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What Kinds of Places Attract and Sustain Amish Populations?
Author(s) -
Anderson Cory,
Kenda Loren
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
rural sociology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.083
H-Index - 65
eISSN - 1549-0831
pISSN - 0036-0112
DOI - 10.1111/ruso.12083
Subject(s) - human settlement , context (archaeology) , geography , settlement (finance) , rural settlement , population , agriculture , scale (ratio) , population growth , destinations , rural area , socioeconomics , agricultural economics , archaeology , demography , business , sociology , cartography , economics , political science , tourism , finance , law , payment
A bstract The Amish are one of the fastest growing ethnoreligious groups in rural America. They are not only growing in historic settlements but are also starting new settlements. This study synthesizes and tests hypotheses about Amish migration destinations and settlement sustainability. Specifically, hypotheses address factors related to population, agriculture, and proximity to other Amish. Findings suggest that the locations Amish settle have several defining characteristics including: low population density, nonmetropolitan county designation, context conducive to small‐scale farming (e.g., low farm acreage price, moderately rolling hills), vicinity to a small commercial center, low to negative population growth, and proximity to an existing Amish settlement. Some characteristics are showing increasing flexibility, such as a small‐scale farming context and proximity to a commercial center. Conversely, settling in areas with a growing population or at a distance from another Amish settlement contributes to a higher likelihood of community dissolution.