10 Ways Amish and Mennonite Women Live Very Differently

In the quiet pockets of rural America, Amish and Mennonite women live lives guided by centuries-old beliefs – but how they live those beliefs out can look surprisingly different. While these two groups share a common Anabaptist heritage, their day-to-day realities often diverge in meaningful ways. From how they dress to how they interact with modern healthcare, the gap between Amish and Mennonite women continues to widen, especially as some Mennonite communities embrace progress while the Amish hold tightly to tradition.

Below are ten striking ways Amish and Mennonite women live very different lives – sometimes in plain sight, other times behind the scenes.

1. How They Navigate Health and Wellness

Amish women rely heavily on home remedies passed down through generations – herbal poultices, homemade salves, and midwives play a big role in their lives. Hospitals and modern medicine are generally a last resort. On the other hand, Mennonite women, especially in more progressive communities, embrace modern healthcare fully. That means routine checkups, vaccinations, and even mental health counseling. It’s a deep divide in how each group views the balance between faith and medicine.

The contrast is sharp: one sees preventive care as necessary stewardship, the other may view it as a sign of lacking faith. Even elder care reflects this split. Amish women often take care of aging family members at home, while Mennonites may rely on professional care services.

2. Transportation: Who Gets to Drive?

Mobility is one of the most visible differences. Amish women don’t drive – they rely on horse and buggy, hired drivers, or public transportation. This limits how far they can travel without planning. Most never go more than 20 miles from home unless it’s a rare occasion.

Mennonite women, by contrast, often hold driver’s licenses and have cars. This freedom allows them to shop, attend events, and respond to emergencies without depending on others. The ability to drive doesn’t just mean mobility – it represents autonomy. It affects everything from healthcare access to simple social outings.

3. Marriage, Courtship, and Family Life

Amish women typically marry young, usually in their early 20s after being baptized into the church. Courtship is closely watched, with couples meeting in very specific, chaperoned settings. Birth control is largely forbidden, so large families with six to eight children are the norm.

Mennonite women, depending on how conservative their community is, may have a very different experience. In more progressive circles, dating looks much like it does in mainstream society. Family planning is more common, and some even remain single or delay marriage well into adulthood. Divorce is also handled differently: it’s nearly unthinkable for Amish women, but permitted under certain conditions for Mennonites.

4. Education and Learning Opportunities

Schooling stops early for most Amish girls – typically at 8th grade, and always in Amish-run schools. The focus is on practical skills: cooking, cleaning, gardening, and child-rearing. Higher education is discouraged, seen as a threat to community values and obedience.

Mennonite women often continue through high school, and many go on to college, especially in more progressive areas. Mennonite-run universities blend faith and academics, offering degrees in teaching, nursing, and more. The result is a world of difference in literacy, critical thinking, and personal agency between Amish and Mennonite women.

5. Approach to Technology and Modern Conveniences

In Amish homes, electricity is often absent. Women cook on gas stoves, use battery-operated lights, and wash clothes with diesel-powered wringer machines. No microwaves. No cell phones. It’s a carefully maintained lifestyle designed to avoid worldly influence.

Mennonite women enjoy a broader range of technology. Some conservative ones limit internet use but have electricity and modern appliances. Progressive Mennonites use smartphones, social media, and all the latest gadgets. This gap defines daily routines – Amish women spend far more time on manual tasks that Mennonite women can often complete in minutes.

6. Dress Codes: Faith Woven Into Fabric

For Amish women, clothing is more than fabric – it’s a daily symbol of faith and humility. They wear solid-colored dresses, always paired with aprons and prayer caps. There are no zippers, no patterns, no jewelry. Every outfit communicates submission, modesty, and uniformity.

Mennonite women have more options. Conservative groups still follow modesty rules, but may allow patterns and different fabrics. Progressive Mennonite women might wear jeans, t-shirts, or even skip the prayer covering entirely. The way each group dresses immediately reveals how tightly they cling to separation from modern culture.

7. Religious Roles and Spiritual Leadership

In Amish communities, church services are held at home, and women sit separately from men. They remain silent throughout the service, with no formal role in church leadership. Spiritual guidance comes from older women informally mentoring the younger generation.

Mennonite churches offer far more variation. Progressive Mennonite women can serve as pastors, lead Bible studies, and even help shape church doctrine. While conservative Mennonites may still separate roles by gender, women generally have more opportunities to contribute their voices and perspectives.

8. Economic Participation and Career Choices

The Amish economy is centered around home life. Women grow gardens, sew clothes, raise children, and sometimes run small businesses like selling baked goods or crafts. Very few Amish women work outside the home, especially after marriage.

Mennonite women, meanwhile, often have careers. Progressive women may work in healthcare, education, or even own businesses. While conservative Mennonites tend to mirror the Amish model more closely, the scope for financial independence is significantly wider. This affects household power dynamics and long-term stability.

9. Community Ties and Social Networks

Amish women form tight-knit bonds within their local communities. Regular get-togethers like quilting bees, shared child care, and church work build a strong support system. There’s a clear social hierarchy, often led by the bishop’s wife and senior women who help maintain order and tradition.

Mennonite women, especially in progressive areas, are more socially mobile. They join civic clubs, interfaith groups, and even advocacy organizations. While they still maintain church-based networks, they also extend their connections into the wider world, using phones and the internet to stay in touch.

10. Handling Modern Pressures

This is where things really split. Amish women actively resist change. They carry the weight of preserving tradition, rejecting most modern ideas in favor of values passed down for generations. Their lives represent a conscious refusal to bend with the times, even when tourism or economics pushes in.

Mennonite women are more flexible. Progressive communities actively engage with modern issues like climate change, gender roles, and education reform. While conservative Mennonites still hold tightly to faith traditions, many accept small changes over time. It’s this openness to adjust that keeps their communities more adaptable to the future.

A Shared Faith, Two Different Roads

Amish and Mennonite women may come from the same historical roots, but their lives today are worlds apart. One group lives deliberately in the past, guarding every aspect of tradition. The other balances faith with modern life, constantly adjusting the edges of their beliefs.

What stands out is how these choices ripple through every part of life – from the books they read, to how they raise children, to whether they can drive to the grocery store. Both paths require commitment, but only one allows for significant change. And in a fast-moving world, that difference might make all the difference.