of being truly American” and others expressing disagreement.
In addition to this national report, other surveys have documented similar patterns. A separate analysis found that roughly three in 10 adults across all 50 states met the criteria for Christian nationalist adherents or sympathizers, with those figures remaining relatively stable over recent years.
