Young women are leaving the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at higher rates than men, according to recent research, as religious retention for the denomination has dropped to roughly 50% for adults. This trend, which includes a significant decline among Gen Z women, follows a long-term decrease in religious affiliation that began in the 1980s when retention was as high as 82%.
Declining Retention Rates
A study released by BYU Studies on August 7, 2026, highlights a stark generational divide in religious commitment. Data from the Pew Religious Landscape Study shows that approximately 49.4% of adults who were raised Latter-day Saint continue to identify with the faith, while the 2025 Spiritual Seismology Survey reported a similar retention rate of 53.3%.
In contrast, the retention rate for youth is notably higher. According to Family Foundations Youth Development data, approximately 75.7% of youth who identified as Latter-day Saint in 2016 still identified with the faith in 2024. However, researchers noted that retention is likely much lower in adult-focused surveys like the Pew and Spiritual Seismology studies because those groups include older demographics with more time to undergo religious change.
Young Women Leading Disaffiliation
The demographic shift is most pronounced among young women. According to the 2025 Spiritual Seismology Survey, only about 4 in 10 Gen Z women who grew up Latter-day Saint remain in the church. For the youngest cohort of 18-year-old women, the retention rate was recorded at 37.5%.
Gender-based retention gaps are visible across multiple age groups. Pew data shows that while 66% of women over age 50 have stayed members, just under half of younger women remain. This represents a 17-point retention difference between older and younger female members. Among men aged 18–49, the retention rate is 54%, compared to 49% for women in the same age bracket.
Political and Social Drivers
Researchers suggest three primary drivers for the exodus of young women, categorized as politics, purity culture, and powerlessness. As Religion News Service reported on August 4, 2026, young women are trending more liberal than their male counterparts. Gallup data indicates the gap between young women and men who lean left has widened from three percentage points 20 years ago to 15 percentage points today.
This political shift creates friction as religious conservatives align with the Republican Party while religious non-members gravitate toward the Democratic Party. For Gen Z women, specific issues such as LGBTQ+ equality, women's rights, and access to abortion create a disconnect with church positions. For example, the church publicly opposed the Equal Rights Amendment as recently as 2019-2020.
The Impact of Purity Culture
The legacy of "purity culture" from the early 2000s also plays a role in disaffiliation. Research tracking church publications found that in the early 21st century, warnings regarding immodest dress were directed at teenage girls approximately six times more often than at boys.
In 2005, then-apostle Dallin Oaks warned girls that immodest dress could lead to them "becoming pornography" to men. This emphasis has caused anxiety for some women; one 23-year-old interviewee told researchers that the constant policing of her body and thoughts led her to "learn how to avoid feeling sexual" as a teen, eventually contributing to her decision to leave the church.
Gender and Power Dynamics
A sense of powerlessness regarding church policy is a final factor. While women have gained more agency in most areas of life, they remain unable to hold the priesthood, bless or pass the sacrament, or make policy decisions within the church.
Researchers suggest the church has made recent attempts to mitigate these losses. In 2025, the church began allowing women to serve missions at the same age as men and introduced sleeveless temple garments for women. Analysts suggest these may be quiet efforts to stem the loss of female members.
High Levels of Well-Being
Despite the decline in retention, Latter-day Saints continue to report high levels of well-being. According to BYU Studies, 62% of Millennial+ Latter-day Saints report feeling a "deep sense of spiritual peace and well-being" at least once a week, a figure only slightly lower than the 67% reported by earlier generations.
Latter-day Saints are also among the most likely to report that their family lives are "very good" or "excellent." Furthermore, data from the 2021–2022 Healthy Minds Study suggests that Latter-day Saints have a risk for depression, anxiety, and suicide attempts that is similar to other religious faiths, with risk levels significantly lower than those of people with no religious affiliation.
Broad Religious Trends
The religious landscape in the United States continues to shift, with religious nonparticipation rising from 16% in 2007 to 28% in 2024. While religious affiliation is declining broadly, the specific exodus of young women from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints highlights a complex intersection of political, social, and institutional factors.
