Updated August, 2024.
Paganism is not an ancient, dead religion. Statistically, it is growing quickly in the United States and Europe. As we all know paganism is very diverse and some studies look at paganism as a whole. Some look at a subset of paganism such as Wicca, Norse, or Neo-paganism.
On all accounts, we are growing in numbers.
Several factors contribute to this increase, including a broader cultural shift towards alternative spiritualities, greater acceptance of diverse identities within pagan communities, and a resurgence of interest in ancient and nature-based practices.
Is Paganism The New Religion?
Paganism, and other related paths, have seen a notable rise in followers, particularly since the 1990s. In the United States, for example, approximately 1 to 1.5 million people now identify as neo-pagans, which reflects a significant increase over the past few decades.
It can often be hard to find out the precise numbers for people who consider themselves pagans. You may have checked a box that said “other” or not “affiliated”. These terms are confusing, not to mention discriminatory.
While it’s not a direct correlation we do know that many people who become pagans have left the Christian faith.
A Gallup Poll for 2020 showed that there was a significant drop in people who identified with mainstream religion. In 2020, 47% of US citizens said they belonged to a church, synagogue, or mosque. This number was down from 50% in 2018 and 70% in 1999.
More people are identifying as pagans and more surveys and studies are giving them the option to choose paganism as a religion.
Ironically this quote from Apr 27, 2023, comes from a conservative organization. “Paganism is one of the fastest-growing religions in America. Nearly 1.5 million Americans openly claim paganism as their religion. And most self-identified pagans in America have embraced a broader form of paganism.”
Religious Composition of the United States
The PEW Institute tracts the religious composition of the USA. According to them in 2014 Wiccans composed 0.4% of the total population. This is roughly one to one and a half million persons.
While this percentage looks small consider this. In the same year smaller Christian denominations such as the Presbyterian Church in America, Seventh-day Adventist, and Religious Society of Friends (Quakers) were about the same size.
Comparably Native Americans were 0.3%, Hindus were 0.7%, and “Nothing in Particular” was a whopping 15.8%.
Christianity remains the largest religious group in the U.S., but its share has been declining. Christians make up about 63% of the adult population, down from around 90% in the early 1990s. This decline is largely driven by young adults leaving Christianity and the broader trend of religious disaffiliation.
According to a 2022 Pew Research Center study “Christians have experienced the opposite pattern. With each generation, progressively fewer adults retain the Christian identity they were raised with, which in turn means fewer parents are raising their children in Christian households.”
Druids preforming a ritual at Stonehenge. Photo by Sandy Raidy
Pagan Numbers in Europe
Paganism is growing among our European friends as well. Great Britain does an excellent job of allowing pagans to identify with what type of pagan they are. Categories such as Pagan, Wiccan, Druid, and Heathen are all options.
In Europe, particularly in the UK, the number of people identifying as pagan has also risen. The 2021 census revealed that 74,000 people in England and Wales identified as pagan, an increase of 17,000 from 2011.
According to the Office of National Statistics, “For the first time in a census of England and Wales, less than half of the population (46.2%, 27.5 million people) described themselves as “Christian”, a 13.1 percentage point decrease from 59.3% (33.3 million) in 2011.”
Paganism is now the fourth largest religion in Scotland, according to the most recent Scottish census.
There are 19,113 Pagans recorded in the 2021 census, more than for the numbers worshiping Judaism, Sikhism and Buddhism.
The amount of Pagans has nearly quadrupled since the last census in 2011, while other religions have seen either a fall or a modest increase in followers.
The Rise of Norse Paganism
Norse paganism in its many forms is swiftly growing in America and Europe. According to Icelandic population statistics, Asatru is the fastest-growing religion in Iceland.
Forn Sidr is an Old Norse term that means "The Ancient Custom". Starting in Scandinavia it's a way to seek out the original meaning of their ancestors' faith. Asatru is the name of the specific branch of the Nordic faith that focuses on the worship of the Norse gods. It began in 1972 in Iceland with the goal of revitalizing the ancient ways of Germanic paganism.
This trend is part of a broader revival of pagan traditions across Europe, with countries like Iceland and Denmark officially recognizing pagan religions like Ásatrú and Forn Siðr. Iceland is approximately 1.2% pagan with 4,875 persons enrolled in pagan congregations.
Several Ásatrú and Heathen organizations, such as the Ásatrú Folk Assembly (AFA) and the Troth, have reported steady increases in membership. These groups have been actively organizing gatherings, rituals, and community events, which have helped to raise the profile of Norse paganism in the U.S.
Norse mythology and symbolism have become more prevalent in popular culture, partly due to the influence of books, movies, and television shows that feature Norse gods and themes. This cultural presence has helped spark interest in Norse paganism as a spiritual path.
Wicca and Witchcraft Growing Rapidly
Wicca has seen significant growth since the 1990s. Recent estimates suggest that there are between 1 to 1.5 million people who identify as neo-pagan in the U.S., with Wicca being one of the most prominent branches within this broader category.
The growth of Wicca is also reflected in its increased cultural presence. Wiccan practices, symbols, and themes have become more common in popular media, literature, and even retail environments, where items like tarot cards and crystals are more widely available. This mainstream visibility has contributed to the religion's growth by making it more accessible to those interested in exploring Wicca.
While Wicca is growing, it is challenging to measure its exact size due to the decentralized and often private nature of the religion. Wicca lacks a central organization that tracks membership, and many practitioners may not formally affiliate with any group, preferring solitary practice.
Who Are The Religious “Nones” in America
The term "Nones" refers to people in the United States who do not identify with any particular religion. This group has been growing rapidly and now constitutes a significant portion of the U.S. population. As pagans and witches, we often fall into this group. The "Nones" encompasses a diverse array of beliefs and attitudes towards religion, including:
Atheists and Agnostics: A subset of the "Nones" explicitly identifies as atheists (those who do not believe in the existence of any deities) or agnostics (those who believe that the existence of deities is unknown or unknowable). Atheists and agnostics are more likely to hold secular views and often express skepticism towards organized religion.
Unaffiliated Believers: Many in this group believe in some form of higher power or spirituality but do not align themselves with any organized religion. They might engage in spiritual practices but do so independently of traditional religious institutions. Many pagans fall into this subgroup. Although we may argue that we are indeed part of a religious tradition.
"Nothing in Particular": This is the largest subgroup among the "Nones." These individuals do not identify with a specific religion but also do not necessarily consider themselves atheists or agnostics. They might be indifferent to religion, disillusioned with religious institutions, or simply not interested in religious affiliation.
According to Pew Research about half of identified Nones say “spirituality is very important in their lives or say they think of themselves as spiritual”. Many of them believe animals other than humans can have spirits or spiritual energies also saying other natural things such as mountains, rivers or trees also have spiritual natures. That sounds like paganism to me (wink).
Are These Numbers Accurate?
Yes and No! Any data collection is based on several factors. People choosing to self-report, questions reaching a statistically broad group of people, and accuracy of the researchers.
Many surveys such as PEW and Gallup rely on talking to people via phone. With the modern cell phone letting us know who is calling and even promoting us when a call may be Potential Spam, many people don’t answer unidentified calls.
This leaves out a lot of potential information.
Pagans are very diverse in how we see ourselves so may not identify with the options given to them. Furthermore, we typically don’t belong to an organized church that has membership numbers.
All of these things make it hard to have an accurate count of pagan populations.
Look What’s Selling
Another way to judge growth is to look at what is selling in mainstream stores. I am 59 and I remember when you had to go down the “dark alleys” to purchase tarot cards, runes, and other divination tools.
Today you can find witchcraft supplies at national retail stores. Barnes and Noble and Walmart both carry tarot cards and Amazon carries wands, athame, and other ritual tools.
Brick-and-mortar and Online stores selling pagan-related merchandise and services are growing in numbers. One report showed that psychic services bring in about 2.2 billion dollars a year and are growing at about 2.6%.
The highly vogue magazine Cosmopolitan recently published an article titled 15 Online Stores Where You Can Buy Crystal Friends. SageWoman, a magazine geared towards female witches, has over 25,000 subscribers and is sold in large health food stores such as Whole Foods.
Facebook groups and Twitter Accounts for pagan groups are very popular.
Cultural Representation
Witches and Pagans have always featured prominently in media. Disney’s portrayal of witches has typically focused on the ugly hag cooking up something meant to kill or destroy.
However, more recently pagan culture has become much more popular and acceptable. The shows Vikings, Charmed, and even such big commercial films such as Avatar bring paganism to life.
Some shows such as Vikings have break out brands with comic books and video games.
Why the Rise in Paganism?
Paganism is not without its challenges and you can read more on challenges in our blog.
Many people new to paganism express frustration with a dogmatic religion that they feel limits their spiritual journey and growth.
A 2015 PEW study found gay, lesbian, and bisexual persons feel unwelcome in traditional churches. with 11% of people who identified as LGB said they belonged to a non-Christian religious group.
Persons who feel connected to nature and animals are often drawn to paganism as are people who want to get in touch with their roots or ancestors.
Also, it has simply become more acceptable to identify as a pagan, witch, or heathen.
Take Away
The growth of paganism can be attributed to various factors, including the desire for a spirituality that emphasizes a connection to nature, the appeal of reclaiming ancient cultural practices, and the inclusive nature of pagan communities, which often welcome individuals who feel marginalized by more traditional religions. This revival of interest in paganism shows no signs of slowing down, as more people seek out spiritual paths that align with their personal beliefs and values.
Paganism is gaining numbers and with that clout is a viable religious option for many people. Paganism has been around for thousands of years. Christianity and Muslims tried to kill the beliefs. But the stories remained. Author and Druid leader Kristoffer Hughes likes to say “We are still here!
Author, Ame Vanorio, likes to joke that she is 1/2 pagan and 1/2 Catholic due to her Native (Cree) and Italian heritage. She is a lifelong pagan, an environmental educator, and a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Green witches feel a deep connection to the earth, in touch with plants, animals, rocks, and water. Learning to work with the energy and wisdom of the earth is an exciting process. The green witch learns to use the power of nature to heal, protect, and harmonize.