The Growth Of Islam In Key American Cities
Exact figures for religious demographics in the U.S. are not published by the Census Bureau, as it doesn’t collect religion data at all.
So all data on the Muslim population comes from surveys by groups like Pew Research Center, PRRI, and independent demographers.
These sources vary slightly, but their trends are consistent.
Since Mamdani was elected as Mayor of New York City, disturbing additions to his administration are reminding me of what has happened in London.
These three articles show what has happened, and many more are available to those who want to look further here.
- American Thinker: The Surrender of Britain Via Islamism and Appeasement – In her prescient 2006 tome, ‘Londonistan,’ Melanie Phillips warned of London’s metamorphosis into a “terror state within,” a hub for jihadist recruitment and financing, born of a toxic brew: the collapse of British identity, the paralysis of multiculturalism, and an elite’s craven fear of the “Islamophobia”…
- American Thinker: Jews can no longer rely on their governments. –Radicalized Muslims control the streets of London, Manchester, Melbourne, and Sydney with impunity, so Jewish communities have to pay for security guards wherever they congregate, and at their places of worship and schools. – Time Magazine quoted figures showing that antisemitic incidents have reached historically high levels, almost “five times the average annual number before October 7, 2023.”…
- American Thinker: Islam, America’s Survival, and Popper’s Paradox – Does America have a duty to tolerate something that ultimately threatens it?. – Islam may be a religion, but is alarmingly something else. – It is a theology of conquest and subjugation. – From its very beginning, Islam was about conquering and conquest, through any means necessary, including deception. – Europe is seeing what happens when Muslims reach just 5% of the population...
Here are some tables to get you thinking about what is happening here.
U.S. States with the Largest Muslim Populations and Their Mosque Counts
| Rank | State | Estimated Muslim Population (2024) | % of State Population | Approx. Number of Mosques |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | ~450,000–500,000 | ~2.3–2.5% | ~350–400 |
| 2 | California | ~480,000–500,000 | ~1.2% | ~250–300 |
| 3 | Illinois | ~350,000–400,000 | ~3–3.5% | ~200–225 |
| 4 | New Jersey | ~300,000 | ~3% | ~150–180 |
| 5 | Texas | ~300,000–350,000 | ~1% | ~200–220 |
| 6 | Michigan | ~270,000 | ~2.5–3% | ~120–150 |
| 7 | Virginia | ~200,000 | ~2% | ~100–130 |
| 8 | Florida | ~170,000–200,000 | ~0.8–1% | ~120–140 |
| 9 | Ohio | ~150,000 | ~1.3% | ~100–120 |
| 10 | Minnesota | ~120,000–150,000 | ~2–2.5% | ~80–100 |
U.S. States with the Largest Muslim Populations, Mosque Counts, and Institutional Density
| Rank | State | Estimated Muslim Population (2024) | % of State Population | Approx. Number of Mosques | Mosques per 100,000 Muslims |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York | 475,000 | 2.4% | 375 | 79 |
| 2 | California | 490,000 | 1.2% | 275 | 56 |
| 3 | Illinois | 375,000 | 3.2% | 212 | 57 |
| 4 | New Jersey | 300,000 | 3.0% | 165 | 55 |
| 5 | Texas | 325,000 | 1.0% | 210 | 65 |
| 6 | Michigan | 270,000 | 2.8% | 135 | 50 |
| 7 | Virginia | 200,000 | 2.0% | 115 | 58 |
| 8 | Florida | 185,000 | 0.9% | 130 | 70 |
| 9 | Ohio | 150,000 | 1.3% | 110 | 73 |
| 10 | Minnesota | 135,000 | 2.3% | 90 | 67 |
Top 25 U.S. Metro Areas by Muslim Population, Mosque Count & Institutional Density (≈ 2024–2026)
| Rank | Metro Area | Muslim Pop. (approx.) | % of Metro Pop. | Mosques (≈) | Mosques per 100 k Muslims |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York City | ≈ 750 000 | 8–9 % | 330 | 44 |
| 2 | Chicago | ≈ 400 000 | 7–8 % | 185 | 46 |
| 3 | Detroit / Dearborn | ≈ 250 000 | 9–10 % | 125 | 50 |
| 4 | Los Angeles | ≈ 300 000 | 3 % | 150 | 50 |
| 5 | Houston | ≈ 230 000 | 3 % | 125 | 54 |
| 6 | Dallas–Fort Worth | ≈ 170 000 | 2 % | 100 | 59 |
| 7 | Washington D.C.–N. VA | ≈ 160 000 | 3 % | 105 | 66 |
| 8 | Minneapolis–St Paul | ≈ 140 000 | 6 % | 95 | 68 |
| 9 | Atlanta | ≈ 120 000 | 2 % | 85 | 71 |
| 10 | Philadelphia | ≈ 110 000 | 2 % | 80 | 73 |
| 11 | Newark / Central NJ | ≈ 100 000 | 3 % | 70 | 70 |
| 12 | Boston | ≈ 95 000 | 2 % | 60 | 63 |
| 13 | Miami | ≈ 90 000 | 1.5 % | 55 | 61 |
| 14 | Cleveland | ≈ 80 000 | 3 % | 55 | 69 |
| 15 | Phoenix | ≈ 75 000 | 1.5 % | 50 | 67 |
| 16 | St Louis | ≈ 70 000 | 2.5 % | 45 | 64 |
| 17 | San Francisco Bay Area | ≈ 70 000 | 1 % | 45 | 64 |
| 18 | Columbus | ≈ 65 000 | 2 % | 45 | 69 |
| 19 | Tampa | ≈ 60 000 | 1.2 % | 40 | 67 |
| 20 | Cincinnati | ≈ 55 000 | 1.8 % | 38 | 69 |
| 21 | Raleigh–Durham | ≈ 45 000 | 1.5 % | 33 | 73 |
| 22 | Indianapolis | ≈ 45 000 | 1.3 % | 30 | 67 |
| 23 | Kansas City | ≈ 40 000 | 1 % | 27 | 68 |
| 24 | Portland OR | ≈ 30 000 | 0.9 % | 20 | 67 |
| 25 | Seattle–Tacoma | ≈ 30 000 | 0.8 % | 20 | 67 |
🔥 Text‑Based Heat‑Map Overview (Intensity by Density & Population)
Tier 1 🔥 — Massive, Historic Centers
- NYC 🕌🕌🕌🕌🕌
- Chicago 🕌🕌🕌🕌
- Detroit/Dearborn 🕌🕌🕌🕌🕌
Tier 2 ⚡ — Rapid‑Growth Powerhouses
- Houston 🕌🕌🕌
- DFW 🕌🕌🕌
- LA 🕌🕌🕌
- DC Metro 🕌🕌🕌
Tier 3 🌙 — High‑Density Mid‑Sized Communities
- Minneapolis–St Paul 🕌🕌🕌🕌
- Atlanta 🕌🕌🕌
- Philadelphia 🕌🕌🕌
- New Jersey Core Cities 🕌🕌🕌
Tier 4 🌾 — Expanding Regional Hubs
- Boston 🕌🕌
- Phoenix 🕌🕌
- St Louis 🕌🕌
- Cleveland 🕌🕌
- Columbus 🕌🕌
- Tampa 🕌🕌
Tier 5 🌄 — Emerging, Smaller Metros
- Cincinnati 🕌
- Raleigh 🕌
- Indianapolis 🕌
- Kansas City 🕌
- Seattle 🕌
- Portland 🕌
Insights
- Roughly 70 % of U.S. mosques are located within these 25 metros.
- The Midwest and Northeast remain the most institutionally mature.
- The South and West now show the steepest year‑over‑year growth, driven by new‑generation professionals and refugee resettlement.
Municipal zoning and interfaith openness strongly influence where new mosques appear — cities such as Houston, DFW, and Columbus have accelerated building approvals, while California metros face slower growth because of land‑use restrictions and neighborhood opposition.