# How do the Amish afford to buy land? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2026, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868 "2026-11-11T20:51:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/1 "2026-11-11T20:51:27Z")
Reading an article about measles in NY state, it mentioned that many Amish people had moved to NY from Ohio and Pennsylvania. I was wondering, since they live by farming and self-sufficiency, how do they afford using money to buy new land? If their population is increasing they can’t be bartering or trading land within their community. So how do they branch out? ---
**Author:** ![JeffB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeffb/32/188_2.png) [@JeffB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JeffB)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/2 "2026-11-11T20:56:21Z")
Many Amish work outside of farming, so they would be earning money in addition to income from farming. It’s also likely that families pool funds for this type of purchase, and maybe even beyond just family. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/3 "2026-11-11T21:23:24Z")
Many Amish are farmers, but this doesn’t mean they run a subsistence economy. They will sell farming products to non-Amish for money. Their lifestyle does not require them to live in isolation from non-Amish society or to shun the use of money. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/4 "2026-11-11T21:26:40Z")
The Amish are known for their furniture business. ---
**Author:** ![scabpicker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scabpicker/32/8268_2.png) [@scabpicker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scabpicker)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/5 "2026-11-11T21:28:08Z")
Yeah, you can farm for profit. My aunt was once at the tax office and the Mennonite farmer next to her was paying more money in taxes on hay he had grown and sold than the income she was there to pay taxes for. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/6 "2026-11-11T21:34:12Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > Many Amish are farmers, but this doesn’t mean they run a subsistence economy. They will sell farming products to non-Amish for money. And some Amish are craftspeople: blacksmithing, carpentry/furniture-making (as @Moriarty notes), etc. Our dining room set (dining table, chairs, and breakfront) was made by Amish craftsmen in Indiana. ---
**Author:** ![mozchron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@mozchron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mozchron)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/7 "2026-11-11T21:40:20Z")
Lol. The Amish where I live are some of the richest folk around. They just don’t flaunt it. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/8 "2026-11-11T21:40:25Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > The Amish are known for their furniture business. I’ve got a few pieces of Amish-built oak furniture (through a middleman furniture seller). They were not cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/marvin_the_martian/32/2898_2.png) [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marvin_the_Martian)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/9 "2026-11-11T21:42:14Z")
> [@mozchron](#): > > They just don’t flaunt it. No spinners on the buggies… ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/10 "2026-11-11T21:56:51Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > Many Amish are farmers, but this doesn’t mean they run a subsistence economy. Indeed, I was at an agricultural trade show once when a group of Amish (maybe they were Mennonite) farmers showed up. Other farmers followed them around because whatever the Amish farmers were interested in, they wanted to see as well. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/11 "2026-11-11T22:13:19Z")
It’s well-known around here that the Amish will lend money to one another when needed. We bought our custom pre-built garage from an Amish company. While we were waiting to talk to the man in charge, we visited with an elderly gentleman who, as he was happy to tell us, was the founder of the company. He was proud of the fact that the organization had never had a bank loan. When I asked him how he got the capital to start the company, he told us that ‘it was a community effort.’ ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/12 "2026-11-11T22:21:58Z")
Another common thing that the Amish do is have places called things like “Dutch Country Farmers Market”. One is quite close to me. It’s one place in a small open mall. I often go there. They do a lot of food items. They’re only open Thursday 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Friday 8:30 AM to 6 PM, and Saturday 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. They have been running for many years now. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/13 "2026-11-11T22:26:24Z")
> [@ratatoskK](#): > > Reading an article about measles in NY state, it mentioned that many Amish people had moved to NY from Ohio and Pennsylvania. I was wondering, since they live by farming and self-sufficiency, how do they afford using money to buy new land? If their population is increasing they can’t be bartering or trading land within their community. So how do they branch out? They engage in jobs and commerce. Amish and Mennonite communities make and sell stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/14 "2026-11-11T22:36:16Z")
They live very frugally. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/15 "2026-11-11T22:43:43Z")
> [@Marvin\_the\_Martian](#): > > No spinners on the buggies… … and low single digit hp numbers … ---
**Author:** ![Si\_Amigo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/si_amigo/32/2877_2.png) [@Si\_Amigo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Si_Amigo)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/16 "2026-11-11T22:53:26Z")
Very low electric and phone bills. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/17 "2026-11-11T22:55:54Z")
Who says they don’t inherit land decide to move somewhere cheaper. Sell and do it. They have to be a great credit risk. I think ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/18 "2026-11-11T22:56:31Z")
> [@Tamerlane](#): > > > [@Moriarty](#): > > > > The Amish are known for their furniture business. > > I’ve got a few pieces of Amish-built oak furniture (through a middleman furniture seller). They were not cheap. Years ago, when my parents were planning a kitchen remodel, one of the options was Amish-made custom cabinetry. As you said, very much not cheap, but the samples were very well-built. We didn’t go for that option, though. And I’ve seen websites offering Amish furniture. I like the idea, partly because it’s domestically produced and partly because I like good craftsmanship. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/19 "2026-11-11T23:03:58Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > They have to be a great credit risk. I think They would be, if ever they felt a need to take out a loan. They’re well known for paying cash up front regardless of what is being paid for. Like… paying for an organ transplant in full, in cash. They have all sorts of strategies - inheritance, taking over a farm from an elderly couple whose children are already established. buying farmland, starting communities elsewhere, going into a line of work other than farming… ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2026, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-the-amish-afford-to-buy-land/1034868/20 "2026-11-11T23:21:00Z")
This is also how most of them pay their medical bills, because few of them have insurance.