Frequently Requested Statistics on Immigrants and Immigration in the United States
March 12, 2025
By Jeanne Batalova
Worldwide, the United States is home to more immigrants than any other country, and more than the next four countries—Germany, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and France—combined, according to the most recent UN Population Division data. While the United States represented about 4 percent of the total global population in 2024, 17 percent of all international migrants resided in the United States.
The size, though not the share, of the U.S. immigrant population is at a record high. Immigration has been an important contributor to U.S. population growth, which has slowed in the past decade due to falling birth rates. Amid this demographic slowing, immigration accounted for the entire growth of the total U.S. population between 2022 and 2023—the first time this has happened since census data collection on nativity began in 1850.
There were 47.8 million immigrants residing in the United States as of 2023, according to the latest American Community Survey (ACS) from the U.S. Census Bureau. Of them, nearly three-quarters were in the country legally as naturalized citizens, legal permanent residents (LPRs, also known as green-card holders), or holders of temporary visas.
Sources
This article draws on statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau (using its most recent 2023 American Community Survey [ACS], 2024 Current Population Survey [CPS], and 2000 decennial census); the U.S. Departments of Homeland Security (DHS) and State; and the Migration Policy Institute (MPI).
Note: DHS and State Department data refer to fiscal years that begin on October 1 and end on September 30; Census Bureau data refer to calendar years.
This Spotlight offers information about immigrants resident in the United States as well as temporary visitors. Drawing from the most authoritative and current data available, this article offers an overview of present and past U.S. immigration trends, sociodemographic information about who is immigrating, and the channels through which they arrive. It also provides data on the government’s enforcement actions and visa processing.
For more detailed information on U.S. and global immigration data sources and one-click access to these datasets, see the Migration Policy Institute (MPI) Immigration Data Matters guide. Data tools and maps in this article can be accessed through MPI’s Migration Data Hub.
Definitions
Foreign born" and "immigrant" are used interchangeably and refer to persons with no U.S. citizenship at birth. This population includes naturalized citizens, lawful permanent residents, refugees and asylees, people on certain temporary visas, and unauthorized immigrants.
Geographical regions: MPI follows the definition of Latin America as put forth by the United Nations and the U.S. Census Bureau, which spans Central America (including Mexico), the Caribbean, and South America. For more information about geographical regions, see the U.S. Census Bureau and United Nations Statistics Division.
Click on the bullet points for more information on each topic:
https://www.migrationpolicy.org/article/frequently-requested-statistics-immigrants-and-immigration-united-states
