A recent survey conducted by the Pew Research Center found that religious Americans are overall happier with their lives.
Those deemed “highly religious,” or who say they pray daily and attend religious services weekly, were 11 percent more likely to say they were “very happy.”
Among less religious Americans, only 29 percent described themselves as being “very happy,” while 40 percent of participants identified as religious said they were “very happy.”
Religious Americans also gather with extended family more often and donate their time and money to the poor more frequently. Sixty-five percent of those identified as “highly religious” said they gave their time and/or money to help the poor in the past week, while only 41 percent of less religious Americans did so.
On average, religious Americans get together with extended family at least once or twice a month, while only 30 percent of less religious participants said they gathered with family approximately monthly.