ORLANDO, Fla. — More than half of the United States’ foreign-born population lives in just four states — California, Texas, Florida and New York — and their numbers have grown older and more educated over the past dozen years, according to a new report released Tuesday. was released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
In 2022, the foreign-born population was estimated at 46.2 million people, or nearly 14% of the U.S. population, with most states seeing double-digit percentage increases over the past twelve years, according to American Community Survey figures from the office. .
In California, New Jersey, New York, and Florida, foreign-born individuals made up more than 20% of each state’s population. They made up 1.8% of West Virginia’s population, the smallest percentage in the US
Half of US foreign-born residents came from Latin America, although their composition has changed over the past dozen years, with the number of residents from Mexico declining by about 1 million people and the number of residents from South America and Central America America increased by 2.1 million people.
The share of the foreign population from Asia rose from over a quarter to less than a third during that time, while the share of African-born people rose from 4% to 6%.
The report was released as immigration has emerged as a top issue during the 2024 presidential race, with the Biden administration struggling to manage an unprecedented influx of migrants at the southwest border. Immigration is shaping the election in a way that could determine control of Congress as Democrats try to outflank Republicans and convince voters they can tackle problems at the U.S. border with Mexico.
The Census Bureau report did not provide estimates on the number of people living in the U.S. illegally.
However, the figures show that more than half of foreign-born citizens are naturalized citizens, with European-born and Asian-born people leading the way with naturalization rates around two-thirds of their numbers. About two-thirds of the foreign-born population came to the US before 2010.
The foreign-born population has grown older over the past 12 years, mirroring the longevity of some members in the U.S., with the average age increasing by five years to 46.7. They also became more educated between 2010 and 2022, with the percentage of foreign-born people with at least a high school diploma rising from more than two-thirds to three-quarters of the population.
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