How many immigrants are in Iowa?
About 174K in 2021. This represents roughly 5.5% of Iowa's population, or about 4 in 70 residents. Immigrants include foreign-born residents who may be naturalized US citizens, authorized entrants, or undocumented individuals.
Showing data for
In 2021
174K
Iowa residents were foreign-born
In 2021
4 in 70
Iowa residents were foreign-born
The number of foreign-born residents in Iowa increased from 128K in 2011 to 174K in 2021. This rise occurred alongside changes in the native-born population due to births, deaths, and migration. The foreign-born share of Iowa's population was 5.5% in 2021, lower than the national average of 13.6%, up from 4.2% in 2011.
Foreign-born share of the population in Iowa
Changes in immigrant populations reflect shifts in both local and national demographics. 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.
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In 2021, the metro areas in the US with the highest and lowest shares of foreign-born residents were Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL at 41.2% and Beckley, WV at 0.8%, respectively. In Iowa, Sioux City, IA-NE-SD had the highest foreign-born population share at 10.5%, while Dubuque, IA had the lowest at 2.8%.
On average, 8.2% of the population in metro areas was foreign-born in 2021
Foreign-born share of the population (2021)
| 1. | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD Metro Area | 10.5% |
| 2. | Iowa City, IA Metro Area | 9.9% |
| 3. | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA Metro Area | 8.1% |
| 4. | Ames, IA Metro Area | 7.6% |
| 5. | Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA Metro Area | 7.6% |
| 6. | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA Metro Area | 5.5% |
| 7. | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL Metro Area | 5.3% |
| 8. | Cedar Rapids, IA Metro Area | 4.3% |
| 9. | Dubuque, IA Metro Area | 2.8% |
