At a Glance

• A Growing Number of “No Faith” Women: 38 percent of Gen Z women ages 18–24 now identify as religiously unaffiliated, a notable statistic that sits higher than their male peers.
  

• The Lowest Faith Engagement: Currently, young adult women report the lowest rates of Bible reading, prayer and church attendance among their peers.

• A Path to Renewal: Barna’s research suggests that intergenerational connection may be key to restoring faith and belonging among Gen Z women.

Barna’s recent reporting on Gen Z has highlighted a surprising trend: this generation is increasingly open to faith, with many expressing curiosity about Jesus and a desire to explore spirituality. But new data reveals a troubling twist. Among young adults, women are now the most likely to disengage from church, prayer and belief—reversing normative patterns and raising urgent questions for faith leaders.

Long regarded as the backbone of church life, women have traditionally outpaced men in religious affiliation, attendance and volunteerism. Today, the opposite is beginning to take shape among Gen Z women. Portions of this research come from studies Barna conducted in partnership with Impact 360, including the latest report on Gen Z. The findings reveal a deep shift in how young adult women relate to faith and point to critical challenges the Church must now confront.

2 in 5 Young Adult Women Identify as Having “No Faith”

Barna’s research reveals a striking gender gap in religious disaffiliation. Among Gen Z adults ages 18–24, 38 percent of women identify as atheist, agnostic or no faith—compared to 32 percent of men in the same age group.

Even among teens (ages 13–17), the pattern holds: 28 percent of teen girls consider themselves religiously unaffiliated, versus 22 percent of teen boys.

It’s a clear sign that the landscape is changing—challenging longheld assumptions about who is the most likely to distance themselves from religion.

Young Adult Women Grapple with Christian Belief

The trend continues beyond identity into belief. While 73 percent of all Gen Z say they believe in God or a higher power and 47 percent believe Jesus is the only way to God, those numbers drop significantly among young adult women ages 18–24.

This suggests that as young adult women transition into adulthood, they are less likely to retain or adopt foundational Christian beliefs, a pattern that could have long-term effects on the faith landscape of the next generation.

Young Adult Women Are Less Spiritually Active

Disengagement isn’t just internal—it’s visible in daily and weekly habits. Across every measured spiritual practice, young adult women currently show the lowest levels of engagement.

• Prayer: 58 percent of women 18–24 report having prayed within the past week, compared to 63 percent of younger teen girls and over 70 percent of teen boys.
• Bible Reading: Just 31 percent of young adult women note having read the Bible in the last week, compared to 37 to 41 percent across all other Gen Z groups (young women ages 13–17 and all Gen Z men).
  
• Church Attendance: Only 30 percent say they attended a worship service in the last seven days—the lowest of any demographic group surveyed.

These declines suggest that young adult women are not only distancing themselves from belief, but also from the practices that have traditionally sustained it.

Is a Relationship Gap Spurring Disengagement?

Beneath the statistics lies a deeper issue: disconnection. Gen Z women aren’t just stepping away from church—they’re also reporting a lack of meaningful support from the adults in their lives.

• Only 23 percent of young adult women feel supported by their father, compared to double that proportion (47 percent) of younger teen girls.
• Just 36 percent of young adult women feel supported by their mother, down sharply from 74 percent among teen girls.
• Only 32 percent of young adult women believe their parents understand them.
• And 33 percent of young adult women say they feel valued by older adults.
  

Perhaps most telling, 40 percent of Gen Z women agree that “older people don’t seem to understand the pressure my generation is under.” This is much higher than other segments of Gen Z, and reflects a feeling of having to go it alone in a complex world. This relational void may be a major contributor to their spiritual disengagement. Without trusted adults to guide them, young adult women are left to wrestle with life’s biggest questions alone.

A Path Forward: Rebuilding Faith through Relationships

These findings among Gen Z women represent a major challenge to Christian leaders. “If we want to see change in Gen Z women’s spiritual trajectories, relationships are the place to start,” says Daniel Copeland, Barna’s Vice President of Research. “Faith is a skill that must be modeled first, and strong, supportive relationships can bridge the gap between doubt and belief.”

Rather than defaulting to better programs or louder outreach, the Church may need to return to something more ancient and enduring: intergenerational discipleship. By fostering empathy, offering mentorship and creating spaces where young adult women feel seen and supported, faith communities can offer not just answers—but belonging.

Learn more about mentoring the next generation with Barna’s Simple Mentoring resources, created in partnership with TenX10.