The Amish Community
Market/ Audience Profile
Cristina Recino
COMM 498B
Amish By Numbers
Historical population
Year
Pop.
±%
1920
5,000
—
1928
7,000
+40.0%
1936
9,000
+28.6%
1944
13,000
+44.4%
1952
19,000
+46.2%
1960
28,000
+47.4%
1968
39,000
+39.3%
1976
57,000
+46.2%
1984
84,000
+47.4%
1992
125,000
+48.8%
2000
166,000
+32.8%
2008
221,000
+33.1%
2010
249,000
+12.7%
US Populationssources: 221,000 in 2008;[6]
249,000 in 2010.[1]
It’s very difficult to put an exact number on the Amish population. Since members of this community get
baptized no sooner than age 18 children are not counted in local congregation numbers. An estimate from Ohio
State researchers says there are approximately 251,000 Amish people in the U.S and Canada. Researchers
predict the population every 18-20 years. The Amish are among the fastest-growing populations in the world;
Ohio State researchers a new community is formed every 3 and a half weeks. There is an estimated 3.6%
population increase every year from 1992 to 2000.
Where The Amish Live
The Amish community traditionally lives in places like Lancaster, Pennsylvania but as their
populations increase, so does their presence on the map. The Amish live in settlements of 2040 families and these settlements are popping up all over the country- from New York to
Missouri and Wyoming. The strongest growth is in the east coast, where 47 settlements are in
New York and 18 have been founded since 2009. Joseph Donnermeyer, a professor of rural
sociology at OSU, says, “New York is now the hotspot.”
Changing agricultural economics is also driving people to new lands. Amish families can be
found across 30 states from Montana to Florida in 456 separate settlements.
Number of Amish Adherents by State, 2010
Why Such Rapid Growth?
Much of the growth seen in the population of Amish communities has to due with the fact that many children
are staying with the religion and are starting their own families with many children. The Amish have an average
of seven children per family. "Some people would claim 90 percent of daughters and sons get baptized Amish
and start families," says lead researcher Joseph. He also says that the Amish are great at socializing their sons
and daughters into their faith.
Family Income
Typical Amish Jobs:
-Farming
-At-home shops
-Quilt making
-Roadside stands
-Furniture making
The average income for an Amish family is $37,000.
In the Amish community, wealth stems from real estate and a lot of the wealth families acquire has been
created by rising real estate values. An Amish family does not spend as much on food, clothing, entertainment,
transportation and gadgets, as the rest of America, so a small income goes a long way. Cash and barter are used
as much as possible and since the Amish don’t borrow they don’t pay interest.
The Amish are firm believers in the community mindset of problem solving and crisis management. “Family and
community are their bank and their insurance company.” They believe it is their duty to help those in need.
Amish and the Government
Contrary to popular belief, Amish families DO pay taxes. They pay: state and federal income
taxes, sales and real estate taxes, and public school taxes. Sometimes the Amish pay both public
school taxes and taxes to their private Amish schools.
The Amish do not pay Social Security taxes, because they consider Social Security a form of
insurance and refuse its benefits. The Amish are taught to respect and pray for governing
authorities and cite the scripture verse “Obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29).
They forbid self-defense as well as entering the armed forces, but will often consult and
cooperate with local officials.
The Amish are permitted to vote in elections, although voting rates are very low among the
community. In addition, they rarely take assistance from the government financially, since
unemployment is so low. The myth that the Amish don’t pay taxes is the biggest misconception
within their community.
The Amish and Technology
Another misconception about the Amish community is that they reject technology altogether. It
is better to say they use technology selectively. Televisions, radios, and personal computers are
rejected outright, but other types of technology are modified to fit the Amish lifestyle. For
example, the Amish buy technologies such as gas grills, shop tools, camping equipment and
some farm equipment.
The Amish reject the use of any electricity and only use gas lamps, but in some settlements
Amish use batteries to power lights on things such as buggies, calculators, fans, flashlights, cash
registers, copy machines, and typewriters. Solar energy is sometimes used to charge batteries,
operate electric fences, and power
How The Amish Stay Connected
Although the Amish don’t use modern technology, they still
maintain staying connected with one another and a system of
relaying news. Since they reject the use of technology, they are
focused more on person-to-person communication. For
example, at the farm produce sale people catch up on news.
Women also have quilting get- together.
Letter writing is used in Amish communities to keep in touch
with relatives and friends
Another way to keep in touch is through the Amish
newspaper. For example in Ohio "The Budget" has been
published in Sugarcreek since 1890. Amish and Mennonite
scribes, as they are called, from all over the country write
weekly updates on the happenings in their area.
Sample writing topics in “The Budget:”
New births
Storm damage
Farming stories
http://www.thebudgetnewspaper.com/
The Amish and The Media
Most Amish consider posing for photographs to
be an unacceptable act of pride and do not allow
pictures of themselves. They prefer to steer clear
of any type of the attention. They understand
that there are some stories about their
community that need to be covered in the
media, but they don’t want to be a part of it.
They fear mass media technology would
introduce foreign values into their culture. They
believe that no member should be the center of
attention, whether for doing good or bad. The
Amish culture is centered on community, not
individuality.
If they do agree to a rare journalistic interview,
Amish do not want their faces shown on
television or in the newspaper. On a child’s toy
doll, faces are not embroidered onto the doll’s
face to emphasize that in God’s eyes, all are
equal.
The Horse and Buggy
The idea behind traveling by horse and buggy stems from the belief that cars would pull the
community apart. They believe owning cars would encourage the Amish youth to leave and go
to the cities. They also believe horse and buggy transportation keeps the community anchored
geographically.
The horse and buggy serves as a literal break to life and slows down the pace of life. It’s also a
symbol of their separation from the modern world. With the exception of air travel, the Amish
are permitted to use public transportation like buses and trains.
The Amish and Education
The Amish community typically does not educate their children past the 8 th grade. The majority of kids go to
one- or two-room schools that are taught by an Amish mother. Three to five local fathers organizes the school,
hire a teacher, approve the curriculum, oversee the budget, and supervise maintenance.
School focuses on basic reading, writing, math and geography, along with vocational training and socialization
in Amish history and values.
Those that want to attend college are usually excommunicated from the Amish community.
Amish Values & Fashion Choices
I must be a Christian child,
Gentle, patient, meek, and mild;
Must be honest, simple, true In my words and actions too.
I must cheerfully obey, Giving up my will and way.
-A traditional Amish school verse
The Amish value family, community, simplicity and devotion to
God. Their traditional dress is a symbol of this. Amish attire halts
individual expression through fashion. They believe that God calls
them to be different from society and their dress easily makes
them separate from the English world.
Women wear a long, ankle length dress with an apron in front.
Black stockings are usually worn underneath the dress. Women
keep their hair in a bun or braided under a black or white cap
(prayer Kapp). Makeup and jewelry are avoided. See the verse
bellow:
"In like manner also, that women adorn themselves in modest
apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with braided
hair, or gold or pearls, or costly array. But that which becometh
women professing godliness.”- I Tim. 2: 9,10
Men typically wear a button-down collared shirt and trousers.
They also almost always wear a wide brimmed hat. In most Amish
communities the men who are married keep a beard, but they do
not have a mustache. Single Amish men keep their face shaven
until their wedding day.
Amish values vs. Modern values:
Religious Beliefs
The Amish faith is a group of traditionalist Christians that form a subgroup in
the Mennonite churches.
The Amish submit themselves to the will of Jesus and the church focuses on:
Hochmut (pride, arrogance, haughtiness
Demut (humility)
Gelassenheit (submission, letting be, calmness)
Baptism occurs between the ages of 16 and 25. You must be baptized to be
married and once you are baptized you are only allowed to marry within the
Amish community. During adolescence, teens are sent on Rumspringa- a
chance for teens to experience the English world and be emerged in the
culture of modern society. If a teen decides not to come back to the Amish
community after Rumspringa, they are excommunicated and are sunned
from the community and cannot have social interaction with their family or
friends.