Americans who attend church or religious services every week are 39% more likely to get married.
Posted by The Dan Bongino Show, Checked
- Sources
- 2 contradict2 support1 context
- Said
- 1 time·
- Confidence
- 45%
The Dan Bongino ShowOct 16, 2026
The direction is well supported: several sources find weekly or frequent churchgoers more likely to be married. The specific 39% figure traces only to one unrated Institute for Family Studies report (via Christian Today), which defines churchgoing as frequent attendance (several times a month or more) rather than every week, and its own denominational ratios differ from 39%.
A detail. The sources confirm the gist; the verdict faults a detail such as a date, number or wording.
This claim is about the present, so it is judged as of the day it was checked.
What we found
Contradicts. The 39% figure is for 'frequent churchgoing' (several times a month or more) in the IFS definition, not for weekly attendance as the claim states, and the report's own denominational comparisons (for example 66% vs 41% marriage rates for Protestants) imply different ratios, so the specific figure depends on the measure used.[2][3]
Supports. The IFS report 'The Devout Difference' (published 2026-09-25, before the post) states that churchgoers are 39% more likely to be married today.[2]
Supports. Christian Today's coverage of the IFS report repeats that regular churchgoers are more likely than less religious Americans to marry, based on GSS data and a 2026 YouGov survey.[3]
Supports. Older research (Probe, 2026 compilation; Wilcox-based coverage) consistently links weekly religious attendance with marriage and marital stability, supporting the direction of the claim.[4][5]
Context. The Factcheck.org (2026) piece on religious attendance trends shows weekly attendance fell to 31% in 2025, which is context for how common the weekly group is but does not address marriage.[1]
Sources
5 sources: 1 fact-checker, 4 not rated
- 1No Clear Evidence Religion Is 'Bigger and Stronger' in U.S., Despite ...factcheck.org · fact-checker · cited for: context
- 2The Devout Difference: Religion, Marital Quality, and Sex ...ifstudies.org · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 3Active faith linked to happier marriages and lower divorce ...christiantoday.com · not rated · cited for: contradicts, supports
- 4[PDF] Church, Marriage and Familyprobe.org · not rated · cited for: supports
- 5Religious couples happier in marriage, less likely to divorce, study ...thealabamabaptist.org · not rated · cited for: supports
Where this claim was made
Said in 1 published post