Religion among Asians in America – a diverse landscape with concentrations by ethnicity

While there is a greater diversity of religions practiced by Asians in America, there also exists religious concentrations when broken down by ethnicity per Pew Research Center’s 2023 report, Religion Among Asian Americans. On the top level for Asians in America, 34% are Christian, 32% are religiously unaffiliated, 11% are Buddhist, 11% are Hindu, 6% are Muslim, and 4% are other faiths. Further breakdown by ethnicity shows 48% of Asian Indians are Hindu and 60% of South Asians, other than Asian Indian, are Muslim. 56% of Chinese and 47% of Japanese are religiously unaffiliated. 74% of Filipinos are Christian (57% Catholic), 59% of Koreans are Christian (34% Evangelical Protestant), and 37% of Vietnamese as well as 38% of Other Southeast Asians are Buddhists.

While there is a greater diversity of religions practiced by Asians in America, there also exists religious concentrations when broken down by ethnicity per Pew Research Center’s 2023 report, Religion Among Asian Americans. Like the rest of America, the religiously unaffiliated represents one-third of the population and growing. Even though a rising percentage of Asians in America do not affiliate with a particular religion, two-thirds still feel close to some religion for reasons such as family background or culture.

Religious landscape

On the top level for Asians in America, 34% are Christian, 32% are religiously unaffiliated, 11% are Buddhist, 11% are Hindu, 6% are Muslim, and 4% are other faiths. This differs from America’s overall religious landscape, where 63% are Christian, 29% are religiously unaffiliated and 6% are other religions.

Further breakdown by ethnicity shows 48% of Asian Indians are Hindu and 60% of South Asians, other than Asian Indian, are Muslim. 56% of Chinese and 47% of Japanese are religiously unaffiliated. 74% of Filipinos are Christian (57% Catholic), 59% of Koreans are Christian (34% Evangelical Protestant), and 37% of Vietnamese as well as 38% of Other Southeast Asians are Buddhists.

Rising share of religiously unaffiliated

About one-third (32%) of Asians in America, up from 26% in 2012, have no religious affiliation, those who say that they are atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular.” Of the religiously unaffiliated, two-thirds still feel close to some religion for reasons such as family background or culture.

Social economic landscape by religion

Age

• Older Asians in America are likely to identify as Evangelical Protestant or Buddhist.
• Younger Asians adults in America are likely to identify as religiously unaffiliated or Hindu.

Nativity

• Religiously unaffiliated Asian adults in America are more likely than the overall Asian population in America to be born in the United States (38% vs. 32%).
• Almost 9-in-10 Asian Hindu adults in America (92%) were born outside of the United States, the highest share of any foreign-born Asian religious group in America.

Party Affiliation

• 62% of Asians in America identify with or lean toward the Democratic Party.
• 71% of religiously unaffiliated Asian adults in America identify as Democrats or Democratic leaners.
• 75% of Asian Hindus in America identify as Democrats or Democratic leaners.
• 77% of Muslim Asian adults in America identify as Democrats or Democratic leaners.
• Christians (43%) and Buddhists (39%) have higher percentage of Asian adults in America who identify or lean toward the Republican party than the overall Asian population in America (33%).
• Evangelical Protestants stand out as the only Asian religious group in American with 56% who identify with or lean toward the Republican Party.

Education and Income

• Asian American Hindus stand out with the highest education level (86%) and income over $150,000.
• Fewer Asian American Buddhists have a college education (34% vs. 51%) and have more families whose income is below $50,000 (29% vs. 21%) than the overall Asian population in America.
• There are no major differences in education or income levels between Asians in America who are religiously unaffiliated and those who identify with a religion.

Helpful Resources

Our Demographics (MyAsianVoice)

Religion Among Asian Americans (Pew Research Center, 2023)

Asian Americans: A Mosaic of Faiths (Pew Research Center, 2012)