The 2020 National Census of Orthodox Christian Churches was part of the 2020 US Religion Census. The Census gathered information from more than 3,000 parishes of fourteen Eastern Orthodox and nine Oriental Orthodox Churches. Overall, 97% of American Orthodox parishes participated. Based on the Census data, we offer you a number of publications about Orthodox Christian Churches in the USA. Make sure to check this page regularly: more reports are coming.
US Religion Census 2020: A Decade of Dramatic Changes in American Orthodox Churches
This report presents detailed information on parishes, membership, and rates of worship attendance of fourteen Eastern Orthodox and nine Oriental Orthodox Church-bodies. It also describes significant changes in 
American Orthodox Christianity that have occurred since the previous Census in 2010: membership decline in most Eastern Orthodox Churches, impressive growth of the Oriental Orthodox Churches, the new parishes founded after 2010, and much more. The data were obtained directly from more than 3,000 US Orthodox Christian parishes.
To download the report click HERE
Putting American Orthodox Churches on the Map: Geography of Parishes and Members 2010-2020
This report examines the geographic distribution of members and parishes of the various American Orthodox Christian Churches. As readers will find, the geography of American Orthodox Christianity is 
very different from the geography of the general US population. Three major questions are discussed in this article:
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- Where in America do Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Christians live and worship?
- What cities and towns in America merit the title of being “Most Orthodox Christian”?
- How has the geography of American Orthodox Christian Churches changed from 2010 to 2020?
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To download the report click HERE
Orthodox Christian Churches in the USA: What Happened Between 2010 and 2020?
This Power Point presentation saved in PDF format was prepared for the 2022 annual meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion and Religious Research Association. Based on US Religion Census, it offers data on geography, congregations, membership and worship attendance in American Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Churches. Overall, the US Religion Census gathered data on 24 national Orthodox Christian Church bodies.
Compared with previous (2010) Census, the newly released data show significant changes in Orthodox Christian Church presence in the USA.
To download presentation click HERE
The Orthodox Church in America: a Decade of Changes in Parishes, Membership and Worship Attendance
The 2020 Census of US Orthodox Churches has revealed that from 2010-2020 the Orthodox Church in America experienced a membership decline by 12%. But these changes in membership were different in different dioceses. Three OCA dioceses have grown in members, while nine have declined.
Census data also show that OCA dioceses vary greatly in the percentage of parishioners who attend church regularly. The Archdiocese of Washington DC and the Diocese of the South have the highest percentage of members who participate in parishes on a regular basis. On the opposite end are Albanian Archdiocese and the Diocese of Alaska with the lowest percentage of parishioners who attend their churches regularly. This report offers to readers:
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- National overview of OCA parishes, membership and worship attendance
- Detailed data on parishes, members and worship attendance for individual Dioceses
- Examination of membership and parish changes in individual Dioceses between 2010 and 2020
- Eight county-level geographic maps reflecting distribution of the OCA parishes and members through the territory of the USA
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To download the report click HERE
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America from 2010 to 2020: Changes in Parishes, Membership and Worship Attendance
The 2020 Census of US Orthodox Churches has revealed that from 2010-2020 the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese experienced a significant (-22%) membership decline. But these changes in membership were different in different Metropolises: some Metropolises had much larger losses of parishioners than others. Census data also show that GOA Metropolises vary greatly in the strength of the church commitment of their members – the percentage of parishioners who attend church regularly. This report offers to readers:
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- National overview of GOA parishes, membership, and worship attendance
- Detailed data on parishes, members and worship attendance for individual Metropolises
- Examination of membership and parish changes in individual Metropolises between 2010 and 2020
- Eight county-level geographic maps reflecting distribution of the GOA parishes and members through the territory of the USA
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To download the report click HERE
Listen to Alexei Krindatch’s interview on Ancient Faith Radio: The Second National Census of Orthodox Christian Churches.
What is the US Religion Census?
The US Religion Census is the best source of data on American religious denominations and individual congregations (both Christian and non-Christian). The Census gathers and reports data about the number of congregations in each religious group (such as each Orthodox jurisdiction), their total adherents (the broadest and most inclusive category of membership) and their regular attendees. What makes Census information so valuable is that it offers both a big-picture view (nationwide) and fine granularity down to the county level in each state for each religious group. The first data-gathering was performed in 1952 with subsequent studies in 1971, 1980, 1990, 2000, 2010, and now in 2020. For more information about US Religion Census and its data on various religious groups (including US Orthodox Christian Churches), visit www.usreligioncensus.org.
What type of information is being gathered in the Second National Census of Orthodox Christian Churches?
From each US Orthodox parish the Census asks two questions:
Question 1:
Approximately, how many individual persons total are involved in the life of your parish? Include in this number adults and children, regular and occasional attendees, paid stewards and persons who do not contribute financially.
Question 2: Approximately, how many persons – including both adults and children – attend Liturgy in your parish on a typical Sunday?
Does the Second National Census of Orthodox Christian Churches also include Oriental Orthodox Churches?
Yes, both Eastern and Oriental Orthodox Christian Churches are involved in the Census.
When was the First National Census of Orthodox Christian Churches conducted? Where can I find its data?
The first time that all American Orthodox Churches were fully included in the US Religion Census was in 2010. All data from the 2010 Orthodox Census are available in the Atlas of American Orthodox Christian Churches. You can download a free PDF version of the Atlas HERE. You can also use an interactive tool on the website of US Religion Census to create maps and charts with statistics of parishes and members in various US Orthodox Churches: county-by-county and state-by state.
Why is the Second National Census of Orthodox Christian Churches so important?
The Second Census obtains answers on exactly the same two questions which were asked in the First Census (2010) from each US Orthodox parish. When the 2020 Census will be fully completed, not only will we know accurate membership and church attendance figures for each parish/diocese/national jurisdiction, but also – for the first time ever – we will be able to answer the crucial question: “Are American Orthodox Churches growing or declining?” The findings from the Second Census will allow us to answer this question diocese-by-diocese, jurisdiction-by-jurisdiction, state-by-state, and county-by-county. In short, the Second Census will offer a rich source of information about the changing place of Orthodox Christianity in the diverse American religious landscape.