Pennsylvania’s 10 Biggest Amish Communities

ByErik Wesner
1 Comment

Pennsylvania is home to the nation’s largest Amish population. These ten communities rank as the biggest in the state, based on the most current population estimates.

Pennsylvania has the largest of all Amish settlements – found in well-known Lancaster County. But the Amish live in many more locations across the state. Here’s a look at the top 10 Pennsylvania Amish communities by size.

Population numbers via Young Center for Anabaptist & Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College (source link at bottom).

1. Lancaster County

Photo: Don Shenk

Lancaster County, PA
Community founded: 1760
Total Amish population (2025): 44,765

2. “Big Valley” (Mifflin County)

A white-topped buggy of the “Nebraska” Amish group in Mifflin County, PA. Photo: Don Burke

“Big Valley” (Mifflin County)
Community founded: 1791
Total Amish population (2025): 5,540

3. Smicksburg (Indiana County)

Indiana County, PA. Photo by Bill

Smicksburg (Indiana County)
Community founded: 1962
Total Amish population (2025): 3,330

4. New Wilmington (Mercer & Lawrence County)

New Wilmington, PA. Photo: Don Burke

New Wilmington
Community founded: 1847
Total Amish population (2025): 3,135

5.  Troutville (Clearfield & Jefferson County)

Amish home in the Troutville, PA settlement

Troutville
Community founded: 1971
Total Amish population (2025): 2,790

6. Spartansburg (Crawford County)

Crawford County, PA. Photo: Nicole Kiehart

Spartansburg
Community founded: 1966
Total Amish population (2025): 2,765

7. Dauphin County

Amish auction at Gratz, PA (Dauphin County). Photo: Jerry in PA

Dauphin County
Community founded: 1978
Total Amish population (2025): 1,890

8. Nittany Valley (Centre County)

Nittany Valley

Nittany Valley (Centre County)
Community founded: 1973
Total Amish population (2025): 1,750

9. Somerset County

An Amish church meetinghouse in Somerset County, PA

Somerset County
Community founded: 1767
Total Amish population (2025): 1,605

10. Lebanon County

Amish auction in Lebanon County, PA. Photo: Jerry in PA

Lebanon County
Community founded: 1941
Total Amish population (2025): 1,500

Population numbers sourced from the 2025 Amish Settlement List.

 

Get the Amish in your inbox

Join 15,000 email subscribers. No spam. 100% free

Similar Posts

Visiting An Amish Community For The First Time (Video)

Visiting An Amish Community For The First Time (Video)

ByErik Wesner

I have written a lot about visiting new Amish communities (new for me, that is) over the years. And so this past December when on a trip through Kentucky, Virginia and Ohio, I filmed what it is like for me when I go to a new community. As I’ve written before, I usually just try to find Amish businesses and start from there. That’s what…

2023 Amish Population: Five Years & 50,000 More Amish

2023 Amish Population: Five Years & 50,000 More Amish

ByErik Wesner
8 Comments

The annual horse-and-buggy Amish population figures have been released by the Young Center at Elizabethtown College. The total Amish population is estimated at 383,565 people. That breaks down to 377,275 in the United States, 6,100 in Canada, and 190 in South America. And of course the count continues to steadily rise. If we look at the numbers from just five years ago, the Amish population…

A Visit To One Of The Plainest Amish Communities (21 Photos)

A Visit To One Of The Plainest Amish Communities (21 Photos)

ByErik Wesner
9 Comments

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…

Who Are The “Michigan Circle” Amish?

Who Are The “Michigan Circle” Amish?

ByJoe Donnermeyer
3 Comments

From time to time, Amish America features published articles from the Journal of Plain Anabaptist Communities (JPAC). This one was published in Volume 3, No. 1 (2022) issue of JPAC, written by Edsel Burdge, who is a research associate with the Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies at Elizabethtown College in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania. Edsel devotes a great deal of time to keeping track of…

Amish in New York’s North Country

ByErik Wesner
18 Comments

Last month we had news that a Swartzentruber Amish settlement in Pennsylvania would likely be coming to an end, with residents heading to greener pastures. One of the destination communities for families in the distintegrating settlement was said to be the Swartzentruber outpost in St. Lawrence County, New York, part of the state’s “North Country”. St. Lawrence County due to its remoteness has so far stayed…

|

A California Amish Community

ByErik Wesner
13 Comments

Despite what you may read or hear elsewhere, no Old Order Amish live in California today. That said, you will find related groups, such as Beachy Amish (similar to horse-and-buggy Amish, but they use cars and more tech) or Mennonites. But it’s good to keep in mind that these related groups like Mennonites are not Amish – though they have some things in common. Amish…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

One Comment

  1. Bridget Stubbs
    December 26, 2025 at 10:32 pm

    Biggest Amish communities in Pa.

    I believe that Penns Valley and Brush Valley in Centre county,Pa. Are bigger Amish communities than Nittany Valley in Centre County,Pa.

    Reply