In this article, we break down the latest immigration statistics America., exploring population size, origins, demographics, legal status, and more.
But first, here are the key statistics on U.S. immigration.
Key Stats
- There are 51.9 million immigrants in the U.S, which is about 15.4% of the country’s population
- 11 million immigrants are from Mexico, which is about 22% of the total U.S. immigrant population
- 3 million immigrants arrived in 2023 alone (record annual total)
- 46% are naturalized citizens
- 76% of immigrants are working age
- 43.3 million speak Spanish at home
- 35% of immigrant adults have a bachelor’s degree
- 18% of U.S. labor force is immigrant (30.6 million people)
- Median household income of immigrants is $78,700
- California has the highest population of immigrants (10.6 million)
Immigrant Population in America
As of June 2025, approximately 51.9 million immigrants lived in the United States, making up about 15.4% of the total population. This is slightly lower than the record set in January 2025, when the foreign-born population reached 53.3 million and 15.8% of U.S. residents — the highest proportion ever recorded.
Even with recent declines, partly due to lower survey participation among immigrants, the U.S. continues to have the largest immigrant population in the world.
Immigration population America remains concentrated in certain regions. More than 11 million residents were born in Mexico, followed by India (3.2 million), China (3 million), the Philippines (2.1 million), and Cuba (1.7 million). Overall, Latin America remains the largest source region, contributing roughly half of all immigrants, while Asia accounts for about a quarter.
The remainder comes from Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and other North American countries.
The table below shows the immigrant population in the U.S. by region.
Immigration Origins and Changing Trends
Recent years have seen a surge in arrivals, with over 11 million immigrants coming to the U.S. between 2020 and 2025. In 2023 alone, over 3 million newcomers arrived — the highest single-year total on record.
The regions of origin are shifting. Between 2021 and 2023, South America accounted for 20% of new arrivals, up from 13% in 2015–2019. Europe and Canada represented 12%, compared with 9% previously, while South and East Asia declined to 24% from 29%.
Mexico remained the top country of origin, followed by India, Venezuela, Cuba, and Colombia. Many of the newcomers during this period were unauthorized immigrants, particularly from Central and South America, reflecting trends in illegal immigration statistics America.
Legal Status of Immigrants
By 2023, nearly half of immigrants had become naturalized U.S. citizens. About 23% were lawful permanent residents, and roughly 4% were on temporary legal visas, usually for work or study. The remaining 27% were unauthorized, lacking formal permission to live in the U.S.
Age, Race, and Language
Immigrants in the U.S. tend to be older than the native-born population. In 2023, the median age was 47, compared with 37 among U.S.-born residents. Most immigrants arrive as adults, which skews the age distribution, while children born in the U.S. contribute to a younger native population.
Racially, immigrants are diverse: 27% identify as Asian, 20% as White, 9% as Black, 1% as American Indian or Alaska Native, and under 0.5% as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander. About 22% identify with two or more races. Language diversity is also notable. Spanish dominates, spoken by over 43 million residents, followed by Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Arabic, French, Portuguese, Korean, and several others.
Below is a pie chart showing the immigrant population in America by race.
Education and Workforce Participation
Immigrant adults are well-represented in higher education. In 2023, 35% of immigrants aged 25 and older had at least a bachelor’s degree, roughly on par with U.S.-born adults. Among recent arrivals (2020–2023), 46% held a bachelor’s degree or higher. Some countries, such as India, the UAE, and Egypt, had particularly high college attainment among their immigrants.
Immigrants also form a significant portion of the labor force. Nearly 18% of the U.S. civilian workforce — about 30.6 million people — are immigrants. Their participation has more than tripled since 1970, illustrating the increasing role of immigrants in the economy, a trend clearly reflected in immigration rate America data.
Income, Poverty, and Health Coverage
Median household income for immigrant families in 2023 was around $78,700, slightly above the $77,600 median for U.S.-born households. However, 14% of immigrants lived below the poverty line, compared with 12% of native-born residents.
Health coverage among immigrants lags behind. Only 57% had private insurance, while public coverage was at 33%. About 18% of immigrants lacked any coverage, highlighting disparities in healthcare access compared with the U.S.-born population.
Immigration Statistics by State
Immigrant populations are heavily concentrated in a few states. California has the largest, with 10.6 million, followed by Texas (5.5 million), Florida (5 million), New York (4.5 million), and New Jersey (2.3 million). States like California, New Jersey, New York, Florida, and Nevada have the highest shares of immigrants relative to total population.
The bar graph below shows the states with the largest immigrant population in America.
Major metropolitan areas also concentrate immigrant populations. The New York City area leads with about 5.9 million immigrants, followed by Los Angeles (4.2 million), Miami (2.6 million), and Houston and Chicago (1.7 million each). Miami stands out with nearly 42% of residents being foreign-born, the highest in the country.
Here are the cities with the largest immigrant population in America.
Fastest-Growing Immigrant Populations
From 2010 to 2023, Florida and Texas added the largest absolute numbers of immigrants. However, smaller states like North Dakota saw faster relative growth — nearly 87% — despite smaller total numbers. Growth among children in immigrant families mirrors this pattern, showing how immigration is reshaping communities beyond traditional gateway states.
Green Cards and Legal Permanent Residency
In fiscal year 2023, nearly 1.2 million immigrants obtained lawful permanent residency, up 15% from 2022 and 66% from 2020, when pandemic-related disruptions slowed approvals. Roughly half adjusted status from within the U.S., while the remainder applied from abroad. Of those approved outside the U.S., most were immediate family members of U.S. citizens or green card holders.
Tracking these trends contributes to understanding immigration statistics US history, especially the post-pandemic recovery in green card approvals.
Naturalizations and Citizenship
In FY 2024, about 818,500 immigrants became U.S. citizens. Naturalizations have steadily increased over decades, from fewer than 115,000 per year in the 1950s–60s to over 700,000 annually in recent years. The historical peak occurred in 2008, largely due to outreach efforts and impending fee increases. Processing times have returned to 5.5 months, after peaking during the pandemic.
Citizenship represents an important milestone for integration and access to economic and political opportunities.
Refugees and Resettlement
In FY 2024, the U.S. resettled 100,000 refugees. The top countries of origin were the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Afghanistan, Venezuela, Syria, and Myanmar, followed by Guatemala, Somalia, Nicaragua, Eritrea, and Iraq. Religious affiliation among refugees was diverse, with most identifying as Christian (52%) or Muslim (42%).
| Country | Refugees Admitted (FY 2024) |
|---|---|
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | 19,900 |
| Afghanistan | 14,700 |
| Venezuela | 12,900 |
| Syria | 11,300 |
| Myanmar | 7,300 |
These figures highlight trends in immigration data America related to humanitarian migration and resettlement policies.
Conclusion
The United States continues to host the world’s largest immigrant population. From origins and demographics to legal status, education, and geographic distribution, immigration shapes nearly every aspect of American society. Understanding these patterns through immigration statistics US, immigration population America, and related data helps policymakers, researchers, and communities make informed decisions. Tracking shifts over time, including immigration statistics US by year and immigration statistics by state, also provides insights into the broader economic, social, and cultural impact of immigration in America.
