American Muslim Poll 2025: Demographics of U.S. Muslims

ISPU’s survey of American Muslims, Jews, Catholics, Protestants, and the non-affiliated is one of a kind, offering the latest trends and demographic data on American Muslims. And every year, we rely on individuals like you to keep this research free and accessible to all. Right now, we need your help to keep it that way, so that millions can remain informed on the topics that matter the most. If you value the reliable data our poll provides, consider making a donation—big or small—in support of ISPU’s American Muslim Poll. It only takes a minute. Thank you.

Support American Muslim Poll

A Slight Majority of Muslims in the U.S. Are Men

In our survey, we employed the NORC at the University of Chicago standard gender question with response options of male or female. More than half (56%) of Muslims in the U.S. are male, compared to 44% who are female. This is on par with all other groups except the general public, which is 48% male and 52% female.

Muslims Are the Youngest Religious Group in the U.S.

As previously reported in 2017 and 2022, American Muslims are younger than all other religious and non-religious groups. Roughly one quarter of Muslims in the U.S. (26%) are between the ages of 18 and 24. This is in comparison to 15% of Jews, 12% of Catholics, 5% of Protestants, 7% of white Evangelicals, 14% of those not affiliated with a religious group, and 10% of the general public.

The younger average age of American Muslims has several important implications. It means Muslims are more likely to be active in the workforce and contribute to tax revenues. Additionally, because a greater portion of the community is in their childbearing years, the population is expected to grow more rapidly than older groups with fewer births. For many young American Muslims, this also means they’ve grown up entirely in the post-9/11 era—a time when their religious community has frequently faced scrutiny, securitization, and stereotyping. The relatively younger age of American Muslims also has implications for media consumption. The Pew Research Center finds that the highest levels of social media use are among the youngest cohorts of adults surveyed (ages 18–29) and usage decreases among older age groups (Auxier & Anderson, 2021). Given the current context around student protest crackdowns and federal inquisition of higher education institutions, Muslims between the ages of 18 and 24 who are students stand to face a direct impact to their education and careers.

Muslims Remain the Only Religious Group in the U.S. without a Majority Racial/Ethnic Group

To collect data on race and ethnicity, we asked two questions in which respondents self-identified their racial and ethnic identities. ISPU polls about race and ethnicity in a unique way. The U.S. Census Bureau assesses race and ethnicity by first asking whether someone is of Hispanic origin and then asking them to select a racial category, with the opportunity to specify an origin within that racial category. The racial categories include white, Black or African American, American Indian or Alaskan Native, Asian, or Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. Per Census definition, through the 2020 Census, someone of Middle Eastern or North African origin was included under the “white” category. This will change in the 2030 Census, when a Middle Eastern or North African (MENA) category will be added.

The Pew Research Center models their assessment of race and ethnicity after the Census Bureau. ISPU follows this approach, but, given our focus on Muslims in the U.S., we also include an Arab option in our race question. This allows respondents to identify themselves as Arab if they choose, rather than lumping all Arabs with “white” like the current Census.

As previously reported, of all the religious and non-religious groups we surveyed, Muslims were the only group without a majority from a single racial or ethnic background. The plurality of Muslims identify as Black or African American (28%), followed by 24% who identify as Asian, 20% who identify as white, 12% who identify as Arab, and 9% who identify as Hispanic. Less than one percent of Muslims identify as Native American or Indigenous.

That 20 percent of Muslims identify as white may be shocking to some without additional understanding about the composition of this group. In a previous ISPU analysis looking at “Who Are White Muslims?,” we found that two thirds were raised Muslim and 64% were born outside of the U.S., differentiating them from those who identify as white among the U.S. general public.

Additionally, Black Muslim identity is nuanced. In the current study, we find that about one quarter of Black Muslims (24%) were born outside of the U.S., compared to just 3% of Black Americans in the general public. Immigration is a central part of the U.S. Black Muslim experience, and more research is needed on the differences between immigrant and U.S.-born Black Muslims, as well as on the experiences of specific ethnic groups within this community.

The intersecting racial/ethnic identities held by Muslims play a vital role in their lived experiences as Muslims in the U.S., ranging from civic engagement to healthcare to employment and beyond. The diverse racial/ethnic makeup of Muslims in the U.S. can also impact how Muslims experience Islamophobia within specific racial/ethnic community contexts (Proctor et al., 2023; McDaniel et al., 2023; Ghaffar-Siddiqui & Steward-Streng, 2024; Steward-Streng, 2025).

Muslims Most Likely Group to Be Poor

When it comes to income, 35% of Muslims have a household income of $30,000 or less, which is more likely than 11% of Jews, 19% of Catholics, 20% of Protestants, 21% of white Evangelicals, and 20% of both the non-affiliated and the general public. On the other end of the spectrum, roughly one quarter of Muslims (24%) have a household income of $100,000 or more, which is on par with most other groups but less likely than 48% of Jews.

White Muslims are more likely than Black and Arab Muslims to have a household income of $100,000 or more (44% vs. 7% and 19%, respectively). Additionally, Asian Muslims (34%) are more likely than Black Muslims (7%) to have this level of household income.

Muslims as Likely as Most Other Groups to Hold a Bachelor’s Degree or Higher

Despite being younger, 36% of Muslims hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, on par with 36% of the general public, 30% of Catholics, 37% of Protestants, and 42% of the non-affiliated. Muslims are less likely than Jews (59%) to hold a college degree or higher.

Muslims Most Likely to Be Students

At the time our poll was fielded, 47% of Muslims reported being a current student, more likely than 12% of Jews, 15% of Catholics, 6% of Protestants, 6% of white Evangelicals, 13% of the non-affiliated, and 11% of the general public. We define student as someone who is in a four-year degree program, graduate school, a two-year associate’s program, or technical training. Among Muslims, 26% are in a four-year degree program, 14% are in graduate school, 4% are in a two-year associate’s program, and 2% are in technical training. Given the younger age of Muslims, we would expect a higher proportion of Muslims to be current students. Among Muslims, Asian (54%), Arab (62%), white (30%), and Black Muslims (31%) are more likely than the general public (7%) to be college or graduate students . Given current national attention on limiting freedom of speech on college campuses, cuts in federal spending on higher education, and immigration crackdowns on international students, we are likely to see disproportionate impacts on Muslim students (Singh, 2025; American Council on Education, 2025).

Muslims More Likely than Most Other Groups to Be Employed

Seven in 10 Muslims are employed (70%), which is more likely than 57% of Protestants, 52% of white Evangelicals, and 61% of the general population. Muslims are as likely as Jews (67%), Catholics (65%), and the non-affiliated (63%) to be employed. Eight percent of Muslims are self-employed, on par with 6%–11% of all other groups. For employed Americans across the U.S., as well as those seeking employment, a reduction in the federal workforce and federal funding, in addition to the employment impacts of AI, loom large. Given the younger age of Muslims in the U.S., it is expected that they are least likely to be retired (6% of Muslims vs. 10%–30% of all other groups).

Muslims More Likely than Most Other Groups to Rate Religion as Important to Daily Life

Muslims (89%) say religion is important to their daily life, more likely than 44% of Jews, 72% of Catholics, and 82% of Protestants. At 97%, only white Evangelicals surpass Muslims in rating religion as important to daily life. Muslim men and women are equally likely to say religion is important to their daily life (89% of Muslim men and 90% of Muslim women).

Young Muslims Continue to Be as Likely as Older Muslims to Rate Religion as Very Important

As found in all prior American Muslim Polls, Muslims of all ages are equally likely to rate religion as very important to daily life. This includes 61% of 18-to-29-year-olds, 62% of 30-to-49-year-olds, and 70% of Muslims ages 50+. On the other hand, among the general public, rating religion as very important differs by age, with older people being the most likely (17% of 18-to-29-year-olds, 29% of 30-to-49-year-olds, and 43% of those 50+).

Muslims of Different Racial/Ethnic Groups Equally Likely to Rate Religion as Very Important

Nearly three quarters, 73%, of Arab Muslims rate religion as very important, which is on par with 57% of white Muslims, 66% of Black Muslims, and 60% of Asian Muslims. White Muslims are more likely than their racial counterparts in the general public (33%) to say that religion is very important to their daily lives.

Forty-four percent of Muslims report attending religious services once a week or more, which is more likely than Jews (10%), Catholics (22%), and 23% of the general public. At 59%, white Evangelicals are the most likely to attend religious services once a week or more. Muslims (17%) and white Evangelicals (22%) attend religious services more than once a week. Muslim men are more likely than Muslim women to attend religious services once a week or more (55% vs. 31%, respectively). Muslims of all ages are equally likely to attend religious services once a week or more (43% of 18-to-19-year-olds, 46% of 30-to-49-year-olds, and 43% of Muslims ages 50 and older). Additionally, Muslims of all age groups are more likely than their age counterparts in the general public to attend religious services once a week or more. Specifically 43% of Muslims ages 18–29 vs. 12% of those 18–29 in the general public, 46% of Muslims ages 30–49 vs. 21% of those 30–49 in the general public, and 43% of Muslims ages 50 and older vs. 30% of those 50+ in the general public.