The 12 Southern States With An Amish Population
Did you know that the South has more states with an Amish population than any other region?
First, there’s the question of what defines a region. The South of today is a vast, diverse place.
But I think it’s safe to say some states seem more traditionally “southern” than others. For instance, is South Carolina more southern than, say, Maryland?
Other states sort of fit the concept of South, and sort of don’t. Isn’t Texas just Texas, its own place? What about Florida?
That said, the US Census Bureau classifies states into four major regions (leaving out Alaska and Hawaii). Here’s their map:
Or another map showing just the Southern states highlighted:
Going by this map, there are a whopping 12 states in the South with an Amish presence as of 2025. That would be out of 32 total states with Amish.
“Amish States” by Region
We tend to think of the Amish being more common to the Midwest and states like Pennsylvania. And by total population, they are.
But in terms of number of states with an Amish presence, the South is ahead. Here is how it breaks down by region:
- South – 12 of 16 states have Amish
- Midwest – 11 of 12 states have Amish
- Northeast – 4 of 9 states have Amish
- West – 5 of 11 states have Amish
Of course, the South has more states overall than any other region. Notably, nearly every state in the Midwest has an Amish presence (North Dakota the lone exception).
The 12 Southern States With Amish Populations
Below you’ll find a list of states in the South with an Amish population as of 2025. Numbers here are based on the latest report on the Young Center’s Amish Studies website.
I’ve included 1) the number of settlements, and 2) total estimated population by each state. Here they are in order of greatest-to-least population:
1. Kentucky (55 settlements; 16,720 Amish)
By far the largest Southern Amish state, and the only Southern state in the top 10 overall in terms of population. It has seen a lot of new communities pop up in the past decade, with about a dozen new settlements since 2018.
2. Tennessee (15 settlements; 4,270 Amish)
The main community here is the very plain Swartzentruber settlement at Ethridge, though the Volunteer state is dotted with smaller Amish communities, some just a handful of households in size.
3. Virginia (16 settlements; 2,335 Amish)
Despite being near Amish-friendly Pennsylvania, Virginia has a relatively low Amish population. Still, the state has drawn Amish from places like Lancaster County and Dover, DE, and has seen an accelerating growth trend in recent years – with its Amish population nearly doubling since 2018.
4. Maryland (5 settlements; 2,095 Amish)
Amish from Lancaster County settled St. Mary’s County in 1940. Today you’ll still see the characteristic Lancaster grey buggies throughout the area, as this community has grown to eleven congregations in size. Amish also live in the atypical community at Oakland.
5. Delaware (1 settlement; 2,045 Amish)
Delaware ranks relatively high on this list, despite there being just one community in the First State. The Amish have lived in the Dover area for over 100 years.
6. West Virginia (14 settlements; 900 Amish)
West Virginia’s Amish population has undergone rapid growth since 2018, adding 10 new communities and seeing its total Amish population triple (albeit from a small base).
7. Oklahoma (4 settlements; 790 Amish)
The Chouteau community is by far the Sooner State’s oldest and largest Amish settlement, with close to 500 Amish living there.
8. North Carolina (2 settlements; 260 Amish)
North Carolina is home to two Amish communities at opposite ends of the “spectrum” – the very conservative Swartzentruber settlement at Ellenboro, and the “electric New Order” group at Union Grove.
9. Arkansas (3 settlements; 240 Amish)
Arkansas has only ever seen sporadic Amish settlement. The state’s Amish population remains small but stable in a handful of communities.
10. Mississippi (1 settlement; 145 Amish)
The state’s lone community has roots in Tennessee’s Ethridge settlement. The only “Deep South” Amish location.
11. Florida (1 settlement; 100 Amish*)
Florida gets an asterisk because the state’s sole Amish community at Pinecraft (Sarasota area) swells to many hundreds (or perhaps thousands) during the colder months as Amish vacationers from cold states flock to the community. Despite its attractiveness as a Plain vacation destination, its permanent, year-round Amish population is small, which is why it lands near the bottom of this list.
12. Texas (1 settlement; 75 Amish)
Texas’ sole Amish outpost at Beeville has been frequently-covered on this site, in proportion to its small population perhaps more than any other. It was founded over a quarter-century ago, and has never grown much in size. The hardscrabble terrain of Bee County simply does not draw Amish like other more agriculturally-friendly places do.
North Carolina
Erik,
Can you get us some more information on the new N.C. settlement? I’ve been to Union Grove and was hoping to go to the second one earlier this year while I was in NC but it was a distance from where I was. Isn’t it near Asheville? Anything to see there, any stores, do they sell from their homes like the Lancaster Amish do?
Thanks for what you can find out and share.
Amish settlement near Ellenboro, NC
Hey Loretta, so what I’ve heard is that the new settlement is near Ellenboro, between Rutherfordton and Shelby. It’s apparently a Swartzentruber community – not sure how many are there, but my source shared there’s a second district (it’s possible he meant a separate community) in the works for the same area.
Erik, would there be an online source for people to see a listing of the settlements in the various states? I regularly point people to the Journal of Anabaptist Studies (or something like that) listing, but it’s now 5 years old and a bit dated. Something more up to date would be great.
I know I’ve asked this before, but what are the two Arkansas communities that your source has listed?
Thanks for an interesting article.
Amish settlement listings
Unfortunately there’s no other source online besides the JAPAS listing you mentioned. From what I’ve heard there should be a new edition out this year.
https://kb.osu.edu/bitstream/handle/1811/57700/JAPAS_Donnermeyer_Luthy_vol1-issue2_pp107-129.pdf?sequence=1
According to that source the 2 Arkansas communities as of 2013 would be Salem (Fulton County) and Rector (Clay County). The latest Amish Studies figures list 2 communities for Arkansas as noted above, I am assuming it is those two, unless one went extinct since 2013 and was replaced by another in the meantime.
I believe last time I checked in Raber’s Almanac, only one of those was listed, but Raber’s, while being a good resource, doesn’t have every community listed.
Southern states
Haha Eric! I owe you BIG for posting that US map of regions. THANKS a million.
I’ve only been to a few Ohio Amish communities but one of these days I’m gonna spread my wings and go visit more.
I have a tough time imagining the Amish in Oklahoma and Texas.. it’s tough making a living from the land unless you live near a river (that’s iffy these days) and it’s hot as Hades. Poor folk.
Sure thing Kim, glad you liked it. In Oklahoma some Amish actually use tractors in the fields due to the soil conditions there.
Farnham Amish?
We heard by a local source here on the Northern Neck of Virginia that there is a group of Amish planning to move out towards Farnham, VA (Richmond County). We’ve looked around, but can’t seem to confirm this so far. Would you have any ideas whether or not there are any Amish heading out to this part of Virginia?
I have not heard anything about your area Jonathan, at least not in mainstream online news sources. This news might be something that would pop up in an Amish-read publication like the Budget, maybe someone else has heard something.
Interesting...
Apparently my state is considered a southern state. I wouldn’t have ever thought so. It seems pretty far north to me. I also found out that there is an Amish community less than half an hour away from me. Well, I guess you learn something new every day! I know that I’ve learned a lot since I started lurking here, although this is my first comment. Very nice website! I will definitely be visiting it many more times in the future.
Glad you found us and happy to read your comment. Are you by chance in MD or DE? Yes the South as a region just takes in so much, at least how it’s defined according to the Census Bureau.
Thanks! I’m in MD. I’ve been here many years but haven’t lived here my whole life.
More ‘Amish’ in East Tennessee
Hi Eric, There’s several communities in the East Tennessee area, some people call them Amish, some call them Mennonite. They each have Farmer’s Markets that are frequented by many ‘Englishers’. Those locations are Delano, Englewood, and, the newest, Tellico Plains. They are all located near Hwy. 411 that runs along the mountains. They are each off the highway a bit but signs will get you there. The road going into the Delano site travels under a railroad track and is one lane at that place. Not sure of the height or width there but might be difficult for some vehicles. We drive a Yukon and have no problems. They close the Delano market in mid November so they’ll be closing for the season. The workers there are friendly and informative but somewhat reserved with the Englishers. One of the clerks realized we were from north of the Tellico Plains area and told us about it. According to him, the group was a group of their own people that had relocated to the new area to establish a new community and market.
There is another one north of I-40 near Jackson, TN. A small area called Huntingdon. They have a few auctions a year and there’s a few shops around. I’ve come to know a number of them personally and know several quilters and a few furniture makers. There’s another location near Monterey, TN (I-40) called Muddy Pond. They have a general store and a facility for making molasses. There’s an area to watch the process. I’ve not been to Ethridge or to Bull’s Gap yet.
In Ohio, just around the corner from Mrs. Yoder’s Kitchen, there’s a wonderful quilt shop called Lone Star Quilts, that has an abundance of ready made quilts, runners, table toppers, purses, etc as well as sewing supplies, machines, and fabrics. Truly a wonderful place to visit.
East Tennessee
Delano, Englewood, and, the newest, Tellico Plains And Muddy Pond.
“Some people call them Amish, some call them Mennonite.”
This is correct. At least three of the above mentioned are not technically (or fully) considered Amish. They are “Amish-like.” They are not technically Mennonite either. They may have “former Amish” or “former Mennonite” people among their group but also former Brethren, German Baptist, other Baptist, Catholic, etc.
This would be the same with Lobelville, TN and Caneyville, KY.
There are a lot of people who would emulate the Amish or some simple lifestyle or a “turn-back-the-clock” traditional way of life. They may buy Amish clothes or make homemade clothes with vintage patterns. Just life you see people who do “Re-enactments” of the 1700’s or 1800’s, you will find people who want to copy the Amish.
They may be sincere. There may be former “plain people” among them. How do you know if a group is truly a valid Amish group?
1. Go to an old, established, and well known Amish community. Ask them (especially a Bishop or minister) if the group in question is Amish. They will know or they will be able to look them up. (Exception: Schwartzentruber, Nebraska (white buggy), and a few other very strict Amish who don’t cross with other regular Amish will not know.
2. Do they ALL speak Pennsylvania German? (“Dutch”). Former Amish will retain the language. If they are a generation or two removed, they may know it or may not. If they are converts, they maybe learning the language or they may know modern German. But Old Order Amish will speak the language to each other and at home and fluently and regularly.
3. Are all their parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents also Amish? There are and have been converts and that is valid but an Old Order Amish community will still basically be almost always multigenerational Amish and that typically means 5 to 7 to 9 generations totally Amish.
4. Amish keep genealogies. PA Amish are in the “Fisher book.” Holmes county Amish and most other Midwest Amish are in the “Raber book.” Amish in most places would find their ancestry in the “Jacob Hochstetler book” and often in one or more of the 120 plus Hochstetler books that take up where the Jacob Hochstetler book leaves off.
Again, there are valid converts who don’t fulfill all the above criteria but an Amish community as a whole will have these intact.