How Many Mormons Live In Salt Lake City? The Latest Figure
The latest widely reported figure is that Mormons made up about 49% of Salt Lake County residents, which is the closest available proxy for Salt Lake City itself in commonly cited reporting. That means the answer to "percentage of Mormons in Salt Lake City" depends on whether you mean the city proper or the larger county, but the best documented recent figure is roughly one-half of residents in the metro core.
Latest figure
For readers looking for a single number, the most defensible headline is 49% of Salt Lake County residents identifying as Mormon in the latest widely cited count, with active membership estimated much lower because church rolls include inactive members. One cited estimate in the same reporting put active participation at about 24% of county residents if roughly 40% of members are active.
That figure is not a city census count, but it is the most frequently reported regional stat tied to Salt Lake City and is often used in coverage about the city's religious makeup. In other words, Salt Lake City remains strongly shaped by LDS history, but it is no longer accurately described as uniformly Mormon.
Why the number varies
The answer changes because different sources measure different geographies and different definitions of "Mormon." Some reports use Salt Lake County membership rolls, while others discuss Salt Lake City proper, and the city's boundaries are smaller than the county's. A second complication is that LDS membership figures often include both active and nonactive members, which inflates the count compared with weekly participation.
- Salt Lake County is the most cited yardstick in recent reporting.
- Active membership is lower than total membership because rolls include inactive members.
- Salt Lake City proper can produce a different percentage than the county as a whole.
Historical context
The Mormon share in the Salt Lake area has been falling for decades, reflecting both population growth and increasing religious diversity. One report described the 49% county figure as the lowest percentage since at least the 1930s.
"Mormons account for 49% of the 1.1 million residents in Salt Lake County - the lowest percentage since at least the 1930s," one widely cited report said.
That trend matters because Salt Lake City is still the institutional center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, yet the city and county are now more mixed religiously than in earlier eras. For many readers, the important takeaway is not whether the area is "Mormon" or "not Mormon," but that the dominant share has shifted from clear majority to plurality or near-parity depending on the exact boundary used.
Data snapshot
The table below summarizes the most cited recent figures tied to Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County. It is useful for quick comparison, especially because different articles use slightly different geographic frames.
| Geography | Reported Mormon share | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake County | 49% | Most cited recent figure; includes active and nonactive members |
| Active Mormon share in county | About 24% | Estimate based on approximately 40% active participation |
| Salt Lake City | Varies by source | Some summaries cite city-level estimates, but the county figure is more consistently reported |
How to read the number
If you are writing a headline or answering a quick question, saying "about half" is the safest plain-English summary of the latest cited figure for the Salt Lake area. If you need precision, specify that the 49% number comes from Salt Lake County membership reporting, not necessarily a strict Salt Lake City census estimate.
- Use 49% when referring to the commonly reported county-level figure.
- Use a lower figure when discussing active participation rather than total membership.
- Clarify whether you mean Salt Lake City proper or Salt Lake County, because that changes the statistic.
Local significance
The religious composition of Salt Lake City still carries outsized civic and cultural influence because the LDS Church is headquartered there. Even so, the data show a city-region that has diversified, with Mormons no longer representing the overwhelming majority they once did in the broader county.
That mix helps explain why the phrase "percentage of Mormons in Salt Lake City" can produce conflicting answers online. Some pages emphasize historic identity, some emphasize county membership, and some use older city estimates that are not directly comparable to newer county reporting.
For a concise, defensible answer, the best current wording is: about 49% of Salt Lake County residents are Mormon, and active participation is much lower. That is the clearest evidence-based way to describe the percentage of Mormons in the Salt Lake City area without overstating the precision of the city-only figure.
Everything you need to know about Percentage Of Mormons In Salt Lake City
How many Mormons live in Salt Lake City?
The most commonly cited recent answer is that Mormons make up about 49% of Salt Lake County, which is the most widely used proxy for the Salt Lake City area in recent reporting.
Is Salt Lake City still mostly Mormon?
Not in the strict majority sense if you use the latest county-level reporting, because the Mormon share is reported at 49%, which is just under half.
Does that include active members only?
No, the reported church membership figures include both active and nonactive members, and one estimate in the reporting suggests active members may be closer to about 24% of county residents.
Why do some sources say different numbers?
Different numbers appear because sources may use different geographies, different years, or different definitions of Mormon identity, ranging from total church membership to active participation.