A Portrait of Mormons in the U.S.

According to the Pew report, only 1.7% of U.S. adults are Mormon and only 4% of Mormons live in my region of the country (76% life in the West and, not surprisingly, primarily in Utah (35%)). As someone with little more than a basic grasp of the Mormon religion, I found the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life's "A Portrait of Mormons in the U.S." paints quite an interesting picture of Mormon life. It's no surprise than many Mormons self-identify as politically conservative and Republican, but I was a bit surprised to read that Mormons (51%) are more likely than the general public (36%) to feel the U.S. should be active in world affairs. They are also more likely than the general public (37% to 28%) to feel America should ensure peace through military strength, though the report does point out more Mormons (49%) prefer good diplomacy to military strength (37%) to ensure peace.

The three part report provides basic demographic information on Mormons in the U.S. (including a snapshot of converts to Mormonism), their religious beliefs and practices, and their social and political views. Data are often presented in the context of other religions or compared to the general population.

The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life also offers additional resources on Mormonism, including reports on public opinion of Mormonism, the compatibility of the religion and public life, and Mitt Romney's run in the 2008 election.

To learn more about Mormonism using Penn State University Libraries, start here for books, additional reports, and articles, or, find more statistics. For even more or for research assistance, ask a Penn State librarian or your Penn State Altoona librarian.