Where infants are baptized: A look at the numbers

According to data published in the most recent (2024) edition of The Official Catholic Directory, 480,905 infant baptisms took place in the previous year in the Latin Rite dioceses of the United States. In the Code of Canon Law’s treatment of the Sacrament of Baptism, any child who has not yet attained the use of reason, or any adult who is in a similar mental state (non sui compos), is classified as an infant (Canon 852).

Twenty-two dioceses had over five thousand infant baptisms, with the Archdiocese of Los Angeles having more infant baptisms than the second-, third-, and fourth-ranked dioceses combined. The ten dioceses with the highest number of infant baptisms are Los Angeles (46,225), Chicago (18,350), New York (14,180), Fresno (13,055), Rockville Centre (11,199), Dallas (10,554), Brooklyn (8,556), Miami (8,491), Newark (8,407), and Philadelphia (8,223).

Fifty-eight dioceses had fewer than one thousand infant baptisms, nineteen of them with fewer than five hundred. The ten dioceses with the lowest number of infant baptisms are Fairbanks (159), Steubenville (202), Lubbock (230), Marquette (271), Rapid City (271), Gallup (274), Crookston (283), Alexandria (306), Great Falls – Billings (310), and Burlington (336).

Comparing the number of infant baptisms to the number of Catholics in each diocese, I focus in this article on the dioceses with the proportionally highest and proportionally lowest number of infant baptisms. To what extent do infant baptism rates in the nation’s dioceses simply mirror birth rates in the nation’s states? And do diocesan infant baptism rates mirror diocesan marriage rates, as one might expect?

Of the 175 Latin-rite dioceses in the United States (excluding the Archdiocese for the Military Services, for which the Directory does not publish Catholic population figures), the median diocese (88th-ranked Helena) had one infant baptism for every 113 Catholics. Twenty-four dioceses had at least one infant baptism for every seventy-five Catholics. On the other hand, twenty-six dioceses had less than one infant baptism for every two hundred Catholics; ten of these dioceses had less than one infant baptism for every three hundred Catholics.

There is significant variation, then, in infant baptism rates in the nation’s dioceses. The ratio of infant baptisms to Catholics in the Diocese of Nashville (the diocese with the highest infant baptism rate) is over 12 times higher than that of the Diocese of Lubbock (the diocese with the lowest infant baptism rate).

This variation, while significant, is not as great as the variation in Catholic marriage rates and diocesan seminarian rates:

• The diocese with the highest ratio of marriages to Catholics (the Diocese of Salina) has a marriage rate that is over 15 times higher than the diocese with the lowest ratio (again, the Diocese of Lubbock).
• The variation in the ratio of diocesan seminarians to Catholics is even greater: a Catholic in the Diocese of Rapid City is over 89 times more likely to become a diocesan seminarian than is a Catholic in the Diocese of Brownsville.

Dioceses with the highest infant baptism rates

The 10% of Latin-rite dioceses in the United States with the highest ratio of infant baptisms to Catholics are the following:

• Nashville, TN (2,321 infant baptisms; 1 per 48 Catholics)
• Tulsa, OK (1,096 infant baptisms; 1 per 55 Catholics)
• Baker, OR (587 infant baptisms; 1 per 57 Catholics)
• Stockton, CA (3,970 infant baptisms; 1 per 58 Catholics)
• Miami, FL (8,491 infant baptisms; 1 per 59 Catholics)
• Birmingham, AL (2,103 infant baptisms; 1 per 59 Catholics)
• Tyler, TX (2,026 infant baptisms; 1 per 60 Catholics)
• Memphis, TN (1,110 infant baptisms; 1 per 60 Catholics)
• Jackson, MS (722 infant baptisms; 1 per 60 Catholics)
• Grand Island, NE (752 infant baptisms; 1 per 61 Catholics)
• Knoxville, TN (1,181 infant baptisms; 1 per 64 Catholics)
• Savannah, GA (1,255 infant baptisms; 1 per 64 Catholics)
• Fort Wayne – South Bend, IN (2,073 infant baptisms; 1 per 67 Catholics)
• Wichita, KS (1,611 infant baptisms; 1 per 67 Catholics)
• Indianapolis, IN (3,002 infant baptisms; 1 per 68 Catholics)
• Bismarck, ND (883 infant baptisms; 1 per 69 Catholics)
• Amarillo, TX (598 infant baptisms; 1 per 71 Catholics)

It is no surprise that eight of these dioceses also rank in the top 10% in their ratio to marriages in the Church to Catholic population: Tulsa ranks #2, Savannah ranks #3, Wichita ranks #5, Nashville ranks #7, Grand Island ranks #10, Fort Wayne – South Bend ranks #12, Amarillo ranks #14, and Knoxville ranks #17. Nor is it a surprise that four dioceses—Indianapolis (#18), Birmingham (#22), Memphis (#32), and Bismarck (#33)—rank in the top 20% among the nation’s dioceses in their marriage rates.

But while they all have above-average marriage rates, five of these dioceses are considerably more “infant baptism rich” than they are “marriage rich”: Stockton ranks 39th, Baker ranks 51st, Jackson ranks 58th, Miami ranks 65th, and Tyler ranks 68th in their ratio of marriages to Catholics.

Are the dioceses with the highest rates of infant baptism located in the states with the highest birth rates? This is only sometimes the case, according to 2023 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Vital Statistics Report (pp. 26-27):

• Nebraska, North Dakota, and Texas rank among the top 10% of the nation’s states in their birth rates, so it is no surprise that the Dioceses of Grand Island, Bismarck, Amarillo, and Tyler rank among the top 10% of the nation’s dioceses in their infant baptism rates.
• Likewise, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Tennessee rank among the top 20% in their birth rates, so there is little surprise that the Dioceses of Jackson, Tulsa, Knoxville, Memphis, and Nashville have relatively high rates of infant baptisms.
• Indiana and Kansas rank among the top 30%, and Alabama and Georgia in the top 40%, in their birth rates. The Archdiocese of Indianapolis and the Dioceses of Fort Wayne – South Bend, Birmingham, and Savannah are swimming with the childbirth current, as it were, but they are swimming more strongly than one might expect.
• On the other hand, California ranks among the bottom 40% of the nation’s states in its birth rate. The high ranking of the Diocese of Stockton suggests a local Catholic culture that is swimming strongly against the current.
• Swimming even more strongly against the current are the Archdiocese of Miami and the Diocese of Baker: Florida falls among the bottom 20%, and Oregon among the bottom 10%, of the nation’s states in their birth rates. Their high rankings suggest a robust local Catholic culture of welcoming children into the world, one that swims very strongly against the local current.

The Diocese of Knoxville’s high infant baptism rate in 2023 coincided with the turmoil surrounding the resignation of Bishop Richard Stika. The Tennessee diocese’s high infant baptism rate, along with its high marriage rate, suggests a flourishing parish life largely unaffected by scandal. A new bishop, Bishop Mark Beckman, was appointed in 2024.

“The Diocese of Knoxville continues for now as a mission diocese, one with a passionate approach to evangelization and catechesis,” said Deacon Jim Bello, who directs the Office of Christian Formation as well as the Office of Deacons and Deacon Formation. “As Bishop Mark Beckman points out, we are seeing an unprecedented increase in our Hispanic population and experiencing that vibrant faith culture in which families gather for worship not only within the walls of the church, but as members of Christ’s Church in the community, seeking integration into the sacramental life for their children.”

“We have experienced year-over-year participation growth in our adult faith formation programs, including those coming from other faith traditions as well as no previous faith tradition,” he added. “The younger population” of converts, he explained, often manifests “a great awareness of the truth contained in the sacramental life and desire to share this beauty with both spouses and children.”

States with the highest birth rates

Just as dioceses with the highest infant baptism rates are not necessarily located in the states with high birth rates, the states with the highest birth rates do not necessarily include dioceses with high infant baptism rates:

• no. 1 Utah has the Diocese of Salt Lake City (ranked #44 out of 175 in its infant baptism rate)
• no. 2 Texas has the Archdioceses of Galveston-Houston (#164) and San Antonio (#156) and the Dioceses of Amarillo (#17), Austin (#89), Beaumont (#43), Brownsville (#163), Corpus Christi (#157), Dallas (#113), El Paso (#171), Fort Worth (#167), Laredo (#153), Lubbock (#175), San Angelo (#56), Tyler (#7), and Victoria (#45)
• no. 3 North Dakota has the Dioceses of Bismarck (#16) and Fargo (#62)
• no. 4 Alaska has the Archdiocese of Anchorage-Juneau (#19) and the Diocese of Fairbanks (#18)
• no. 5 Nebraska has the Archdiocese of Omaha (#28) and the Dioceses of Grand Island (#10) and Lincoln (#58)

Several dioceses in the states with the highest birth rates, then, have weaker infant baptism cultures—and at times, far weaker infant baptism cultures—than one might expect. It is particularly surprising that Texas, the state with the second-highest birth rate, has eight dioceses (Brownsville, Corpus Christi, El Paso, Fort Worth, Galveston-Houston, Laredo, Lubbock, and San Antonio) that rank in the bottom 15% of the nation’s dioceses in their infant baptism rates.

The variation in infant baptism rates among the dioceses within Texas is striking. In northern Texas, the Diocese of Amarillo (ranked #17) adjoins the Diocese of Lubbock (#175) (map). In western Texas, the Diocese of San Angelo (#56) adjoins the Diocese of El Paso (#171). In eastern Texas, the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston (#164) is surrounded by the Dioceses of Austin (#89), Beaumont (#43), Tyler (#7), and Victoria (#45). In southern Texas, the Diocese of Victoria (#45) adjoins the Archdiocese of San Antonio (#156) and the Diocese of Corpus Christi (#157).

Dioceses with the lowest infant baptism rates

The 10% of dioceses in the United States with the lowest ratio of infant baptisms to Catholics, according to statistics published in the Directory, are the following:

• Colorado Springs, CO (789 infant baptisms; 1 per 249 Catholics)
• Boston, MA (6,896 infant baptisms; 1 per 260 Catholics)
• Erie, PA (721 infant baptisms; 1 per 268 Catholics)
• Norwich, CT (846 infant baptisms; 1 per 270 Catholics)
• Brownsville, TX (4,390 infant baptisms; 1 per 271 Catholics)
• Galveston-Houston, TX (6,174 infant baptisms; 1 per 275 Catholics)
• Providence, RI (2,141 infant baptisms; 1 per 280 Catholics)
• Burlington, VT (336 infant baptisms; 1 per 298 Catholics)
• Fort Worth, TX (3,237 infant baptisms; 1 per 328 Catholics)
• Columbus, OH (1,478 infant baptisms; 1 per 342 Catholics)
• Buffalo, NY (1,616 infant baptisms; 1 per 344 Catholics)
• Gallup, NM (274 infant baptisms; 1 per 393 Catholics)
• El Paso, TX (1,754 infant baptisms; 1 per 408 Catholics)
• Portland, ME (695 infant baptisms; 1 per 413 Catholics)
• Phoenix, AZ (4,822 infant baptisms; 1 per 415 Catholics)
• San Bernardino, CA (2,458 infant baptisms; 1 per 559 Catholics)
• Lubbock, TX (230 infant baptisms; 1 per 603 Catholics)

It is no surprise that nine of these dioceses also rank in the bottom 10% in their ratio to marriages in the Church to Catholic population: Colorado Springs ranks #161, Portland (Maine) ranks #165, Boston ranks #167, Fort Worth ranks #169, El Paso ranks #170, Gallup ranks #171, Brownsville ranks #173, Phoenix ranks #174, and Lubbock ranks #175.

Nor is it a surprise that six of these dioceses—Providence (#145), Columbus (#148), Buffalo (#149), Erie (#150), San Bernardino (#153), and Norwich (#158)—rank in the bottom 20% of the nation’s dioceses in their marriage rates. The other two dioceses—Burlington (#133) and Galveston-Houston (#134)—rank in the bottom 30%.

Asked to comment on his diocese’s low infant baptism rate, Bishop John McDermott of Burlington, which covers the entire State of Vermont, said in an email that “Vermont, as a state, has one of the lowest, if not the lowest, birth rate in the United States. This is reflected in our baptismal rate.”

Bishop McDermott is right: Vermont has the lowest birth rate of any state in the nation, according to 2023 data from the National Vital Statistics Report (pp. 26-27). Are the other dioceses with the lowest rates of infant baptism located in the states with the lowest birth rates? Only sometimes.

• Maine and Rhode Island are among the states that join Vermont in the lowest 10% in birth rates, so it is not surprising that the Dioceses of Portland and Providence are among the dioceses with the lowest infant baptism rates.
• Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania fall in the lowest 20% in birth rates, so it is little surprise that the Archdiocese of Boston and the Dioceses of Norwich and Erie rank among the dioceses with the lowest infant baptism rates.
• The Diocese of Gallup (map) includes portions of New Mexico (which ranks in the lowest 30% of birth rates) and Arizona (which ranks #28 among the nation’s states). The presence of the diocese among those with the lowest baptism rates is somewhat surprising.
• California ranks among the bottom 40% of the nation’s states in its birth rate, and states of Ohio (#23), Arizona (#28), Colorado (#29), and New York (#30). The infant baptism cultures of the Dioceses of San Bernardino, Columbus, Phoenix, Colorado Springs, and Buffalo are weaker than one might expect.
• Texas, as mentioned above, ranks #2 among the nation’s states in its birth rate. The presence of five Texas dioceses (Brownsville, El Paso, Fort Worth, Galveston-Houston, and Lubbock) among the 10% of the nation’s dioceses with the lowest infant baptism rates is unexpected and bodes ill for the long-term future of these dioceses. An additional three Texas dioceses (Corpus Christi, Laredo, and San Antonio) rank among the lowest 15% of the nation’s dioceses.

Reflecting on his diocese’s low infant baptism rate, Bishop Lawrence Persico of Erie said that “the Diocese of Erie is the geographically largest in Pennsylvania, spanning thirteen counties of both urban and rural landscapes.”

“While infant baptisms have decreased in our diocese, this decline reflects broader societal trends and geographic implications,” he continued. “National and regional data show that birth rates have steadily decreased for over a decade. Geographic and demographic realities, particularly in our more rural and aging communities, also contribute to the shift, as these areas experience a population decline or fewer young families.”

“In addition, we’re seeing more non-traditional baptism practices, such as families waiting until a child is older or even choosing to return to the Catholic Church later in life for sacraments,” he said, adding:

The Catholic Church in this diocese remains a vibrant community. We are deeply rooted in every stage of life, continuing to welcome new families and accompany them in faith in meaningful and relevant ways. This year’s OCIA [Order of Christian Initiation of Adults] process welcomed many individuals, including children as young as seven. In 2024, we had 146 adult baptisms in the Diocese of Erie, an increase of 108% from the previous year.

But we can’t ignore the reality that the number of overall Catholics in this diocese is shrinking. We must address it and turn toward sacraments now more than ever. We need to remind the people to answer the call for prayer rooted in the Eucharist and to be faithful to the commitment to attend the weekly Mass. Through this, we will continue to grow and strengthen the Catholic Church.

States with the lowest birth rates

Just as dioceses with the lowest infant baptism rates are not necessarily located in the states with the lowest birth rates, the states with the lowest birth rates do not necessarily include dioceses with low infant baptism rates. Among the fifty states and the District of Columbia:

• no. 46 West Virginia has the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston (ranked #92 out of 175 in its infant baptism rate)
• no. 47 Oregon has the Archdiocese of Portland (#145) and the Diocese of Baker (#3)
• no. 48 Rhode Island has the Diocese of Providence (#165)
• no. 49 New Hampshire has the Diocese of Manchester (#130)
• no. 50 Maine has the Diocese of Portland (#172)
• no. 51 Vermont has the Diocese of Burlington (#166)

The presence of a diocese in a state with a low birth rate, then, does not destine a diocese to have a low infant baptism rate. The Archdiocese of Portland (Oregon) and the Diocese of Manchester are swimming against the local current; the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston is swimming even more strongly against it. If several Texas dioceses have unexpectedly low infant baptism rates, then the Diocese of Baker has an unexpectedly high one: it is a champion swimmer that is swimming very strongly against the local current.

Diocesan size and infant baptism rates

In general, smaller dioceses have higher rates of infant baptism. Of the two dozen dioceses with at least one infant baptism for every seventy-five Catholics, only four (4th-ranked Stockton, 5th-ranked Miami, 15th-ranked Indianapolis, and 21st-ranked Fresno) have more than 200,000 Catholics.

In general, the larger a diocese is, the less likely it is to have a high rate of infant baptisms:

• Among dioceses with 400,000-600,000 Catholics, the most infant baptism-rich are the Archdiocese of Miami (1 infant baptism per 59 Catholics, ranked 5th), the Diocese of Arlington (1 infant baptism per 351 Catholics, 43rd), and the Diocese of Orlando (1 infant baptism per 102 Catholics, 71st).
• Among dioceses with 600,000-1,000,000 Catholics, the most infant baptism-rich are the Diocese of Fresno (1 infant baptism per 73 Catholics, ranked 21st), the Diocese of Austin (1 infant baptism per 113 Catholics, 89th), and the Archdiocese of Denver (1 infant baptism per 114 Catholics, 90th).
• Among dioceses with 1,000,000 or more Catholics, the most infant baptism-rich are the Archdiocese of Los Angeles (1 infant baptism per 83 Catholics, ranked 35th), the Archdiocese of Chicago (1 infant baptism per 113 Catholics, 87th), and the Diocese of Rockville Centre (1 infant baptism per 117 Catholics, 97th).

Thus, among dioceses with more than 600,000 Catholics—and indeed, among dioceses with more than half a million Catholics—the Diocese of Fresno ranks #1 in the nation.

“The Diocese of Fresno spans central California, a region known as the breadbasket of the world, where agriculture plays a central role in the lives of many of our parishioners,” said Chandler Marquez, the diocese’s Director of Communications.

“Almost every one of our Valley Catholics is somehow involved in farming or related industries, and this correlates to a strong spirit of harvest among the faithful.”

He continued:

That spirit of harvest couples with a vibrant mix of cultures that deeply value the family unit. For most of the cultures that make up the Central Valley, the role of godparents is particularly significant. Godparents are not only committed to being role models of faith, but they also play an active part in the spiritual formation of their godchildren. In our diocese, this commitment is passed down through generations, as children grow up to become the next generation of devoted godparents.

“This tradition is driven not only by faith but also by culture,” he added. “Family—both biological and spiritual—plays a prominent role in our diocese. Family is what gets you through a tough harvest, and they are who you celebrate a successful harvest with.”

Marquez explained:

This strong sense of community, rooted in diverse cultural traditions, is integral to the faith life of our parishes. Just as we nurture the land, we also nurture faith, and this spirit of togetherness is a key reason why our diocese has such a high rate of infant baptisms.

There are nineteen dioceses with over a million Catholics. Apart from 35th-ranked Los Angeles and 87th-ranked Chicago, all have rates of infant baptisms that are below the national diocesan median. Among the nation’s largest dioceses, the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has an infant baptism rate that is four times higher than that of the Diocese of Fort Worth, five times higher than that of the Diocese of Phoenix, and nearly seven times higher than that of the Diocese of San Bernardino, which borders the Los Angeles archdiocese to the east (map).

As noted in a previous article, the late Pope Francis observed in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium that “there are ecclesial structures which can hamper efforts at evangelization” (n. 26). Pope Francis showed a willingness to split up existing dioceses: between 2020 and his death in April 2025, he created thirty-three new dioceses and eparchies around the world from the territory of larger dioceses and eparchies.

While there is no guarantee that splitting up most American dioceses with 500,000 or more Catholics, or a million or more Catholics, will lead to higher rates of infant baptisms, the idea surely merits consideration.

Related at CWR:
• “Where Catholics marry in the United States: A look at the numbers” (May 20, 2025) J. J. Ziegler
• “Diocesan Priestly Vocations in the United States: A Look at the Numbers” (Feb 17, 2025) J. J. Ziegler