How many Muslims live in Texas? Population estimates, explained

There is no single verified 2026 head count of Muslim Texans in the sources reviewed here. There are, however, several identifiable estimates that are more useful than an unattributed number: a historical estimate published by the Texas State Historical Association, a 2020 congregational-membership dataset, and later figures cited in Texas legislative resolutions. The following comparison preserves their dates and categories instead of pretending that they form one continuous population series. [1][2][3]

For a reader who needs one sentence, use this: Texas has a substantial Muslim population, but the available estimates differ in year, coverage and method; a current precise total has not been established here. Then identify the particular estimate being used. That gives an editor, student or researcher a usable answer without disguising the underlying uncertainty.

The numbers, with their labels attached

The table is deliberately not arranged as an upward or downward trend graphic. A line joining these values would imply comparable observations of the same population. That comparability has not been demonstrated. A graph can communicate a mistake more efficiently than a paragraph, which is why these estimates are presented as separate source records.

Why the federal census does not supply the answer

The decennial U.S. census does not ask people their religious affiliation. Pew Research Center explains the historical and statutory background: mandatory questions about religious beliefs or membership are prohibited, although that should not be confused with a prohibition on every voluntary government survey touching religion. Census population tables remain useful for the size of Texas or a county; they do not identify the Muslim residents within it. [5]

This distinction also limits what can be learned from ancestry, birthplace or language tables. A Pakistan-born population is not a Muslim population, an Arabic-speaking population is not a Muslim population, and neither includes all American-born Muslims. Adding selected national-origin categories would count some non-Muslims while missing Muslims in other categories. Such a calculation can answer a migration question when properly labeled, but it cannot be relabeled as a religious census.

What the 2020 research entry adds

The 2020 Texas report in the Association of Religion Data Archives lists 313,209 adherents and 225 congregations under “Muslim Estimate.” Its rate is 10.75 per 1,000 residents, equivalent to about 1.075 percent, not 10.75 percent. The report notes that definitions of adherents and congregations vary among participating religious bodies. These are research categories, not a household-by-household enumeration. [2]

The U.S. Religion Census is a separate research effort coordinated through the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies. Its 2020 project collected information from hundreds of religious bodies and provides county-level congregational data. Its name should not lead readers to confuse it with the federal decennial census. For methodological work, follow the underlying data-source documentation, not just a copied statistic. [6][7]

An adherent estimate can be valuable without answering every population question. Someone who identifies as Muslim but rarely attends an institution may be represented differently from a regular participant. A congregation may serve people from several municipalities. Before using a number, establish whether its method estimates residents, participants or people associated with institutions. Those are different ways of measuring a community, not interchangeable labels.

Why 2010 and 2020 should not be read as a population decline

The 2020 value in this table is lower than the 2010 figure quoted by TSHA. That is a reason to inspect methods, not an adequate basis for announcing that the Muslim population fell. Establishing change requires comparable geographic boundaries, inclusion criteria, estimation procedures and treatment of missing information. We have not reconstructed a harmonized 2010–2020 series, so this page does not report a percentage change between those figures.

The same rule applies in reverse. Repeating a 500,000 estimate in two documents does not establish that the population stood still between their publication years. It may represent a reused estimate, a rounded figure or a different evidentiary basis. A later document date tells us when a statement appeared; it does not automatically tell us when its underlying population was measured.

What percentage of Texans are Muslim?

A percentage needs a numerator and denominator with compatible dates and definitions. Census QuickFacts reports 29,145,505 Texas residents in the April 1, 2020 census and 31,709,821 in its July 1, 2025 population estimate. Those are statewide population counts or estimates, not religious counts. They can check arithmetic, but they cannot improve an uncertain religious numerator. [8]

For example, 500,000 divided by 31,709,821 is about 1.58 percent. That is an illustrative calculation using a legislative estimate alongside a federal population estimate—not a newly measured Muslim share of Texas. It shows why “500,000” and “roughly one percent” should not be printed as though the latter directly follows from the former. For a historical dataset, retain the rate supplied with that dataset rather than silently substituting a newer denominator.

Houston and Dallas are not single statistical units

A Houston city count, a Harris County count and a Greater Houston estimate cover different places. Dallas city, Dallas County and Dallas–Fort Worth are likewise distinct. A regional school, mosque or cemetery may serve people beyond the municipality in its mailing address. Our Houston guide and Dallas–Fort Worth guide therefore organize institutions geographically without pretending their locations reveal every resident’s religion.

Local studies can add depth without providing a population total. New America’s Houston Muslim Study surveyed 773 respondents in spring 2021 and published findings in 2022. Its summary describes a sample skewed toward men and highly educated respondents. That study can support statements about the people who answered it; its sample size is not a count of Houston Muslims and its percentages should not automatically be generalized statewide. [9]

How to use a number responsibly

For a background article, place the source and year in the same sentence as the estimate. For a chart, keep them in the visible label and provide the definition in the caption. For planning a service, determine the actual catchment area and eligible population instead of dividing a statewide estimate across cities. For a school assignment, explain why two reputable-looking figures can differ before deciding whether they disagree.

A practical data note should include the geography, reference year, unit, source, collection method and any transformations you performed. If you calculate a rate, show the denominator. If a source reports “approximately” or “more than,” preserve that wording. It is part of the result, not optional decoration that can be dropped to make the number look cleaner.

The companion mosque-count guide examines institutions rather than people. The statistics source ledger organizes the evidence for reuse. Together they provide a more dependable reference than a single headline total whose year and meaning have disappeared.