Though abortion is a divisive issue, more than half of U.S. adults take a non-absolutist position, saying that in most – but not all – cases, abortion should be legal (34%) or illegal (26%). Fewer take the position that in all cases abortion should be either legal (27%) or illegal (12%).

Views on abortion by religious affiliation, 2019

About three-quarters of white evangelical Protestants (77%) think abortion should be illegal in all or most cases.

By contrast, 83% of religiously unaffiliated Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, as do nearly two-thirds of black Protestants (64%), six-in-ten white mainline Protestants (60%) and a slim majority of Catholics (56%).

Religious Affiliation Legal in all/most cases Illegal in all/most cases White evangelical Protestant 20% 77% White mainline Protestant 60% 38% Black Protestant 64% 35% Catholic 56% 42% Unaffiliated 83% 17% Pew Research Center

Views on abortion by party identification, 2019