"Religion Is Important in My Life"... Number of Young Men in the US Who Believe This Rises by 50%
by Kim Seungwook
Published 17 Apr.2026 09:20(KST)
Gallup Survey Finds Reversal in Young Men's and Women's Religious Attitudes
"Very Important in My Life": 42% of Men, 29% of Women
NYT: "Christian Identity Increasingly Linked to Right-Wing Leanings"
A recent opinion poll has found that the number of young men in the United States who consider religion important has increased significantly.
On the past Friday the 3rd, churchgoers were seen visiting the cathedral, unrelated to any specific content of the article. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
원본보기 아이콘According to Yonhap News, a report released by polling firm Gallup on April 16 (local time) showed that 42% of American men aged 18 to 29 in 2025 responded that "religion is very important in my life," a sharp increase from 28% in 2023. In contrast, the percentage among women remained nearly the same, at 29% to 30% over the same period.
Frank Newport of Gallup, who conducted the survey, told The New York Times (NYT), "One of the most longstanding and consistent findings in religious studies since the 1950s has been that 'women are more religious than men.' The reversal of the gender gap is therefore a historically significant discovery."
According to the NYT, churches and cathedrals across the United States are indeed reporting a surge in young male congregants. The NYT noted, "The widening gender gap is complex, but it mirrors patterns seen in political polarization. In particular, Christian identity is increasingly associated with right-wing political leanings."
The Gallup survey also found that participation in religious activities is increasing among young people who support the Republican Party. The rate of participation in religious activities among young Republican men rose by 7 percentage points compared to the 2023 survey, while the rate among Republican women rose by 8 percentage points. In contrast, participation among young Democratic men increased by 3 percentage points, and there was no significant change among Democratic women.
A banner of the late right-wing activist Charlie Kirk hangs at the U.S. Department of Education. Photo by Reuters Yonhap News
원본보기 아이콘It is also believed that the killing of young right-wing activist Charlie Kirk last year had some impact on this trend. According to The Wall Street Journal (WSJ), during the month of September last year, when Kirk died, Bible sales across the United States surged by 36% compared to the same month the previous year.
Commenting on this phenomenon, Mark Schoenwald, president and CEO of HarperCollins Christian Publishing, told the WSJ, "Kirk's death was a wake-up call for many people. They began to think about what they believe and why they believe it."
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