what is the approximate pagan population of ths US?

Question

serious answers only, please.

Answer 1

The typical number floating through the current Pagan community is somewhere between 500,000 and 1,000,000.

It's hard to pointpoint an accurate number for a few reasons:

1. We're not formally counted in the US Census. I believe we're listed as "other".

2. Pagans can't decide amongst themselves what exactly a "Pagan" is. Are practitioners of witchcraft who don't worship Pagan deities Pagan? Some Pagans think so. Are practitioners of Native American spirituality Pagan? Much of what they do might be described as witchcraft. Are Hindus Pagan? Hindus are, like Pagans, polytheistic. Are Thelemites (Alester Crowley's order) Pagan? They use god names in their rituals, but they don't exactly WORSHIP Pagan gods.

3. When is a Pagan a Pagan? Some people SAY they're Pagan, but never, ever do ritual or in any way honor the gods. Is declaring one self Pagan enough to actually be Pagan? Or, do you have to actually practice the religion?

There are other confounding factors as well. That said, the generally estimated number of Pagans within the US Pagan community is somewhere in the 500,000 to 1,000,000 range.

jw

Answer 2

2

Answer 3

Well, I can tell you there are quite a lot of us here in New England. I live about an hour away from Salem, MA, which has come to be known as "The Witch City" - aside from the witch trials history which really had nothing to do with witchcraft, over the last 30-40 years, Salem and the surrounding area has become highly populated with witches, Wiccans and other pagans. Pagan shops and events are pretty easy to find all over the area. And it seems my other Wiccan and Pagan friends here on the East Coast don't feel the need to be "in the broom closet" so much as some of my friends in other parts of the country. However, I don't know for sure what area in the U.S. has the largest population of Pagans.

Answer 4

Growing.

"You can add Wicca, Druid, and Pagan together to get a total number. I also added 19% of the Unitarian Universalist figures because their 1998 National Conference survey found that 19% of their population considered themselves primarily "earth-religionists". This gives us over 425,000 Pagans in the US, or just a bit more than .2% of the population. That means that 1 in 500 people you meet is Pagan."

Answer 5

How many catholics are their? Pagan is after all a Catholic term.
Earth based faiths have as of this last week reached in excess of 1.500,000. That is, those that are recorded. No one knows for sure. Most EBF followers stay hidden because of religious persecution. The witch trials are hard to forget. Most covens are not reported or recorded. Covenants stay underground. Most wont admit their existence at all. Still today we have churches march on us and scream foulness at our followers
Most people allow themselves to be called Pagan because they don't know how hateful that word really is. They would if they had some baptists or catholics march into their temples or onto their groves. Those of us who have had this unfortunate experience tend to stay silent and out of reach.
Having Christians screaming "pagan! pagan! pagan! Suffer not the witches!" and on and on, is un-nerving to say the least.
They still today attempt to burn our belongings and "kick us out of dodge"

Answer 6

I've heard estimations in the range of 300,000, but that was... going on about 10 years ago. Now, the accuracy of that number is debatable, since there was a *lot* of extrapolation that went into it. If you assume that the number was relatively accurate, I'd shoot for the 400,000 range, though anywhere from 300,000 to half a million seems plausible.

Answer 7

I agree with Mr T, except the others would be divided into Pagans, Taoists, Scientologists, etc.

so a portion of that 10% is my answer....I'd guess 2%

Answer 8

Neopaganism: 1 million (Began: 20th century AD/CE)
A blanket term for several religions like Wicca, Asatru, Neo-druidism, and polytheistic reconstructionist religions
this is world wide i believe.

Answer 9

cia.gov reports that :

Protestant 52%, Roman Catholic 24%, Mormon 2%, Jewish 1%, Muslim 1%, other 10%, none 10%

I think Pagans are the others!

Answer 10

Too low, we need more.

23% approximately.