South Dakota : Religion

In 2000, the largest single denomination in the state was the Roman Catholic Church, with 181,434 adherents, or about 24% of the population. Leading Protestant denominations were the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with 121,871 adherents; the United Methodist Church, with 37,280; and the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod, with 31,524 adherents. The Jewish population was estimated at 350 adherents. A few religious groups, though still relatively small in numbers, like the Salvation Army, International Church of the Foursquare Gospel reported significant growth in membership since 1990. The Salvation Army grew from 732 members in 1990 to 2,804 in 2000, a difference of 283%. Likewise, the International Church of the Foursquare Gospel grew from 466 adherents in 1990 to 1,518 in 2000, a difference of 225%. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints reported a membership of about 5,998 adherents. About 242,950 people (32.3% of the population) were not counted as members of any religious organization.