How many immigrants are in North Carolina?
Updated annually
About 1.1 million in 2024. This represents approximately 9.9% of the population, or about 1 in 10 residents in North Carolina. Immigrants are defined as foreign-born residents, which includes people who became US citizens, are authorized to come to the US (e.g., on work visas, student visas), or are undocumented residents.
In 2024,
1.09M
North Carolina residents were foreign-born
In 2024,
1 in 10
residents were foreign-born
The number of foreign-born residents in North Carolina grew from 764,000 in 2014 to 1.1 million in 2024. This increase occurred alongside changes in the native-born population due to births, deaths, and people moving. Analyzing the foreign-born share of the total population provides a better view of these demographics. In North Carolina, the foreign-born share of the population was 9.9% in 2024, lower than the US overall at 14.8%, and up from 7.7% in the state since 2014.
In North Carolina, 9.9% of the population was foreign-born in 2024
Foreign-born share of population, 2009-2024
Variations in immigrant populations illustrate a changing population landscape in both local areas and the nation as a whole. The largest immigration populations are concentrated in big 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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From 2019 to 2023, the metro areas (with data) in the US with the highest and lowest foreign-born population share were: the Miami, FL area at 41.9% foreign-born (highest) and the Parkersburg, WV area at 0.98% foreign-born (lowest). The highest and lowest among the metro areas in or connected to North Carolina were: the Durham, NC area at 13.2% foreign-born (highest) and the Rocky Mount, NC area at 3.7% foreign-born (lowest).
On average, 8.3% of the population in metro areas was foreign-born from 2019 to 2023
Foreign-born share of population by metropolitan area, 2019-2023
Foreign-born share of the population
| 1. | Greensboro, NC area | 9.5% |
| 2. | Burlington, NC area | 9.1% |
| 3. | Winston-Salem, NC area | 7.3% |
| 4. | Asheville, NC area | 6.9% |
| 5. | Goldsboro, NC area | 6.9% |
| 6. | Fayetteville, NC area | 6.6% |
| 7. | Greenville, NC area | 5.6% |
| 8. | Hickory, NC area | 5.3% |
| 9. | Wilmington, NC area | 4.9% |
| 10. | Jacksonville, NC area | 4% |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
