How many immigrants are in the United States?
About 44.8M in 2021. This represents roughly 13.6% of the population, or about 2 in 15 residents in the United States. Immigrants include foreign-born residents, such as naturalized US citizens, those authorized to enter the US (e.g., for work), and undocumented residents.
Showing data for
In 2021
44.8M
United States residents were foreign-born
In 2021
2 in 15
United States residents were foreign-born
The number of foreign-born residents in the United States increased from 39.3M in 2011 to 44.8M in 2021. This change occurred alongside shifts in the native-born population due to births, deaths, and migration. Analyzing the foreign-born share of the total population offers a clearer understanding of these demographics. In 2021, the foreign-born population constituted 13.6% of the total population, up from 12.8% in 2011.
Foreign-born share of the population in the US
Variations in immigrant populations reflect changes in the population landscape across local areas and the nation. The largest immigrant populations are found in major metro areas. Metro areas in California, Texas, Florida, and parts of the Northeast generally have a higher share of foreign-born residents.
California had the highest foreign-born share of state population in 2021.
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In 2021, California had the highest foreign-born population share at 26.5%, while West Virginia had the lowest at 1.6%. Among metro areas, Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL had the highest foreign-born population share at 41.2%, and Beckley, WV had the lowest at 0.8%.
On average, 8.2% of the population in metro areas was foreign-born in 2021
Foreign-born share of the population (2021)
| 1. | California | 26.5% |
| 2. | New Jersey | 22.9% |
| 3. | New York | 22.5% |
| 4. | Florida | 21% |
| 5. | Nevada | 19.2% |
| 6. | Hawaii | 18.2% |
| 7. | Massachusetts | 17.3% |
| 8. | Texas | 17% |
| 9. | Maryland | 15.4% |
| 10. | Connecticut | 14.8% |
