--- title: "Facts on U.S. immigrants, 2018" description: "There were a record 44.8 million immigrants living in the U.S. in 2018, making up 13.7% of the nation’s population. This represents a more than fourfold increase since 1960." date: "2020-08-20" authors: - name: "Abby Budiman" job_title: "Former Research Associate" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/abby-budiman/" - name: "Christine Tamir" job_title: "Former Research Analyst" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/christine-tamir/" - name: "Lauren Mora" job_title: "Former Research Assistant" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/lauren-mora/" - name: "Luis Noé-Bustamante" job_title: "Research Associate" link: "https://www.pewresearch.org/staff/luis-noe-bustamante/" url: "https://www.pewresearch.org/global-migration-and-demography/2020/08/20/facts-on-u-s-immigrants-trend-data/" categories: - "Immigrant Populations" - "Immigration & Migration" - "Immigration Trends" --- # Facts on U.S. immigrants, 2018 - [Key Charts](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2020/08/20/facts-on-u-s-immigrants/) - [Current Data](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2020/08/20/facts-on-u-s-immigrants-current-data/) - [Trend Data](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2020/08/20/facts-on-u-s-immigrants-trend-data/) - [County Maps](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2020/08/20/facts-on-u-s-immigrants-county-maps/) - [Previous Years’ Data](https://www.pewresearch.org/race-and-ethnicity/2020/08/20/facts-on-u-s-immigrants-previous-years-data/) ### Characteristics of the U.S. foreign-born population: 1960-2018 #### Try our email course on U.S. immigration [![](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2015/11/GMD_immigrationCourse_140.png)](https://mailchi.mp/pewresearch.org/u-s-immigration-mini-course) Learn about immigration through five short lessons delivered to your inbox every other day. [Sign up now!](https://mailchi.mp/pewresearch.org/u-s-immigration-mini-course) There were a record 44.8 million immigrants living in the U.S. in 2018, making up 13.7% of the nation’s population. This represents a more than fourfold increase since 1960, when 9.7 million immigrants lived in the U.S., accounting for 5.4% of the total U.S. population. Click the link below each summary table to download the data. To find more context on the figures below, visit the blog post [“Key findings about U.S. immigrants,”](https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/08/20/key-findings-about-u-s-immigrants/) and for a downloadable version of the tables below, see the [PDF](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.pdf) and the [Excel workbook](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.xlsx). For facts on Latinos in the United States, see our [profile on U.S. Hispanics](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/fact-sheet/latinos-in-the-u-s-fact-sheet/). For details on our regional grouping of countries, see our [“Countries by regional classification”](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Countries-by-Regional-Classification_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.pdf) document. #### Nativity of U.S. immigrants **************************** |   | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018 | | Foreign-born population total | 9,729,147 | 9,744,833 | 14,079,460 | 19,682,004 | 31,133,481 | 39,916,875 | 44,760,622 | | Percent born in Mexico | 6.0% | 8.1% | 15.6% | 21.7% | 29.4% | 29.4% | 25.0% | | Percent who are citizens | N/A | 63.7% | 50.4% | 40.5% | 40.3% | 43.7% | 50.7% | [Download Excel sheet with all population and nativity findings](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Nativity-Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.xlsx) #### Race of U.S. immigrants **************************** |   | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018 | | Percent who are white alone, not Hispanic | N/A | N/A | 49.3% | 31.2% | 22.0% | 18.7% | 17.7% | [Download Excel sheet with all race findings](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Race-Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.xlsx) #### Language use among U.S. immigrants **************************** |   | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018 | | Percent speaking English at least very well (ages 5 and older) | N/A | N/A | 57.2% | 53.0% | 49.0% | 48.4% | 53.2% | [Download Excel sheet with all language findings](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Language-Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.xlsx) #### Age and gender of U.S. immigrants **************************** |   | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018 | | Median age (in years) | 57 | 50 | 39 | 37 | 37 | 41 | 45 | | Percent who are female | 51.1% | 54.1% | 53.4% | 51.1% | 50.2% | 51.0% | 51.8% | [Download Excel sheet with all age and gender findings](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Age-Gender-Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.xlsx) #### Marital status and fertility of U.S. immigrants **************************** |   | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018 | | Percent who are married (ages 18 and older) | 68.4% | 67.0% | 64.1% | 61.9% | 62.8% | 60.0% | 61.2% | | Percent who are women ages 15-44 giving birth in past year | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 8.5% | 7.5% | [Download Excel sheet with all marriage and fertility findings](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Marital-Status-Fertility-Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.xlsx) #### Education of U.S. immigrants *Highest degree completed, ages 25 and older* **************************** |   | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018 | | High school or less | 88.9% | 82.4% | 70.1% | 60.9% | 57.4% | 54.2% | 49.2% | | Two-year degree/some college | 6.0% | 8.7% | 14.1% | 18.8% | 18.5% | 18.8% | 18.8% | | Bachelor's degree or more | 5.1% | 9.0% | 15.8% | 20.3% | 24.1% | 27.1% | 32.0% | [Download Excel sheet with all education findings](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Education-Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.xlsx) #### Work status and occupations of U.S. immigrants *Ages 16 and older* **************************** |   | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018 | | Percent in labor force (among civilian population) | 47.5% | 48.3% | 55.4% | 64.2% | 60.5% | 67.7% | 66.6% | [Download Excel sheet with all work findings](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Work-Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.xlsx) #### Earnings and income of U.S. immigrants *Ages 16 and older* **************************** |   | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018 | | Median annual personal earnings(in 2018 dollars, among those with earnings) | N/A | N/A | N/A | $28,384 | $29,428 | $27,744 | $31,900 | | Median annual household income (in 2018 dollars) | N/A | N/A | $42,473 | $52,893 | $57,561 | $52,829 | $59,000 | [Download Excel sheet with all income findings](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Earnings-Income-Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.xlsx) #### Poverty among U.S. immigrants **************************** |   | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018 | | Percent living in poverty | 19.1% | 14.6% | 15.2% | 17.8% | 17.7% | 18.6% | 14.6% | [Download Excel sheet with all poverty findings](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Poverty-Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.xlsx) #### Homeownership and households of U.S. immigrants **************************** |   | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018 | | Percent in family households | 88.0% | 86.5% | 85.9% | 87.4% | 87.9% | 87.0% | 82.3% | [Download Excel sheet with all homeownership and household findings](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Homeownership-Households-Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.xlsx) #### Region and top states of residence of U.S. immigrants **************************** |   | 1960 | 1970 | 1980 | 1990 | 2000 | 2010 | 2018 | | West | 19.8% | 24.0% | 32.4% | 39.6% | 37.9% | 35.4% | 33.9% | | California | 13.7% | 18.0% | 25.4% | 32.7% | 28.5% | 25.4% | 23.7% | | South | 9.9% | 14.5% | 20.6% | 23.2% | 27.7% | 31.9% | 33.7% | | Texas | 3.2% | 3.6% | 6.1% | 7.7% | 9.3% | 10.4% | 11.0% | | Florida | 2.7% | 5.5% | 7.5% | 8.4% | 8.6% | 9.2% | 10.0% | | Northeast | 47.0% | 42.1% | 32.0% | 26.5% | 23.2% | 21.5% | 21.2% | | New York | 23.5% | 21.5% | 17.0% | 14.4% | 12.4% | 10.8% | 10.0% | | New Jersey | 6.4% | 6.5% | 5.4% | 4.9% | 4.7% | 4.6% | 4.6% | | Midwest | 23.3% | 19.5% | 15.0% | 10.8% | 11.3% | 11.1% | 11.3% | [Download Excel sheet with all region findings](https://www.pewresearch.org/hispanic/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/2020/08/Pew-Research-Center_Regions-States-Trend-Data_Statistical-Portrait-of-the-Foreign-Born-2018.xlsx) Source: Pew Research Center tabulations of 2018 American Community Survey (1% IPUMS). “Statistical Portrait of the Foreign-Born Population in the United States, 2018”