Gen Z Leads Americans in Religious Identity and Spiritual Engagement, Survey Finds

September 30, 2026

A new Harris Poll shows Generation Z adults are more likely than older Americans to identify as “religious,” while also reporting high levels of participation in a wide range of spiritual practices.

Christianity Today reports that respondents to the survey were grouped as Gen Z, ages 18 to 29; millennials, 30 to 45; Gen X, 46 to 61; and baby boomers, 62 and older.

Gen Z was the generation most likely to describe itself as “religious,” at 33%, compared with 22% of Gen X adults, 19% of millennials and 18% of boomers.

Gen Z was also least likely to identify as “neither religious nor spiritual,” at 19%, followed by millennials at 20%, Gen X at 21% and boomers at 23%.

Nearly half of Gen Z adults, 49%, said they regularly attended religious services during the past year, higher than millennials at 44%, Gen X at 43% and boomers at 42%.

Regular Scripture or religious-text reading was reported by 54% of Gen Z adults and 53% of millennials, compared with 48% of Gen X adults and 43% of boomers.

According to Christianity Daily, the survey found that 88% of Gen Z adults regularly engaged in at least one spiritual activity, including prayer, Scripture reading, religious services, meditation or ritual, manifestation, astrology or tarot, or energy work.

That figure was 84% among both millennials and Gen X adults and 82% among boomers.

Researchers also noted, “The generation expected to be the most secular is now the most likely to identify as religious.”

The survey, released Thursday, was based on responses from 2,136 U.S. adults collected July 1-4.

Photo: top, Credit: Unsplash/Rosie Sun