Amish Population Mapped

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

The Amish are a group of traditionalist Christian church fellowships with Swiss German Anabaptist origins. They are closely related to, but distinct from, Mennonite churches. The Amish are known for simple living, plain dress, and reluctance to adopt many conveniences of modern technology.

The history of the Amish church began with a schism in Switzerland within a group of Swiss and Alsatian Anabaptists in 1693 led by Jakob Ammann. Those who followed Ammann became known as Amish. In the early 18th century, many Amish and Mennonites immigrated to Pennsylvania.

As of 2000, over 165 thousand Amish lived in the U.S.  A 2008 study suggested their numbers had increased to 227 thousand and in 2010, a study suggested their population had grown by 10% in the past 2 years to 249 thousand, with increasing movement to the West. Most of the Amish continue to have 6–7 children. Between 1992 and 2017, the Amish population increased by 149 percent.

Today, the Amish community in the United States now exceeds 370,000 individuals and continues to experience rapid growth, expanding by approximately 3% annually. This growth can be attributed to the community’s large family sizes, averaging seven children per family, as well as an impressive church-member retention rate of around 80%.

The Amish today live in a total of 31 U.S. states and 4 Canadian provinces. Amish communities exist in Argentina and Bolivia. Around 2/3 of the entire Amish population lives in three U.S. States – Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana.

Ten states with the largest Amish population:

1. Pennsylvania – 76,620 (56 settlements, 514 churches)
2. Ohio – 75,830 (62 settlements, 574 churches)
3. Indiana – 54,825 (24 settlements, 392 churches)
4. Wisconsin – 21,035 (55 settlements, 160 churches)
5. New York – 19,835 (58 settlements, 153 churches)
6. Michigan – 15,465 (48 settlements, 121 churches)
7. Missouri – 12,860 (46 settlements, 103 churches)
8. Kentucky – 12,630 (43 settlements, 95 churches)
9. Iowa – 9,475 (23 settlements, 67 churches)
10. Illinois – 7,825 (20 settlements, 57 churches)

If you are interested in the spatial distribution of different religions in the United States, you may find the following maps interesting.

• Animated Map: Faithland
• The population density of religious adherents
• Largest participating religious group
• Second largest participating religious group