Where Do Amish People Live?

Key Facts about Amish Communities and Populations

• Pennsylvania hosts the largest Amish population, over 81,000 as of 2020, with Lancaster County alone home to about 30,000, making it a major tourism draw alongside communities in Chester, York, Belleville, and Mifflin counties.
• Amish settlements have expanded to Ohio (especially Holmes County), plus growing groups in Mississippi, North Carolina, Virginia, Canada, Bolivia, and Argentina.
• Amish prioritize community living, attending one-room schoolhouses and speaking Pennsylvania Dutch primarily, though they interact with non-Amish (“English”) via businesses selling crafts like furniture and quilts, and can be spotted shopping at places like Costco or driving buggies on roads like Route 30 and 340.
• Variations exist among Amish groups in dress, technology use, and even buggy colors (e.g., Lancaster’s dark gray vs. Belleville’s bright yellow), but all reject cars, public utilities, TVs, and military service.
• Visitors to Lancaster can stay at spots like AmishView Inn & Suites on Plain & Fancy Farm for farmland views, buggy rides, and tours, while enjoying nearby attractions like Dutch Wonderland, Sight & Sound Theatre, and Amish quilt shopping.

The first large group of Amish arrived in the U.S. in the early 1800s and settled in Lancaster County, PA, according to Learn Religions.

Pennsylvania has the largest population of Amish people, estimated at more than 81,000 in 2020 according to “Amish Population, 2020.”  (Young Center for Anabaptist and Pietist Studies, Elizabethtown College.) In fact, Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, is home to approximately 30,000 Amish and their presence is a significant draw for tourism. Chester, York, Belleville, and Mifflin counties are also home to Amish communities.

Other Places the Amish Live

The Amish have also have increasingly settled in Ohio, most notably in Holmes County. Mississippi, North Carolina, and Virginia have also experienced a large increase in Amish settlements.

Amish settlements also exist outside the United States. You’ll find Amish communities in in Canada, Bolivia, Argentina, and more.

Do Amish Live Among the Non-Amish?

Amish tend to live their daily live in their Amish community as Amish life is very family and community centric. Their children attend Amish one-room schoolhouses. However, they do own a number of businesses that sell to the English, as they call the non-Amish. They are amazing crafts people from furniture to quilts. You will also see their horse and buggies along the roads here in Lancaster County. And don’t be surprised if you see them out at Costco or other stores in the area. However, keep in mind for most PA Dutch is their primary language although they do learn at least immediate-level English in schools.

Where will I see Amish in Lancaster County?

A better question may be, where won’t you see Amish in Lancaster County. Although the Amish live apart from the English, you will see them everywhere here in Lancaster County. Folks have even seen their buggies on Route 30 going to Target. It isn’t uncommon to see them in the Lancaster Costco. One of the most likely ways to see the Amish is driving in the Lancaster countryside especially off Route 340. At AmishView Inn, guests often see the Amish right outside their hotel room windows working in the field. Also, there are many Amish owned businesses and farmlands that pepper the countryside that you can shop at. Want to get an inside look at where the Amish live? Consider taking a tour with Amish Experience.

Are There Different Kinds of Amish?

Yes, there are many kinds of Amish. They share common beliefs regarding the use of horse and buggy, rejecting the use of public utilities and televisions, and are exempt from military service. They have differing views on dress protocols, use of technology, and even slight differences in their language.

Commonalities can also have slight variations among the different settlements. For instance, Amish residents in Belleville, Mifflin County, Pennsylvania, ride buggies with bright yellow cabs (known as Byler Amish), whereas Lancaster County Amish ride in dark gray buggies.

Where Can I Stay Among the Amish?

While you’re here, you’ll need a place to stay and we’re confident you won’t find better accommodations and amenities than you’ll experience at AmishView Inn & Suites. Many of our hotel rooms have views of Amish farmlands and even a one-room Amish schoolhouse. Also, we are located on Plain & Fancy Farm which has both buggy rides and Amish Farmland Tours.

Plus, there are so many things to see and do in Lancaster County, including Dutch Wonderland amusement park, Sight and Sound Theatre, biking, hiking, craft breweries, the Historic Strasburg Railroad and more. And, don’t forget the incredible shopping including handmade Amish quilts.

We look forward to seeing you very soon!