The number of Latinos in the US who identify themselves as Catholic has plummeted, from 67% of the Latino population in 2010 to just 43% today, a new Pew Research survey shows.
While Protestant groups have made some inroads among Latinos, that number has grown only slightly—from 12% to 15%—over the same period. The most noteworthy increase has been in the proportion of Latinos who have no affiliation, which has jumped from 10% to 30%.
The percentage of Catholics is even lower among Latinos in the 18-29 age group (30%), and those who were born in the US (36%). It is substantially higher (48%) among those who identify themselves politically with the Democratic Party.
Although Catholics still easily outnumber Protestants among Latinos, the Protestants are more likely to attend religious services weekly (53%) than the Catholics (22%), the study found.