Twenty years ago, I had the pleasure of spending the night in my pickup truck, heater on blast, in the parking lot of a Middlefield, Ohio, gas station. The reason? A heavy, early-April lake effect snowstorm had caught me off guard while I was in the area selling books. The roads too slick to exit town, and nary a hotel bed to be found, I…
Reflecting the beauty of the autumn season, today we have another nice photo set by Don Burke, featuring some fall sights from one of Kentucky’s 50+ Amish settlements. As you can see, autumn was in full effect when he took these (this set is not from this year, but some years back). These are from Crittenden County, Kentucky (Marion), home to a well-entrenched community of…
As of 2025, over 400,000 horse-and-buggy Amish live in 32 states. Scroll on for the full list, from the largest Amish population (Pennsylvania) to smallest (New Mexico). And for more on Amish in each state, check out the linked state guides for each entry. Numbers via the Young Center for Anabaptist & Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College (source link at bottom). 1. Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Amish…
Each year the Amish start new settlements (with nine new ones arising in the past year). Some grow slowly over time, others more quickly. Others eventually fail and disband. Dynamics such as the local economy, climate, and in-group harmony all can affect a given community’s chances of success. Today, Timothy L. Price shares a closer look at the goings-on in one such young Amish community,…
Today Don Burke take us into one of Missouri’s many smaller Amish settlements. This one is at Harwood in Vernon County, MO. Vernon County is in the western side of the state on the Kansas border. These photos are a nice reminder that there are many more Amish locations out there besides the better-known, larger communities. This community is currently at two church districts in…
The Amish population continues growing at a high rate, with over 400,000 Amish people living in America in over 650 communities. The Amish are currently found in 32 states. But which states have the largest Amish populations? Scroll on for the latest list, with figures by the Young Center for Anabaptist & Pietist Studies (Elizabethtown College). 1. Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Amish Population: 95,410 The Amish in Pennsylvania…
The 2025 Amish Population Report The 2025 Amish population figures have just been released by the Young Center at Elizabethtown College in Lancaster County, PA. As always, the Amish population continues going up (never down). This reflects their high birthrate, and the tendency for most people born Amish, to choose to remain Amish, by being baptized in the church. It’s a trend that has continued…
When it comes to Amish Ohio, the big communities at Holmes County or Geauga County come first to mind. But the state has a much more expansive Amish footprint – with Amish living in over 70 locations throughout the Buckeye State. Hardin County is one of those places. Since 1953, Amish have called the Kenton area home. And while this is not a Swartzentruber Amish…
Amish Life Beyond the Heartland States like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Wisconsin are part of the “Amish heartland” – each home to dozens of Amish communities, and tens of thousands of Amish people. But six U.S. states host exactly one Amish settlement each. While some are well-established, others are relatively new, reflecting a pioneering spirit not uncommon to the Amish. Here’s a look at those six…
There are well over 600 Amish settlements across North America, with new settlements being started at a rate of about one every 10 days. You may have even seen Amish start a new community near you recently – or you might sometime soon. At the same time, many Amish settlements have failed over the years. There are a number of reasons for this: A location…