Significant increase in Buddhist population in Wichita, Kansas

The number of Buddhists in Wichita, Kansas, which has a population of 393,000, has grown significantly since 2000.

This is due to an influx of immigrants from Asian countries as well as a surge of interest among local residents.

Gordon Melton, a religion professor at Baylor University, estimates that there are now over 12 Buddhist sanghas in the city, compared to just six in 2000.

Research conducted by Melton and the Pew Research Center suggests that the Buddhist population in the US is expected to increase by 23 percent from 2010 to 2020, and will continue to grow faster than the overall North American population for the next four decades.

References

• ‘A second home’: For some Wichita immigrants and their families, Buddhist temples are a cultural hub
• Wichita, Kansas Sees Extraordinary Growth in Buddhist Population