Population Growth

There are 410 Amish settlements spread across 27 states and the Canadian province of Ontario. In total, these settlements include approximately 1,700 church districts (congregations). Nearly two thirds (1,080 of 1,710) of the districts are found in three states: Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana. (See Population By State for a state-by-state listing of the Amish population.)

Observers might expect a traditional group that rejects higher education, car ownership, and the Internet to be on the wane. On the contrary, the Amish population doubles about every twenty years. The 200 church districts in 1951 grew to 1,710 by 2008.

 Large families and strong retention rates propel the growth. On average, families have about five children, but it’s not unusual for them to have ten or more. Typically, 85 percent or more of the youth join the church. (A few members do leave after baptism; defection rates vary from community to community.) Although the Amish do not seek converts, outsiders may join if they comply with Amish guidelines. Several dozen outsiders have done so.

Additional information

• See Thomas J. Meyers, “The Old Order Amish: To Remain in the Faith or to Leave,” Mennonite Quarterly Review, 68, no. 3 (July 1994).

• Lawrence P. Greksa and Jill E. Korbin, “Key Decisions in the Lives of the Old Order Amish: Joining the Church and Migrating to Another Settlement,” Mennonite Quarterly Review, 76, no. 4 (July 2002).