Amish Fastest-Growing U.S. Religious Group

According to a new census by researchers from Ohio State University, the Amish are the fastest-growing religious group in America, WORLD News Service reports. The study, released July 27 at the Rural Sociological Society, says nearly 250,000 Amish now live in the U.S. and Canada, and the Amish double their population every 22 years. The growth can be attributed to the fact that Amish families have many children; some branches, such as the Old Order or "Wenger" Amish, average eight children per family. Another key component is that Amish children tend to remain within the faith when they reach adulthood. The U.S. states with the highest Amish populations are Ohio, with 60,000 Amish residents; Pennsylvania, with 59,000; and Indiana, with 25,000.