The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ohio refers to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and its members in Ohio. The official church membership as a percentage of general population was 0.52% in 2014.[3] According to the 2014 Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life survey, roughly 1% of Ohioans self-identify themselves most closely with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[4] The LDS Church is the 14th largest denomination in Ohio.[5]
Stakes are located in Akron, Cincinnati (3), Cleveland, Columbus (4), Dayton (3), Hiram, Kirtland, Toledo, and Zanesville.
History
Membership in Ohio
Year
Membership
1983
26,028
1989*
37,000
1999
47,437
2009
57,918
2019
62,023
*Membership was published as a rounded number. Source: Wendall J. Ashton; Jim M. Wall, Deseret News, various years, Church Almanac State Information: Ohio[1]
Kirtland, Ohio, became LDS Church headquarters from 1831 to 1838 and at its peak, Kirtland was home to 3,200 members.[6][7]
In 1979, the Church acquired the Newel K. Whitney store, which is now a popular historic site.[6] About 100,000 people, mostly church members, visit the site annually and it was given a $15 million facelift to renovate and rebuild 10 buildings.[8]
Stakes
As of January 2025, the following stakes are located in Ohio or include parts of Ohio:[9][10][11]
Many of the church's historic sites in Ohio are in the northeastern part of the state. This includes Kirtland, where the church was headquartered in the 1830s.
As of January 2025, the church operates one temple in the state of Ohio, the Columbus Ohio Temple, along with the Kirtland Temple, which is open to the public as a historic site. There are two additional temples planned for the state, with the Cleveland Ohio Temple, announced on April 3, 2022, by President Russell M. Nelson, under construction and the Cincinnati Ohio Temple, announced April 7, 2024, by President Russell M. Nelson.
The Columbus temple was dedicated September 4, 1999, by President Gordon B. Hinckley. It underwent extensive renovations from 2020 to 2023 and was rededicated by President M. Russell Ballard on June 3, 2023.[15]
The Kirtland Temple was used by the main body of the church from 1836 to 1838. Unlike current operating LDS temples, the Kirtland Temple was used primarily for religious meetings rather than ordinance work. At the time of construction, none of the ordinances associated with LDS temple worship, such as baptism by proxy, had been instituted. Operated by Community of Christ for over a century, the LDS Church acquired the Kirtland Temple in March 2024.[16][17] A contract between the two churches stipulates that it will remain open to the public for a minimum of 15 years and the LDS Church indicated they have plans to continue to keep it open as a historical site beyond the contractual years.[18]
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