About 46 million people living in the United States — roughly 14% of the population — were born in another country. That share is near the historical peak reached around 1900. But it is not evenly distributed. In California more than 1 in 4 residents is foreign-born; in West Virginia it's fewer than 1 in 50.
Top 10 states by foreign-born share
| Rank | State | Foreign-born | Top origin regions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | ~27% | Mexico, Philippines, China, Vietnam |
| 2 | New Jersey | ~23% | India, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Philippines |
| 3 | New York | ~23% | Dominican Republic, China, Jamaica, Mexico |
| 4 | Florida | ~22% | Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico |
| 5 | Nevada | ~19% | Mexico, Philippines, El Salvador |
| 6 | Massachusetts | ~18% | Brazil, China, Dominican Republic, India |
| 7 | Texas | ~17% | Mexico, El Salvador, India, Vietnam |
| 8 | Hawaii | ~17% | Philippines, Japan, China, Korea |
| 9 | Illinois | ~14% | Mexico, India, Poland, Philippines |
| 10 | Connecticut | ~14% | India, Poland, Jamaica, Ecuador |
California: the immigrant capital
About 11 million people living in California were born in another country — more than the entire population of all but 7 US states. The largest origin group is Mexico, followed by the Philippines, China, Vietnam, India, Korea and El Salvador. Los Angeles County alone has more immigrants than all but a handful of US states.
Why these states?
Five patterns concentrate immigration in the top-ranked states:
- Border with Mexico. California, Texas, Arizona and New Mexico all share the long southern border and have deep historical Mexican-American communities (see our guide to cultural belts).
- Historical gateway cities. New York (Ellis Island, 1892-1954), Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco were ports of entry for European and Asian migration.
- Cuban exile. Miami's role as the political and cultural center of Cuban America (Operation Pedro Pan 1960s, Mariel boatlift 1980).
- Tech / specialty visas. H-1B visas concentrate in Bay Area, NYC metro, Boston and Seattle — heavily Indian and Chinese.
- Climate + jobs. Florida and Nevada draw large Hispanic populations for service-sector jobs and warmer weather.
Top 10 origin countries of US immigrants
| Rank | Origin | US population (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico | ~10.5 million |
| 2 | India | ~2.9 million |
| 3 | China | ~2.4 million |
| 4 | Philippines | ~2.0 million |
| 5 | El Salvador | ~1.4 million |
| 6 | Vietnam | ~1.3 million |
| 7 | Cuba | ~1.3 million |
| 8 | Dominican Republic | ~1.2 million |
| 9 | Guatemala | ~1.1 million |
| 10 | South Korea | ~1.0 million |
The 10 states with the fewest immigrants
| State | Foreign-born share |
|---|---|
| West Virginia | ~1.7% |
| Mississippi | ~2.4% |
| Montana | ~2.4% |
| Wyoming | ~3.0% |
| Maine | ~3.7% |
| Vermont | ~4.5% |
| South Dakota | ~3.9% |
| North Dakota | ~4.5% |
| Alabama | ~3.7% |
| Kentucky | ~4.0% |
These tend to be inland, rural and historically less industrial — fewer pull factors of jobs, established ethnic communities and direct international connections.
Fastest-growing immigrant populations
While the gateway states (CA, NY, IL) still have the most immigrants in absolute numbers, several "new destination" states have seen the largest percentage growth in foreign-born population over the last two decades:
- North Carolina — Hispanic and Asian growth around Charlotte and Raleigh.
- Georgia — Atlanta is now a major destination for Mexican, Korean, Indian and African immigrants.
- Tennessee — Nashville has become a Kurdish hub ("Little Kurdistan").
- Nevada — Las Vegas tourism and construction.
- Minnesota — Minneapolis-St. Paul hosts the largest Somali community in the country.
Famous immigrant communities by city
- Miami — Cuban, Venezuelan, Colombian, Haitian.
- Los Angeles — Mexican, Salvadoran, Korean, Iranian, Armenian, Filipino.
- New York City — Dominican, Chinese, Jamaican, Bangladeshi, Russian.
- San Francisco Bay Area — Chinese, Indian, Filipino, Vietnamese, Mexican.
- Houston — Mexican, Vietnamese, Nigerian, Salvadoran, Indian.
- Detroit / Dearborn — largest Arab-American community in the US.
- Minneapolis-St. Paul — largest Somali community; Hmong from Laos.
- Boston — Brazilian, Dominican, Chinese, Irish, Haitian.
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The US foreign-born share has fluctuated dramatically:
- 1850-1920 — peaked around 14-15% during European mass migration.
- 1924 — Immigration Act of 1924 sharply restricted immigration.
- 1970 — historical low, around 4.7%.
- 1965 — Hart-Celler Act ended national-origin quotas and opened the door to today's diverse flows.
- 2020s — back near 14%, close to the 1900 peak.
Frequently asked questions
Which state has the most immigrants?
California, both in absolute numbers (~11 million) and in share (~27% of residents).
Which state has the fewest?
West Virginia, at under 2%.
What's the largest origin country?
Mexico, by a wide margin — about 10.5 million Mexican-born US residents.
Which city has the highest immigrant share?
Miami, where over 40% of metro residents are foreign-born.
Where does the foreign-born share rank historically?
Near the all-time peak. The share was last this high in roughly 1910.