The Living Bread Research
Christianity in Australia: How Many Christians and Churches?
Australia is home to roughly 28 million people, of whom about 43.9% identify as Christian, around 12 million, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics census (2021). Its Christian population is Roman Catholic, Anglican and a broad range of Protestant traditions. Counting the exact number of churches is much harder, because no single registry lists every congregation; The Living Bread has mapped 742 churches in Australia so far from open data, a growing sample rather than a national total.
Which churches are in Australia?
Christianity in Australia is Roman Catholic, Anglican and a broad range of Protestant traditions.
How these numbers are counted
Christian share and population are estimates that differ between sources and years. Here the Christian share is from Australian Bureau of Statistics census (2021) and the population is from Wikidata. National Christian estimates from Pew Research Center, government censuses, and other bodies can each differ by several points, so we cite the source and year rather than presenting a single "true" number.
The church count (742) is The Living Bread's own directory, built from OpenStreetMap. It is a growing sample of mapped congregations, not a claim about the total number of churches in the country, which no single registry reliably measures.
People also ask
How many Christians are in Australia?
About 43.9% of the population, roughly 12 million people, identify as Christian, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics census (2021). Estimates differ between sources and years, so treat this as a well-sourced approximation.
How many churches are in Australia?
There is no single authoritative count of every church. The Living Bread has mapped 742 churches in Australia from OpenStreetMap so far. That is a growing directory sample, not the national total, which is genuinely difficult to measure because congregations open, close, and go unregistered.
What is the population of Australia?
Approximately 27,614,411 people, per Wikidata's most recent figure. Combined with the Christian share above, that gives an estimate of around 12 million Christians.
Where do these numbers come from?
The Christian share is from Australian Bureau of Statistics census (2021); the population is from Wikidata; and the church count is The Living Bread's own directory built on OpenStreetMap. We cite each so you can check them yourself.
Find a church, or explore the faith
Explore the Christian landscape of Australia, browse its churches, or begin with who Jesus is.
Christianity in AustraliaChurches in AustraliaWho is Jesus?Sources: Australian Bureau of Statistics census (2021) for the Christian share; Wikidata for population; OpenStreetMap contributors for the church directory. Figures are estimates; see the methodology above.