Membership history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints explained

The self-reported membership of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) as of December 31, 2023, was 17,255,394.[1]

Membership defined

The LDS Church defines membership as:[2]

Growth and demographic history

The records of the LDS Church show membership growth every decade since its beginning in the 1830s, although that has slowed significantly. Following initial growth rates that averaged 10% to 25% per year in the 1830s through 1850s, it grew at about 4% per year through the last four decades of the 19th century. After a steady slowing of growth in the first four decades of the 20th century to a rate of about 2% per year in the 1930s (the Great Depression years), growth boomed to an average of 6% per year for the decade around 1960, staying around 4% to 5% through 1990. After 1990, average annual growth again slowed steadily to a rate around 2.2% for the ten years ending 2015, approximately double the average world population growth rate of 1.1% for the same period. The growth rate has not been greater than 3% per year in the 21st century and has decelerated steadily since 2012. The rate has not been above 2% since 2013. In May 2019, however, Phil Zuckerman, Ph.D., of Psychology Today expressed skepticism of how the LDS Church reports robust growth in membership, noting that while church membership was reported to be rising, separate analysis conducted by journalist Jana Riess argued that US retention, religious participation, and belief have been decelerating since 2007.[3]

Riess made a US study in her book The Next Mormons. Book reviewer Stephen Cranney stated in his review of The Next Mormons that the book "fill[s] the need for a large, representative Latter-day Saint sample." Cranney also stated that "Media outlets and others will occasionally perform one-off surveys that gather Latter-day Saint responses to specific (often political) issues, but generally social scientists, the media, and the public are flying in the dark when it comes to finding representative numbers about Latter-day Saint attitudes and beliefs. Furthermore, the few surveys that do have large numbers of Latter-day Saints (such as the American Religious Identification Survey or the Pew Religious Landscape Surveys) are generic religion surveys, so questions do not reflect concerns, language, or concepts specific to Latter-day Saints."[4]

The church maintains a membership record for every person who meets the church's membership criteria and has it recorded, so verification of the exact number who belong to the church is readily obtainable by church leaders.

LDS Church membership numbers

Table for recent growth

World population numbers as of April 7, 2024.[5]

Year LDS Church growth rate World growth rateGrowth rate difference
1980 5.35% 1.70%3.65%
1981 6.05% 1.75%4.30%
1982 4.92% 1.76%3.16%
1983 3.66% 1.70%1.96%
1984 5.41% 1.69%3.72%
1985 4.94% 1.71%3.23%
1986 4.18% 1.74%2.44%
1987 3.69% 1.72%1.97%
1988 5.11% 1.69%3.42%
1989 8.74% 1.68%7.06%
1990 6.19% 1.57%4.62%
1991 4.23% 1.55%2.68%
1992 3.88% 1.50%2.38%
1993 3.39% 1.45%1.94%
1994 3.86% 1.44%2.42%
1995 3.48% 1.41%2.07%
1996 3.79% 1.38%2.41%
1997 3.91% 1.34%2.57%
1998 2.80% 1.31%1.49%
1999 3.85% 1.28%2.57%
2000 2.94% 1.26%1.68%
2001 2.94% 1.23%1.71%
2002 2.87% 1.21%1.66%
2003 2.25% 1.21%1.04%
2004 2.42% 1.20%1.22%
2005 2.32% 1.19%1.13%
2006 2.45% 1.18%1.27%
2007 2.52% 1.18%1.34%
2008 2.38% 1.17%1.21%
2009 2.34% 1.15%1.19%
2010 2.22% 1.13%1.09%
2011 2.19% 1.11%1.08%
2012 2.31% 1.11%1.20%
2013 2.03% 1.09%0.94%
2014 1.92% 1.08%0.84%
2015 1.70% 1.19%[6] 0.51%
2016 1.59% 1.14%0.45%
2017 1.47% 1.12% 0.35%
2018 1.21% 1.09% 0.12%
2019 1.54% 1.08% 0.46%
2020 0.60% 0.98%[7] -0.38%
2021 0.85%0.87%-0.02%
2022 1.17%0.83%0.34%
2023 1.49%0.88%[8] 0.61%

Table for LDS Church membership numbers

Membership numbers from 1830-2011 come from the 2013 Church Almanac.[9]

YearMembershipNumber changePercentage growth Average % growth(starting 1860 on)7-Year Average(3 years either side)
1829660N/AN/A
18302802744566.67%N/AN/A
1831680400142.86%N/AN/A
18322,6611,981291.32%N/AN/A
18333,14047918.00%N/AN/A
18344,3721,23239.24%N/AN/A
18358,8354,463102.08%N/AN/A
183613,2934,45850.46%N/AN/A
183716,2822,98922.49%N/AN/A
183817,8811,5999.82%N/AN/A
183916,460-1,421-7.95%N/AN/A
184016,8654052.46%N/AN/A
184119,8562,99117.73%N/AN/A
184223,5643,70818.67%N/AN/A
184325,9802,41610.25%N/AN/A
184426,1461660.64%N/AN/A
184530,3324,18616.01%N/AN/A
184633,9933,66112.07%N/AN/A
184734,6947012.06%N/AN/A
184840,4775,78316.67%N/AN/A
184948,1607,68318.98%N/AN/A
185051,8393,6797.64%N/AN/A
185152,1653260.63%N/AN/A
185252,6404750.91%N/AN/A
185364,15411,51421.87%N/AN/A
185468,4294,2756.66%N/AN/A
185563,974-4,455-6.51%N/AN/A
185663,881-93-0.15%N/AN/A
185755,236-8,645-13.53%N/AN/A
185855,7555190.94%N/AN/A
185957,0381,2832.30%N/AN/A
186061,0824,0447.09%7.09%1.92%
186166,2115,1298.40%7.75%4.36%
186268,7802,5693.88%6.46%4.70%
186371,7702,9904.35%5.93%4.57%
186474,3482,5783.59%5.46%4.16%
186576,7712,4233.26%5.10%3.57%
186677,8841,1131.45%4.57%3.66%
186781,1243,2404.16%4.52%3.31%
186884,6223,4984.31%4.50%3.67%
186988,4323,8104.50%4.50%3.58%
187090,1301,6981.92%4.26%3.87%
187195,5965,4666.06%4.41%3.61%
187298,1522,5562.67%4.28%3.44%
1873101,5383,3863.45%4.22%3.32%
1874103,9162,3782.34%4.10%3.56%
1875107,1673,2513.13%4.04%3.93%
1876111,1113,9443.68%4.01%3.93%
1877115,0653,9543.56%3.99%4.02%
1878125,0469,9818.67%4.24%4.44%
1879128,3863,3402.67%4.16%4.49%
1880133,6285,2424.08%4.15%4.55%
1881140,7337,1055.32%4.21%4.67%
1882145,6044,8713.46%4.17%3.96%
1883151,5935,9894.11%4.17%3.80%
1884158,2426,6494.39%4.18%3.77%
1885164,1305,8883.72%4.16%3.61%
1886166,6532,5231.54%4.07%3.34%
1887173,0296,3763.83%4.06%3.15%
1888180,2947,2654.20%4.06%3.07%
1889183,1442,8501.58%3.98%2.94%
1890188,2635,1192.80%3.94%3.68%
1891195,4457,1823.81%3.94%3.66%
1892200,9615,5162.82%3.90%3.62%
1893214,53413,5736.75%3.99%4.03%
1894222,3697,8353.65%3.98%4.48%
1895231,1168,7473.93%3.98%4.58%
1896241,42710,3114.46%3.99%4.41%
1897255,73614,3095.93%4.04%4.08%
1898267,25111,5154.50%4.05%4.02%
1899271,6814,4301.66%3.99%3.76%
1900283,76512,0844.45%4.00%3.40%
1901292,9319,1663.23%3.98%3.46%
1902299,1056,1742.11%3.94%3.16%
1903304,9015,7961.94%3.90%3.48%
1904324,28919,3886.36%3.95%3.38%
1905332,0487,7592.39%3.92%3.46%
1906345,01412,9663.90%3.92%3.38%
1907357,91312,8993.74%3.91%3.91%
1908371,47213,5593.79%3.91%3.32%
1909377,2795,8071.56%3.86%3.33%
1910398,47821,1995.62%3.90%3.26%
1911407,2918,8132.21%3.87%3.49%
1912417,55510,2642.52%3.84%3.31%
1913431,60714,0523.37%3.83%3.43%
1914454,71823,1115.35%3.86%2.94%
1915466,23811,5202.53%3.83%2.86%
1916477,32111,0832.38%3.81%2.85%
1917488,03810,7172.25%3.78%2.87%
1918495,9627,9241.62%3.75%2.73%
1919507,96111,9992.42%3.72%2.82%
1920525,98718,0263.55%3.72%2.72%
1921548,80322,8164.34%3.73%2.95%
1922566,35817,5553.20%3.72%3.09%
1923575,8969,5381.68%3.69%2.98%
1924597,86121,9653.81%3.69%2.95%
1925613,57215,7112.63%3.68%2.58%
1926623,90910,3371.68%3.65%2.29%
1927644,74520,8363.34%3.64%2.19%
1928655,68610,9411.70%3.61%2.04%
1929663,6527,9661.21%3.58%1.98%
1930670,0176,3650.96%3.54%2.02%
1931688,43518,4182.75%3.53%1.81%
1932703,94915,5142.25%3.51%1.87%
1933717,61913,6701.94%3.49%1.97%
1934730,73813,1191.83%3.47%1.97%
1935746,38415,6462.14%3.45%1.89%
1936760,69014,3061.92%3.43%1.91%
1937767,7527,0620.93%3.40%2.68%
1938784,76417,0122.22%3.39%2.91%
1939803,52818,7642.39%3.37%3.01%
1940862,66459,1367.36%3.42%3.04%
1941892,08029,4163.41%3.42%3.17%
1942917,71525,6352.87%3.42%3.23%
1943937,05019,3352.11%3.40%3.14%
1944954,00416,9541.81%3.38%2.37%
1945979,45425,4502.67%3.37%2.24%
1946996,50517,0511.74%3.35%2.34%
19471,016,17019,6651.97%3.34%2.47%
19481,041,97025,8002.54%3.33%2.67%
19491,078,67136,7013.52%3.33%2.81%
19501,111,31432,6433.03%3.33%3.25%
19511,147,15735,8433.23%3.33%3.61%
19521,189,05341,8963.65%3.33%3.85%
19531,246,36257,3094.82%3.35%3.97%
19541,302,24055,8784.48%3.36%4.26%
19551,357,27455,0344.23%3.37%4.45%
19561,416,73159,4574.38%3.38%4.48%
19571,488,31471,5835.05%3.40%4.47%
19581,555,79967,4854.53%3.41%4.94%
19591,616,08860,2893.88%3.41%5.44%
19601,693,18077,0924.77%3.43%5.92%
19611,823,661130,4817.71%3.47%5.99%
19621,965,786142,1257.79%3.51%6.37%
19632,117,451151,6657.72%3.55%6.33%
19642,234,916117,4655.55%3.57%6.41%
19652,395,932161,0167.20%3.60%5.69%
19662,480,89984,9673.55%3.60%5.24%
19672,614,340133,4415.38%3.62%4.76%
19682,684,07369,7332.67%3.61%4.75%
19692,807,456123,3834.60%3.62%4.31%
19702,930,810123,3544.39%3.63%4.20%
19713,090,953160,1435.46%3.64%3.87%
19723,218,908127,9554.14%3.65%4.17%
19733,306,65887,7502.73%3.64%4.20%
19743,409,987103,3293.12%3.63%4.43%
19753,572,202162,2154.76%3.64%4.36%
19763,742,749170,5474.77%3.65%4.59%
19773,969,220226,4716.05%3.67%4.96%
19784,166,854197,6344.98%3.68%5.38%
19794,404,121237,2675.69%3.70%5.40%
19804,639,822235,7015.35%3.72%5.24%
19814,920,449280,6276.05%3.73%5.15%
19825,162,619242,1704.92%3.74%5.15%
19835,351,724189,1053.66%3.74%4.93%
19845,641,054289,3305.41%3.76%4.69%
19855,919,483278,4294.94%3.77%4.56%
19866,166,974247,4914.18%3.77%5.10%
19876,394,314227,3403.69%3.77%5.47%
19886,721,210326,8965.11%3.78%5.30%
19897,308,444587,2348.74%3.82%5.15%
19907,761,179452,7356.19%3.84%5.03%
19918,089,848328,6694.23%3.84%5.06%
19928,404,087314,2393.88%3.84%4.82%
19938,689,168285,0813.39%3.84%4.12%
19949,024,368335,2003.86%3.84%3.79%
19959,338,859314,4913.48%3.83%3.59%
19969,692,441353,5823.79%3.83%3.58%
199710,071,783379,3423.91%3.83%3.52%
199810,354,241282,4582.80%3.83%3.39%
199910,752,986398,7453.85%3.83%3.30%
200011,068,861315,8752.94%3.82%3.08%
200111,394,522325,6612.94%3.81%2.87%
200211,721,548327,0262.87%3.81%2.80%
200311,985,254263,7062.25%3.80%2.60%
200412,275,822290,5682.42%3.79%2.54%
200512,560,869285,0472.32%3.78%2.46%
200612,868,606307,7372.45%3.77%2.38%
200713,193,999325,3932.53%3.76%2.38%
200813,508,509314,5102.38% 3.75%2.35%
200913,824,854316,3452.34%3.74%2.35%
201014,131,467306,6132.22%3.73%2.29%
201114,441,346309,8792.19%3.72%2.20%
201214,782,473341,1272.31%3.71%2.10%
201315,082,028299,5552.03%3.70%1.99%
201415,372,337[10] 290,3091.92%3.69%1.89%
201515,634,199[11] 261,8621.70%3.68%1.75%
201615,882,417[12] 248,2181.59% 3.66%1.64%
201716,118,169[13] 235,752 1.47%3.65%1.43%
201816,313,735[14] 195,5661.21%3.63%1.28%
201916,565,036[15] 251,3011.54%3.62%1.20%
202016,663,663[16] 98,6270.60%3.60%1.19%
202116,805,400[17] 141,7370.85%3.58%N/A
202217,002,461[18] 197,0611.17%3.57%N/A
202317,255,394[19] 252,9331.49%3.55%N/A

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 2024-04-06. Latest stats show 'a lot of positive developments' in LDS Church growth. 2024-04-01. Salt Lake Tribune. en.
  2. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/general-handbook/33-records-and-reports General Handbook: Serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Section 33.6.2
  3. Web site: Secularization Hits the Mormons. Zuckerman, Phil. Phil Zuckerman. Psychology Today. May 6, 2019. March 13, 2020.
  4. Web site: The Next Mormons – BYU Studies.
  5. Web site: World Population Clock: 8.10 Billion People (2024) - Worldometer .
  6. Web site: Population Growth Rate. April 2, 2022.
  7. Web site: World Population Clock: 7.9 Billion People (2021) - Worldometer. 2021-04-03. www.worldometers.info. en.
  8. Web site: World Population Clock: 8.10 Billion People (2024) - Worldometer. 2024-04-07. www.worldometers.info. en.
  9. Book: 2013 Church Almanac . December 12, 2012 . Deseret Book Company . 978-1-60907-420-3.
  10. https://newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org/article/2015-statistical-report-april-2016-general-conference "2015 Statistical Report for April 2016 General Conference"
  11. News: LDS Church membership grows to 15.6 million people. April 2, 2016.
  12. Web site: 2016 Statistical Report for 2017 April Conference. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints Newsroom. April 2017 . 1 April 2017.
  13. News: 2017 Statistical Report for 2018 April Conference. 2018-03-31. www.mormonnewsroom.org. 2018-03-31. en.
  14. Web site: 2018 Statistical Report for 2019 April Conference. 2019-04-06. Mormon Newsroom. en. 2019-04-06.
  15. Web site: 2019 Statistical Report for 2020 April Conference. 2020-04-04. Mormon Newsroom. en. 2019-04-06.
  16. Web site: 2021-04-03. 2020 Statistical Report for the April 2021 Conference. 2021-04-03. newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. en.
  17. Web site: 2022-04-02. 2021 Statistical Report for the April 2022 Conference. 2022-04-02. newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. en.
  18. Web site: 2023-04-01. 2022 Statistical Report for the April 2023 Conference. 2023-04-01. newsroom.churchofjesuschrist.org. en.
  19. Web site: 2024-04-06. 2023 Statistical Report for the April 2024 Conference. en.