Which U.S. cities are the most Catholic? The answer depends on what you mean by “most Catholic.” Some cities have a higher Catholic share of the local population, while others have much larger Catholic communities in raw numbers. In this ranking, we focus on Catholic concentration by pairing ARDA’s 2020 county-level Catholic adherence data with 2023 ACS city population estimates. Using that method, El Paso ranks first, followed by Boston, Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago.
This is an estimate, not a direct city-level religious census. Each city is matched to a county, the county’s Catholic percentage is applied to the city’s population, and that produces an estimated number of Catholics living in the city. That makes the ranking useful for comparison, while also requiring a few caveats.
How this ranking was calculated
We used two inputs:
- ARDA 2020 county-level Catholic adherence data
- ACS 2023 city population estimates
Formula:
Estimated Catholics in city = city population × county Catholic percentage
So if a county is 20% Catholic and the city population is 500,000, the city’s estimated Catholic population would be 100,000.
Editorial note on limitations
This method relies on county-level religious distribution, not direct city-level counts. It is most reliable when a city aligns closely with one county and less precise when a city spans multiple counties or sits inside a county with very uneven internal demographics.
A few entries deserve special caution:
- New York City is represented here using Queens County as a proxy, even though the city spans five counties.
- Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) and Indianapolis city (balance) are not perfectly comparable with standard municipal boundaries.
- This list measures estimated Catholic population share, not Mass attendance, parish density, or religious commitment.
Top 25 most Catholic cities in America
| Rank | City | State | County | Catholic % | Population | Estimated Catholics |
| 1 | El Paso | TX | El Paso | 48.0% | 678,147 | 325,294 |
| 2 | Boston | MA | Suffolk | 41.3% | 663,972 | 274,081 |
| 3 | Los Angeles | CA | Los Angeles | 31.4% | 3,857,897 | 1,213,077 |
| 4 | New York City* | NY | Queens | 31.3% | 8,516,202 | 2,667,274 |
| 5 | Chicago | IL | Cook | 28.9% | 2,707,648 | 781,536 |
| 6 | San Antonio | TX | Bexar | 27.6% | 1,458,954 | 402,015 |
| 7 | Las Vegas | NV | Clark | 26.2% | 650,873 | 170,275 |
| 8 | San Jose | CA | Santa Clara | 26.0% | 990,054 | 257,394 |
| 9 | Denver | CO | Denver | 24.8% | 713,734 | 177,035 |
| 10 | Phoenix | AZ | Maricopa | 23.1% | 1,624,832 | 374,751 |
| 11 | San Diego | CA | San Diego | 22.9% | 1,385,061 | 316,639 |
| 12 | Austin | TX | Travis | 19.5% | 967,862 | 188,820 |
| 13 | Houston | TX | Harris | 19.4% | 2,300,419 | 446,534 |
| 14 | San Francisco | CA | San Francisco | 18.8% | 836,321 | 157,061 |
| 15 | Fort Worth | TX | Tarrant | 17.0% | 941,311 | 160,418 |
| 16 | Dallas | TX | Dallas | 16.5% | 1,299,553 | 214,634 |
| 17 | Portland | OR | Multnomah | 16.2% | 642,715 | 104,403 |
| 18 | Philadelphia | PA | Philadelphia | 15.8% | 1,582,432 | 250,499 |
| 19 | Charlotte | NC | Mecklenburg | 15.5% | 886,283 | 137,595 |
| 20 | Louisville/Jefferson County metro government (balance) | KY | Jefferson | 14.2% | 627,210 | 88,957 |
| 21 | Indianapolis city (balance) | IN | Marion | 14.0% | 882,043 | 123,883 |
| 22 | Detroit | MI | Wayne | 13.7% | 636,644 | 87,004 |
| 23 | Jacksonville | FL | Duval | 13.5% | 961,739 | 129,989 |
| 24 | Oklahoma City | OK | Oklahoma | 13.0% | 688,693 | 89,592 |
| 25 | Seattle | WA | King | 12.5% | 741,440 | 93,036 |
*New York City uses Queens County as a proxy in this dataset and should be interpreted cautiously.
What this list actually tells us
This ranking shows where Catholicism appears to be most concentrated, based on the county tied to each city.
That produces one kind of answer: cities like El Paso and Boston rise because the Catholic share is especially high.
But there is another answer buried in the same data. Some cities have a lower Catholic percentage and still contain much larger Catholic communities simply because their populations are so large. That is why New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Phoenix matter even when they do not top the list by concentration.
A good article on this topic should separate those two ideas. This one does.
The top 10 cities, explained
1. El Paso, Texas
El Paso takes the top spot because 48.0% of El Paso County is Catholic in the ARDA dataset. Applied to the city’s 678,147 residents, that yields an estimated 325,294 Catholics.
This is the strongest concentration in the ranking. El Paso is not just a major Catholic city. By this method, it is the clearest example of a city where Catholicism shapes a large share of the local population.
2. Boston, Massachusetts
Boston ranks second because Suffolk County is 41.3% Catholic. Applied to the city’s 663,972 residents, that produces an estimated 274,081 Catholics.
Boston’s result reflects the continuing weight of Catholicism in the Northeast. Its Catholic share is high enough to place it firmly in the top tier.
3. Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles ranks third with a 31.4% Catholic rate in Los Angeles County. Applied to the city’s 3,857,897 residents, that yields an estimated 1,213,077 Catholics.
Los Angeles stands out for both scale and strength. It ranks highly by concentration and contains one of the largest estimated Catholic populations in the country.
4. New York City, New York
New York City ranks fourth here using Queens County’s 31.3% Catholic rate and the city population of 8,516,202, which produces an estimated 2,667,274 Catholics.
That estimate is directionally useful but methodologically weak. Because New York spans five borough-counties, this number should be read as a proxy-based estimate, not a clean citywide count.
5. Chicago, Illinois
Chicago ranks fifth because Cook County is 28.9% Catholic. Applied to the city’s 2,707,648 residents, that yields an estimated 781,536 Catholics.
Chicago remains one of the country’s most important Catholic population centers, even though it trails the top four in percentage terms.
6. San Antonio, Texas
San Antonio ranks sixth with Bexar County at 27.6% Catholic. Applied to 1,458,954 residents, that produces an estimated 402,015 Catholics.
San Antonio combines a strong Catholic share with a large population, making it one of the most significant Catholic cities in Texas.
7. Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas ranks seventh because Clark County is 26.2% Catholic. Applied to the city’s 650,873 residents, that yields an estimated 170,275 Catholics.
It is a stronger Catholic city than many readers would guess from reputation alone.
8. San Jose, California
San Jose ranks eighth with Santa Clara County at 26.0% Catholic. Applied to 990,054 residents, that results in an estimated 257,394 Catholics.
San Jose is a solid example of a city where Catholic presence is both substantial and comparatively concentrated.
9. Denver, Colorado
Denver ranks ninth because Denver County is 24.8% Catholic. Applied to 713,734 residents, that yields an estimated 177,035 Catholics.
Its place in the top 10 shows that Catholic concentration is not confined to traditional East Coast centers.
10. Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ranks tenth using Maricopa County’s 23.1% Catholic rate. Applied to the city’s 1,624,832 residents, that yields an estimated 374,751 Catholics.
Phoenix ranks lower by percentage than Denver, but its sheer size gives it one of the largest estimated Catholic populations in the dataset.
Cities with the largest estimated Catholic populations
If the same dataset is sorted by estimated Catholics in city instead of Catholic percentage, the picture changes:
- New York City — 2,667,274
- Los Angeles — 1,213,077
- Chicago — 781,536
- Houston — 446,534
- San Antonio — 402,015
- Phoenix — 374,751
- El Paso — 325,294
- San Diego — 316,639
- Boston — 274,081
- San Jose — 257,394
That is the key distinction this topic often misses. The most Catholic city by percentage is not automatically the same as the city with the largest Catholic population.
FAQ
What is the most Catholic city in America?
Using this ranking method, El Paso is the most Catholic city in America because it has the highest county-linked Catholic percentage in the dataset: 48.0%.
Which city has the largest Catholic population?
In this dataset, New York City has the largest estimated Catholic population. But that estimate is based on Queens County as a proxy and should not be treated as a precise citywide total.
Is this city-level data?
Not directly. The estimate comes from county-level Catholic adherence data applied to city population figures.
Why are some well-known Catholic cities lower on the list?
Because this ranking is based on current county-level Catholic share, not on history, architecture, or religious reputation.
Conclusion
The most Catholic cities in America depend on what you are measuring. If the question is about Catholic concentration, El Paso leads this ranking, followed by Boston and Los Angeles. If the question is about largest estimated Catholic populations, then New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago dominate.