Indiana's Amish Community

Illuminating religious diversity, Indiana’s Amish community achieves a simple life in the United States.

With 325 churches and nearly 46,000 practitioners, Indiana has the largest Amish population in the United States after Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Stemming from the Christian Mennonite church, the Amish faith embraces simplicity — including the rejection of modern technologies such as electricity. The Amish trace their roots back to Switzerland’s Anabaptist movement. While most Amish in the United States speak Pennsylvania Dutch, many in southern Indiana speak Bernese German.

As Anabaptists, the Amish emphasize voluntary baptisms, so individuals decide as adults if they wish to join the Amish faith. This decision occurs after teenagers, usually 16–18 years old, socialize with the outside world during a period called “rumspringa,” or running around.

Adhering to a simple lifestyle, most Amish use a horse and buggy for local transportation; do not use electricity, televisions or computers; and wear plain, conservative clothing. In the United States, the Amish are also well known for the high-quality furniture they craft by hand.

Find out more about Indiana at DiscoverAmerica.com.