U.S. adults are attending in-person religious services in increasing numbers, according to a Gallup report published June 2.
In early May, 20% of respondents said they attended services at a church, synagogue, mosque or temple during the past week. This is a seven-point increase from December 2020 and a 17-point increase from May 2020 when in-person attendance hit an all-time low.
Online service engagement has trended downward, falling from 28% in May 2020 to 10% by May 2021.
Gallup began polling religious service attendance in 1939, with the annual average ranging from a high of 49% in 1955 to a low of 30% in 2021. The annual average in 2019 was 34%.
“While a drop in religious service attendance is understandable during such an event, amid closures and capacity limitations at houses of worship, virtual participation has not been enough to make up the difference,” the report said.
“It is, however, not clear whether the four-percentage-point drop in U.S. attendance from 2019 to 2020 reflects a lack of access to virtual services, a lack of interest in watching them or both.”
The full report is available here.