Highlights from "Mormons in the United States 1990-2008: Socio-demographic Trends and Regional Differences" by Barry A. Kosmin & Ariela Keysar, Rick Phillps & Ryan Cragun; Hartford, CT: Institute for the Study of Secularism in Society & Culture. Mormon Stories has posted an interview with Dr. Cragun about this study.
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- Mormons were 1.4% of the U.S. adult population in 2008, a proportion unchanged since 1990.
- The Mormons of Utah are the only religious group in the U.S. today that comprises a numerical majority of a state's population (57% of Utah).
- Mormons remain the most geographically isolated and uniquely distributed American religious group (only 19% are found east of the Mississippi River).
- The Mormon population increase 1990-2008 was more modest than claimed by the LDS Church.
- ARIS data shows that apostasy rates are rising among young men in Utah. There is a growing gender imbalance and surplus of women as a result.
- There are regional differences among Mormons on several socio-demographic variables. Mormons outside of Utah are different to heritage Mormons in Utah.
- Utah Mormons in 2008 had significantly larger households than Mormons elsewhere (4.2 persons per household in Utah vs. 3.7 persons per household elsewhere), suggesting that the traditional norm of large families endures in Utah.
- Mormon women are more likely to be housewives and less likely to work full-time than other American women.
- The period 1990-2008 saw rising prosperity with above average increases in household income among Mormons in Utah.
- In 2008 Mormons had very high rates of voter registration (90% in Utah).
- Mormons are more than twice as likely to be Republicans (59%) than non-Mormon Americans (27%).
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More on this topic:
Dec 16, 2011 ... The report, "Mormons in the United States 1990-2008: Socio-Demographic Trends and Regional Differences," released Wednesday by Trinity ...
