Comprehensive Historical Database of United States Church Statistics Released

The completion of a comprehensive historical database of state-by-state Church statistics for the United States is another significant milestone for The Cumorah Foundation. The database includes annual membership totals, congregations (including ward and branch breakdowns when available), stakes, districts, and missions for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Historical membership data are available from 1987–2025, with statistics for congregations, stakes, districts, and missions likewise spanning nearly four decades.

Data were compiled from the retired Deseret News Church Almanac series and the Church’s official Newsroom site where annual state-by-state statistics have been published. To our knowledge, this is the most comprehensive publicly available compilation of historical Church statistics for the United States ever assembled. The database also includes historical statistics for stakes, districts, and missions that are difficult to locate in a single source and, in many cases, are no longer readily available elsewhere.

State-by-state statistics were published by the Church every other year from 1987 through 1999 and annually thereafter through 2025, with the exception of 2020 when no state-by-state statistics were released due to the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Empty cells in the database indicate data that were not published or are otherwise unavailable for specific years and statistical categories. Most missing data consist of ward and branch breakdowns for selected years when the Church reported only total congregations. To provide a more complete historical record, ward and branch totals for 2012–2017 were reconstructed by tracking unit creations, consolidations, and closures within individual stakes and districts during the period when the Church did not publish ward-branch breakdowns.

This resource provides valuable data for researchers, historians, journalists, members, and others interested in analyzing long-term trends in Church growth, geographic expansion, congregational development, temple expansion, and organizational change within the United States. Users can identify historical milestones, compare growth patterns among states, examine changes in Church administration over time, and better understand how the Church has developed across different regions of the country.

The database is available for viewing in Google Sheets and may also be downloaded here.

First Branch Created in São Tomé and Príncipe

The Church recently organized its first official branch in the African island nation of São Tomé and Príncipe. The São Tomé Branch is under the direct supervision of the Angola Luanda Mission and serves the capital city of São Tomé, where approximately 40% of the nation's population resides. The country has a population of approximately 210,000 and Portuguese is the official language.

The Angola Luanda Mission has overseen missionary efforts in São Tomé and Príncipe since the mission's creation in 2013. In March 2015, the mission president visited the country, met with isolated members, and conducted a sacrament meeting. In 2017, the first known Latter-day Saint from São Tomé and Príncipe began missionary service in the Cape Verde Praia Mission. Progress accelerated in 2025 when the first full-time missionaries were assigned to the country. Later that year, Elder Ronald A. Rasband dedicated the nation for missionary work, the first convert baptisms were performed, and a member group was organized.

The organization of a branch less than one year after the assignment of full-time missionaries highlights the receptivity of local residents and the rapid development of the Church in the country. Prospects for future growth appear favorable, particularly if full-time missionaries continue to be assigned on a consistent basis and recent converts are successfully retained, strengthened, and prepared for leadership responsibilities. Given the country's small population and concentrated urban center, sustained missionary efforts could establish a stable and self-sufficient local Church presence in the coming years notwithstanding remote location and a relative small population.