Young Men Surpass Women in Religious Importance for First Time in 25 Years
A surprising reversal in religious trends has emerged among America's youth, with young men now outpacing young women in considering religion "very important" in their lives. This marks the first time young men have surpassed young women on this key measure of religiosity since Gallup began tracking the data twenty-five years ago.
Significant Shift in Religious Landscape
The latest Gallup poll, released on Thursday, reveals that 42% of American men aged 18-29 now say religion holds very high importance for them. This represents a substantial increase from just 28% during the 2022-2023 period. Meanwhile, young women's attachment to religion has remained relatively stagnant at approximately 30% over the same timeframe.
This development represents a dramatic departure from historical patterns where young women consistently demonstrated stronger religious attachments than their male counterparts. For several decades, young women were significantly more connected to religious institutions and practices than young men, though that gap had narrowed in recent years before this complete reversal.
The gender gap reversal is exclusively occurring among adults under thirty years old. Among Americans aged thirty and older, women continue to maintain higher levels of religiosity than men, maintaining traditional patterns that have persisted for generations.
Political and Generational Divides
Much of the growth in religious engagement is concentrated among young Republicans, according to the polling data. Since 2022-2023, religious attendance has increased substantially among Republican young men and women compared to their Democratic counterparts.
The percentage of young Republican men attending church, synagogue, mosque, or temple at least weekly has been steadily rising since 2019. In contrast, young Democratic men's attendance has largely declined during the same period. A similar pattern emerges among women, with only about one-quarter of Democratic women under thirty attending religious services at least monthly, compared to approximately six in ten young Republican women.
Ryan Burge, a political scientist at Washington University in St. Louis and a leading researcher into religious trends, describes this gender gap reversal among Generation Z adults as "a seismic change in society and the future of the church." Burge, who also serves as a pastor in the American Baptist Church, suggests this shift could fundamentally alter how children are raised and potentially reshape America's religious landscape if more men become responsible for raising religious children.
Explaining the Shift
Burge offers insight into why young men might be increasingly drawn to religious institutions, suggesting that religion provides a space where they feel more accepted in a world where other institutions appear "less interested in white men compared to women and people of color."
"It's the only place where you don't have to apologize for being a white man," Burge explains. "American religion is very white male dominated and young men are drawn to institutions that elevate them and give them influence and power."
Meanwhile, young women are increasingly viewing religion through a different lens. Burge notes that "women are viewing religion as patriarchal" and points to issues like abortion restrictions in many states being linked to Christian influence. Young women tend to hold more progressive views on issues such as abortion and LGBTQ rights, making traditional religious institutions feel "repressive" to many.
Moral Divergence Between Genders
Other surveys reveal that young men and women are diverging on significant moral questions. Pew Research Center surveys conducted in March 2025 found that approximately four in ten men under thirty consider divorce morally wrong, compared to only about two in ten young women holding the same view.
Even more strikingly, about half of men under thirty say abortion is morally wrong, while only about one-third of women the same age share this perspective. Young men are also more likely than young women to view homosexuality as morally wrong, though both groups are substantially less likely than older Americans to hold this position.
Seeking Belonging in Challenging Times
Rabbi Nicole Guzik, who serves as co-senior rabbi with her husband at Sinai Temple in Los Angeles, observes that people are increasingly seeking religious communities for connection and meaning. While she hasn't noticed a gender gap in her Conservative Jewish congregation, she welcomes the increased importance people are placing on religion.
"Faith has a role to play in shaping people's identities, especially in an increasingly dark and polarized world," Rabbi Guzik explains. "It's about being in a place of belonging and inspiration. People are seeking something right now. There's a crisis of loneliness and mental health. Social media and AI are not helping. I'm glad that religious institutions are able to provide some semblance of light in these times."
Broader Trends in American Religiosity
Frank Newport, Gallup senior scientist who has studied the gender gap in religiosity for decades, notes another important finding: church attendance remains relatively similar for both genders despite the shifting importance placed on religion.
"One of the dominant trends we've observed in recent years has been a decline in religiosity among Americans," Newport states. "Now, in young people, we're seeing that decline beginning to stop. That's pretty significant."
The poll reveals that while age doesn't significantly impact church attendance for men, young women are much less likely than older women to attend church at least once a month. This suggests that while young men are placing greater importance on religion, their actual attendance patterns may not yet reflect this shift to the same degree.
The overall decline in American religiosity may be slowing, particularly among younger demographics, though the patterns differ dramatically along political and gender lines. These developments suggest potentially profound changes in how younger generations approach spirituality, community, and moral questions in the coming decades.
