Travel to California, Florida, New Jersey or New York, and you’ll see some of the most diverse places in the country. With one-in five or more people in these states born abroad, there is no question as to why these states are known as immigration hubs.
And while there is no immigration crisis—besides the one created by President Trump’s zero tolerance policy created this year—the foreign-born share of the country’s population is at its highest level since 1910. There are approximately 44 million immigrants living in the U.S., representing 13.5 percent of the overall population.
Immigration is necessary for a healthy economy for a number of reasons. One of the main reasons, as projected by the Census Bureau, is that with the U.S. fertility rates at historic lows, net international migration will be the main driver behind U.S. population growth between 2027 and 2038. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2014, about 84.2 babies were born per 1,000 immigrant women ages 15 to 44, compared to 58.3 births per 1,000 U.S.-born women.
The importance of immigrants is reflected in small towns across the country. Immigration has rescued abandoned and aging communities like Kennett Square in Philadelphia and Denison in Iowa. This is mainly because Immigrants are no longer just heading towards immigration hubs like New York or California. According to the Migration Policy Institute, between 2010 and 2016, the foreign-born population grew by 15 percent or more in 15 states, most of which are concentrated in the North-Central region of the country. Only four— Florida, Washington, Maryland and Pennsylvania—already have large immigrant populations. For August’s Top of the Month, we will look at the top five U.S. states with the fastest-growing foreign-born populations.
From 2010 to 2016, the foreign-born population of North Dakota experienced the fastest growth rate in the country at 48 percent. As MPI notes, the high growth rates is largely because of the small size of their immigrant populations in 2010. While the foreign-born population increased exponentially, this population added little to overall population growth. North Dakota’s overall population grew by 12 percent, with immigrants making up only one percent of growth. Immigrants make up 3.3 percent of the state’s total population. with the top five places of origin for immigrants in North Dakota being: Canada (10.5 percent), Mexico (7.9 percent), India (5.8 percent), Mainland China (5.7 percent), and the Philippines (5.7 percent).
Of immigrant adults ages 25 and older in North Dakota, 20 percent obtained less than a high school education; 23 percent received a high school diploma or GED; 21 percent attained some college or associate’s degree; and 36 percent attained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Compared to overall U.S. figures, the foreign-born population in North Dakota did fairly better in attaining a high school diploma or GED (+one percent), some college or associate’s ( +two percent), and bachelor’s degree or higher (+six percent).
Jobs held by the foreign-born population in North Dakota are generally aligned with their education levels. Thirty-four percent of immigrants are employed in management, business, science and arts occupations, 25 percent in service occupations, 14 percent in sales and office occupations, nine percent in natural resources, construction and maintenance occupations, and 18 percent in production, transportation and material moving occupations. These figures matched overall U.S. figures except in natural resources, construction and maintenance occupations, where immigrants in North Dakota were four percent less likely to hold those positions.
From 2010 to 2016 the foreign-born population of West Virginia experienced a growth rate of 41 percent, while the state’s total population decreased between 2010 and 2016. As West Virginia’s native population decreased by two percent, the state’s immigrant population prevented a greater overall population decrease by growing one percent. Immigrants make up 1.6 percent of the total state’s population. The top five origin countries are: Mexico (8.5 percent), India (8.3 percent), Mainland China (8.2 percent), Philippines (7.3 percent), and Canada (4.5 percent).
Of immigrant adults ages 25 and older in West Virginia, 13 percent obtained less than a high school education; 24 percent received a high school diploma or GED; 18 percent attained some college or associate’s degree; and 46 percent attained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Out of the fastest-growing immigrant states, immigrants in West Virginia received a bachelor’s degree or higher at higher rates. Compared to overall U.S. figures, the foreign-born population in West Virginia did better in attaining a high school diploma or GED (+two percent) and bachelor’s degree or higher (+16 percent).
On the topic of occupations held by immigrants, they too are aligned with education levels. Fifty percent of immigrants are employed in management, business, science and arts occupations, 23 percent in service occupations, 14 percent in sales and office occupations, six percent in natural resources, construction and maintenance occupations, and seven percent in production, transportation and material moving occupations. Immigrants in West Virginia are 18 percent more likely to hold a job in management, business, science and art occupations compared to the U.S. average.
From 2010 to 2016 the foreign-born population of South Dakota experienced a fast growth rate of 39 percent. But besides this fast growth rate, the state continues to have a small foreign-born population; immigrants make up only 3.2 percent of the total population. Of that small group, the top five countries of origin for immigrants are: Mexico (10.4 percent), Ethiopia (6.7 percent), Guatemala (5.7 percent), China (4.8 percent), and the Philippines (4.6 percent). Between 2010 and 2016, the state’s total population increased by six percent with immigrants making up one percent of that growth.
Of immigrant adults ages 25 and older in South Dakota, 33 percent obtained less than a high school education; 16 percent received a high school diploma or GED; 21 percent attained some college or associate’s degree; and 30 percent attained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Educational attainment of South Dakota’s immigrants is right along those figures for the U.S. overall.
On the topic of occupations, 27 percent of immigrants work in management, business, science and arts, 17 percent in service occupations, 11 percent sales and office occupations, 12 percent natural resources, construction and maintenance occupations, and 33 percent production, transportation and material moving occupations. The immigrant population in South Dakota is more than two times as likely to work in the natural resource, construction, and maintenance than the total immigrant population in the United States.
From 2010 to 2016 the foreign-born population of Delaware experienced a fast growth rate of 24 percent. The foreign-born population make up 8.8percent of the overall population, and the top five countries of origin are: Mexico (18.6 percent), India (11.9 percent), Mainland China (seven percent), Guatemala (5.3 percent), and the Philippines (3.2 percent). The state’s total population increased between 2010 and 2016 by six percent with immigrants making up two percent of that growth.
Of immigrant adults ages 25 and older in Delaware, 21 percent obtained less than a high school education; 25 percent received a high school diploma or GED; 17 percent attained some college or associate’s degree; and 38 percent attained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Educational attainment of South Dakota’s immigrants is right along those figures for the U.S. overall, except in bachelor degree attainment where immigrants in Delaware exceeded by eight percent.
On the topic of occupations, 42 percent of immigrants work in management, business, science and arts, 16 percent in service occupations, 16 percent sales and office occupations, 13 percent natural resources, construction and maintenance occupations, and 14 percent production, transportation and material moving occupations. Immigrants in Delaware are 10 percent more likely to hold a job in management, business, science and art occupations compared to the U.S. average. 
From 2010 to 2016 the foreign-born population of Minnesota experienced a growth rate of 20 percent. Currently the foreign-born population makes up 7.8 percent of the states total population. The top countries of origin for the immigrant population in Minnesota are: Mexico (15.6 percent), India (6.7 percent), Somalia (6.4 percent), Laos (5.9 percent), and Vietnam (4.3 percent). The state’s total population increased between 2010 and 2016 by four percent with immigrants making up one percent of that growth.
Of immigrant adults ages 25 and older in Minnesota, 27 percent obtained less than a high school education; 19 percent received a high school diploma or GED; 22 percent attained some college or associate’s degree; and 33 percent attained a bachelor’s degree or higher. Educational attainment of immigrants in the state is right along those figures for the U.S. overall.
On the topic of occupations, 35 percent of immigrants work in management, business, science and arts, 24 percent in service occupations, 15 percent sales and office occupations, seven percent natural resources, construction and maintenance occupations, and 20 percent production, transportation and material moving occupations.
