The Amish population in neighboring Lancaster County is growing every year despite the intrusion of urban sprawl, according to a report from The Associated Press.

According to Census figures, the county’s population grew by around 2,500 people in 2018, with around 1,000 of them Amish.

The Amish population in Lancaster County reached 33,143 last year, a 3.2 percent increase over the previous year and consistent with previous years.

Last year, the Amish accounted for roughly 41 percent of the overall population growth in the county. The number of Amish in the county doubles around every two decades. In 1970, it was 7,000, which climbed to around 12,400 by 1990 and 16,900 by 2000.

However, some experts are now concerned that a planned housing and commercial project might make it harder for the county to accommodate the Amish.

The upcoming 75-acre Oregon Village would be in Manheim Township and include dense housing, restaurants, a supermarket, a hotel, a bank, and other retail.

Donald Kraybill, an authority on Amish culture, recently told Manheim Township commissioners that Amish community members are worried about the development.

“The proposed project would disturb, disrupt, and threaten their viability,” said Kraybill.

Read more about Lancaster County’s Amish population in The New York Times here.

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