U.S. Immigrant Population Reaches Record High of 46.1 Million

Strategic Insights -

The U.S. has welcomed a record 46.1 million immigrants, with their population growth accelerating after the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Immigrants now account for 13.8% of the U.S. population, a roughly threefold increase from 4.7% in 1970. The top countries of origin for U.S. immigrants are Mexico, India, China, the Philippines, and El Salvador, with Mexico being the largest origin country, accounting for 23% of all U.S. immigrants.

Key Takeaways:

  • The U.S. has a record 46.1 million immigrants, with a growth rate that accelerated after the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.
  • Immigrants now account for 13.8% of the U.S. population, a roughly threefold increase from 4.7% in 1970.
  • The top countries of origin for U.S. immigrants are Mexico, India, China, the Philippines, and El Salvador, with Mexico being the largest origin country, accounting for 23% of all U.S. immigrants.
  • Since 1965, about 72 million immigrants have come to the United States from different and more countries than their predecessors, with about half of them coming from Latin America and a quarter from Mexico alone.
  • The U.S. foreign-born population has shifted its geographic distribution, with more immigrants living in the South and West, and the largest populations living in the New York, Los Angeles, and Miami metro areas.
  • In 2022, over 30 million immigrants were in the U.S. workforce, with lawful immigrants making up the majority of the immigrant workforce, at 22.2 million.
  • Immigrants and their children are projected to add about 18 million people of working age between 2015 and 2035, offsetting an expected decline in the working-age population from retiring Baby Boomers.
  • On average, U.S. immigrants have lower levels of education than the U.S.-born population, but immigrants from South Asia (72%) were the most likely to have a bachelor's degree or more, and immigrants from Mexico (36%) and Central America (35%) have the lowest English proficiency rates.

Statistics:

  • 46.1 million: The number of immigrants in the U.S.
  • 13.8%: The percentage of the U.S. population made up of immigrants.
  • 2007: The year when immigration from Mexico was at its peak, with almost 7 million Mexican immigrants living in the U.S.
  • 2022: The year when the number of unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. showed sustained growth for the first time since 2007, to 11.0 million.
  • 30 million: The number of immigrants in the U.S. workforce in 2022.
  • 22.2 million: The number of lawful immigrant workers in the U.S.
  • 8.3 million: The number of unauthorized immigrant workers in the U.S. in 2022.
  • 18%: The share of workers who are immigrants in 2022, up from 17% in 2007.
  • 4.8%: The share of immigrant workers who are unauthorized in 2022, down from a peak of 5.4% in 2007.
  • 2023 and 2024: The estimated years when the unauthorized immigrant population will continue to grow, according to partial data sources.
  • 45%: The percentage of unauthorized immigrants who are English proficient.
  • 41%: The percentage of immigrants who speak Spanish at home.
  • 54%: The percentage of immigrants ages 5 and older who are proficient in English.

Sources:

  • Pew Research Center, "Where U.S. immigrants come from" (no date mentioned)
  • U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (2022)
  • U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, "Naturalization by Country of Birth" (2022)
  • U.S. Department of Homeland Security, "Estimates of Unauthorized Immigrant Population" (2022)