Picture: iStock
Hannah Felsbourg
9 August 2025
Anglicans have the highest number of local churches in Australia despite experiencing steeper decline than some other denominations in the post-COVID recovery period, a new report shows.
The National Church Life Survey Church Pulse Check 2021 to 2024 shows the Anglican Church had 2527 local churches across the country in 2021, more than any other denomination.
With 118,000 weekly attenders in 2024, the Anglican Church dropped from second to fourth place among Australia’s largest denominations over the past two decades.
NCLS Research executive director Ruth Powell said there was strength in the diversity of geography and approach of the Anglican Church across Australia.
The Anglican Church was the most embedded in local communities of any denomination, Dr Powell said.
She said this widespread presence was something the Anglican Church could harness and work with while facing challenges.
Read more: Why Australians are walking away from church
Those challenges include decreased weekly church attendance and particular vulnerability during the pandemic recovery period.
Dr Powell said the Anglican Church’s struggles were partly due to its heavy presence in regional areas affected by rural population decline.
She said changing migration patterns that historically benefited the Church through British migration were also a factor.
By 2024, Catholic attendance had recovered to 75 per cent of 2001 levels.
Meanwhile Anglican, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Uniting churches had recovered to 62 per cent.
However, some denominations experienced strong growth. The report found Pentecostal churches had the strongest growth since 1991, with attendance reaching 252 per cent of 1991 levels by 2024.
Pentecostal denomination Australian Christian Churches became the second-largest by weekly attendance, a position it has held since 2016.
The findings come from a report based on data collected from denominational leaders and the 2021-22 National Church Life Survey covering 21 denominations.
Read more: Hidden undercurrent of Australians turn to Christianity
The report counted Protestant congregations as separate local churches, while Catholic parishes were counted as single units even when they included multiple mass centres.
Dr Powell said this difference reflected how each denomination organised its church structure.
She said the research provided a crucial reality check for church leaders in the post-COVID period.
“Looking away doesn’t change reality,” she said.
Dr Powell said the evidence showed that people who were part of faith communities had higher levels of belonging, purpose and personal wellbeing than average.
They were also more likely to be civically engaged, to volunteer and to offer informal help to people, she said.
“Even struggling churches are worth investing in because society benefits when people bring a faith perspective to life,” Dr Powell said.
The full Church Pulse Check report is available through NCLS Research’s website.
For more faith news, follow The Melbourne Anglican on Facebook, Instagram, X, or subscribe to our weekly emails.