Pew Research: A Majority of Americans Embrace Religious Diversity in Friendships
In a recent December report published by the Pew Research Center, it was revealed that 61% of Americans have friends with different religious beliefs. Interestingly, 43% mention only some of their friends share the same religion, while 18% say hardly any or none do. On the flip side, 37% of U.S. adults state that all or most of their friends share their religious affiliation.
What's intriguing is that despite religious differences, Americans tend to have friend groups that align in other aspects. A July 2023 survey indicated that a significant majority of Americans with at least one close friend reported that most or all of their close friends share the same gender (66%) and the same race or ethnicity (63%).
Notably, certain demographic groups display more religious diversity in their friendships. The "nones" category, encompassing atheists, agnostics, or those identifying as "nothing in particular," stands out, with 39% reporting that only some of their friends share their religious beliefs, and 32% saying hardly any or none do.
Conversely, some groups exhibit more religious homogeneity in their social circles. Members of historically Black Protestant churches (59%) and Hispanic Catholics (54%) are notably among the Christian groups most likely to have all or most of their friends sharing the same religious background.
It's worth mentioning that men, younger adults, and those with lower education levels are a bit more inclined to have friends with different religious affiliations. For example, 20% of U.S. adults with a high school diploma or less education say hardly any or none of their friends share the same religion, compared to 14% of those with a bachelor's degree.
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