The Top 10 Most Frequently Asked Questions
about the PC(USA)
We are asked many questions about the denomination. Brief answers to some of the more frequent questions are presented below. More details can be found by downloading the 2010 edition of Comparative Statistics.
- How many members and how many congregations do we have?
- What has been the membership change over the last 10 years?
- What is the size of the average Presbyterian church?
- What is the largest Presbyterian church? What is the largest presbytery?
- What is the average worship attendance?
- Where do Presbyterians live?
- What is the racial-ethnic makeup of the church? How diverse are we?
- How many ordained women are there? How many serve churches?
- What is the average contribution per member?
- How does my congregation compare to others in the denomination?
1. How many members and how many congregations do we have?
At the end of 2010 (our most recent data), there were 10,560 congregations and 2,016,091 members in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) — a net loss of 61,047 members from 2009 (-2.9 percent) and a net loss of 97 congregations.
2. What has been the membership change over the last 10 years?
In 2000, the PC(USA) reported 2,525,330 members, so the current membership reflects a net loss of 509,239 members, or about 20.2 percent, over the last 10 years. There were 11,178 congregations in 2000, 618 more than in 2010.
3. What is the size of the average Presbyterian church?
Presbyterian churches tend to be small. Nearly three-fourths (74 percent) have 200 or fewer members. The average, or mean, size of a Presbyterian church is 191 members. The median size is 95.
Eight in ten (80 percent) have 250 or fewer members. Half (52 percent) have 100 or fewer.
4. What is the largest Presbyterian church? What is the largest presbytery?
The largest Presbyterian church in 2010 was Peachtree Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Ga., with 9,141 members. Although Peachtree has been among the three largest membership congregations since reunion in 1983, it became the largest congregation in 1988 and has not budged from that position. Fourth PC in Chicago, Ill., (with 6,182 members) and Christ PC in Edina, Minn., (with 5,239 members) round out the top three. First PC in Orlando, Fla., which had moved up from fifth place in 2008 to fourth place in 2009 with 4,891 members, drops down to 16th place this year with 3,521 members. Highland Park in Dallas, Texas, moves up to fourth place with 4,777 members, and Village PC in Prairie Village, Kan., moves up to fifth place with 4,772 members. The eighth-largest church in 2009, University PC in Seattle, Wash., drops to 13th place, having lost 208 members.
In terms of membership, Greater Atlanta Presbytery is the largest presbytery. With 44,567 members it is larger than two of the PC(USA)'s synods. Grace is in second place with 41,467 members. The largest synod is the Synod of Mid-Atlantic with 290,937 members.
5. What is the average worship attendance?
On an average Sunday in 2010, the number in attendance at worship in the average congregation was equal to about half of the congregation's membership (51 percent). Worship attendance is higher in smaller congregations. In congregations with 100 or fewer members, average worship attendance is 69 percent of membership; in congregations with between 101 and 250 members, average attendance is 56 percent of membership; and in the largest congregations (with over 250 members), average worship attendance is 46 percent of membership. Overall, the average, or mean, number in worship was 107 in 2010; the median was 63.
6. Where do Presbyterians live?
Presbyterians are scattered in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. On a relative basis, the largest concentration is in Pennsylvania (202,369 members or 10 percent of the denomination's membership) followed by California (138,918 or 6.9 percent) and North Carolina (150,560 or 7.5 percent). The least densely Presbyterian-populated states are both located in the northeast. They are Maine (437 members or less than 0.05 percent of the denomination's membership) and Vermont (611 or less that 0.05 percent).
7. What is the racial-ethnic makeup of the church? How diverse are we?
The PC(USA) is mostly White, and therefore, not very diverse. The majority of the church is White (91 percent). Other racial-ethnic groups for which data are collected by the PC(USA) are Asian (3.5 percent), Black or African American (3.5 percent of all members), Hispanic (1.5 percent) and Native American (0.3 percent). (There is also an "other" category; 0.3 percent.)
The race-ethnicity of active ministers is similar. The second largest group, other than those who are White, is Asian (7.1 percent). In addition, 3.5 percent of ministers are Black, 2.4 percent are Hispanic, 0.2 percent are Native American, and 0.7 percent are other. Elders and deacons follow a similar pattern, with deacons being the most likely group to have someone of color (14 percent). About 8.8 percent of elders are people of color.
8. How many ordained women are there? How many serve churches?
There were a total of 21,161 ministers in 2010; 13,264 active and 7,897 retired. Of active ministers, approximately 33 percent are female (4,382). The table shows the distribution of active ministers by occupational code and sex.
Number and Percent of Active PC(USA) Ministers by Call
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* = less than 0.5 percent; rounds to zero.
9. What is the average contribution per member?
Total contributions for 2010 were $2,027,479,202, a loss of $74,516,440 (3.5 percent) over 2009. The average contribution per member in reporting congregations was $1,122.29. The synod with the highest per member giving for 2010 was Alaska Northwest; the synod's 44,667 reporting members contributed a total of $85,054,767 averaging about $1,712.50 per member.
10. How does my congregation compare to others in the denomination?
To compare characteristics and trends of your congregation with those at the synod, presbytery or national level, see the tables and figures from Comparative Statistics 2010 (coming soon).
Download Comparative Statistics 2009
Learn more about our Help for Congregations Toolbox for Church Home Improvement Projects including demographics, in-worship surveys and more! Resources for congregational study can be ordered from Research Services, 100 Witherspoon, Louisville KY 40202 or call (888) 728-7228, x2040. Email us with any questions.
See the tables for the 2010 edition of Comparative Statistics
1. PC(USA) Congregations and Membership, 1999 to 2010
2. Distribution of PC(USA) Congregations by Membership Size and Synod, 2010
3. PC(USA) Membership by Region and State/Territory, 2010
4. Membership Gains and Losses of PC(USA) Synods and Presbyteries, 2010
5. Distribution of PC(USA) Congregations with One-Fifth or More Racial-Ethnic Membership by Synod, 2010
6-7. Fifteen Largest PC(USA) Congregations Based on Membership Size, 2010 | Descriptive Statistics for PC(USA) Ministers and Candidates, 2002 to 2010
8. PC(USA) Active Ministers by Call and Synod, 2010
9. Number and Percent of Active PC(USA) Ministers by Call and Gender, 2006 to 2010
10. PC(USA) Membership, Total Individual Contributions, and Expenditures for Local Program and Local Mission by Synod and Presbytery, 2009 and 2010
11-12. PC(USA) Congregational Receipts, 2009 and 2010; PC(USA) Congregational Expenditures, 2009 and 2010
13-14. PC(USA) Synod and Presbytery Rankings Based on Per Member Validated Mission Expenditures, 2010 | Race-Ethnicity and Gender of PC(USA) Members, Elders, Deacons, Active Ministers and Commissioned Lay Pastors, 2010
15. Number of Congregations, How They Are Served, Worship Attendance and Giving Information by Membership Size, 2010
16. Technical Information
Download the entire report