Our Immigrant Population Helps Power NYC Economy
Countries of Origin of New York City Immigrants
New York City has 3.3 million foreign-born immigrants, from more than 150 countries, who comprise nearly 40% of the City population.
Country/Region of Origin |
Number
|
Percent
|
Dominican Republic |
453,176
|
13.70%
|
China |
332,255
|
10.00%
|
Jamaica |
185,681
|
5.60%
|
Mexico |
179,613
|
5.40%
|
Guyana |
140,340
|
4.20%
|
Ecuador |
138,295
|
4.20%
|
Haiti |
91,595
|
2.80%
|
India |
91,048
|
2.70%
|
Trinidad & Tobago |
89,302
|
2.70%
|
Bangladesh |
83,949
|
2.50%
|
Colombia |
69,777
|
2.10%
|
Ukraine |
66,339
|
2.00%
|
Philippines |
65,657
|
2.00%
|
Korea |
64,747
|
2.00%
|
Russia |
62,475
|
1.90%
|
Pakistan |
54,214
|
1.60%
|
Poland |
52,648
|
1.60%
|
Italy |
49,531
|
1.50%
|
Hong Kong |
39,290
|
1.20%
|
Peru |
32,822
|
1.00%
|
Uzbekistan |
32,606
|
1.00%
|
El Salvador |
31,624
|
1.00%
|
Honduras |
30,281
|
0.90%
|
Guatemala |
29,524
|
0.90%
|
Israel |
29,372
|
0.90%
|
Canada |
28,711
|
0.90%
|
Nigeria |
28,616
|
0.90%
|
Ghana |
25,504
|
0.80%
|
France |
23,635
|
0.70%
|
Greece |
22,765
|
0.70%
|
Germany |
21,515
|
0.60%
|
Egypt |
20,981
|
0.60%
|
Japan |
20,969
|
0.60%
|
Africa, Other & Unspec. |
20,964
|
0.60%
|
Barbados |
20,150
|
0.60%
|
Panama |
19,832
|
0.60%
|
Taiwan |
19,822
|
0.60%
|
United Kingdom |
19,725
|
0.60%
|
England |
17,613
|
0.50%
|
Grenada |
17,595
|
0.50%
|
Cuba |
16,509
|
0.50%
|
Other Europe |
15,173
|
0.50%
|
Vietnam |
14,968
|
0.50%
|
St Vincent and Grenadines |
14,389
|
0.40%
|
Romania |
13,344
|
0.40%
|
Ireland |
13,113
|
0.40%
|
Yemen |
11,703
|
0.40%
|
Brazil |
11,556
|
0.30%
|
Western Africa |
11,022
|
0.30%
|
West Indies |
10,745
|
0.30%
|
Argentina |
10,727
|
0.30%
|
Spain |
10,642
|
0.30%
|
Nicaragua |
10,356
|
0.30%
|
Malaysia |
10,169
|
0.30%
|
Australia |
10,136
|
0.30%
|
Turkey |
10,070
|
0.30%
|
Belarus |
9,321
|
0.30%
|
Senegal |
8,864
|
0.30%
|
Myanmar |
8,781
|
0.30%
|
USSR |
8,776
|
0.30%
|
Dominica |
8,665
|
0.30%
|
St Lucia |
8,436
|
0.30%
|
Caribbean |
8,259
|
0.20%
|
Nepal |
8,136
|
0.20%
|
Venezuela |
7,680
|
0.20%
|
Azerbaijan |
7,594
|
0.20%
|
Morocco |
7,504
|
0.20%
|
Montenegro |
7,407
|
0.20%
|
Hungary |
7,269
|
0.20%
|
Georgia |
6,969
|
0.20%
|
Antigua & Barbuda |
6,342
|
0.20%
|
Thailand |
6,318
|
0.20%
|
Iran |
6,227
|
0.20%
|
Costa Rica |
5,506
|
0.20%
|
Bulgaria |
5,424
|
0.20%
|
Yugoslavia |
5,323
|
0.20%
|
Sri Lanka |
5,030
|
0.20%
|
South Africa |
4,996
|
0.20%
|
Syria |
4,847
|
0.10%
|
Belize |
4,741
|
0.10%
|
Kazakhstan |
4,729
|
0.10%
|
Middle East, Other & Unspec. |
4,669
|
0.10%
|
Austria |
4,600
|
0.10%
|
Switzerland |
4,342
|
0.10%
|
Asia, Other & Unspec. |
4,247
|
0.10%
|
Croatia |
4,195
|
0.10%
|
Chile |
4,186
|
0.10%
|
Indonesia |
4,155
|
0.10%
|
Macedonia |
4,143
|
0.10%
|
Lebanon |
4,003
|
0.10%
|
Afghanistan |
3,891
|
0.10%
|
Moldova |
3,786
|
0.10%
|
Sweden |
3,662
|
0.10%
|
South Central Asia |
3,626
|
0.10%
|
Gambia |
3,477
|
0.10%
|
Togo |
3,469
|
0.10%
|
Netherlands |
3,325
|
0.10%
|
Armenia |
3,301
|
0.10%
|
Kenya |
3,292
|
0.10%
|
Serbia |
3,098
|
0.10%
|
Belgium |
3,053
|
0.10%
|
Americas, Other & Unspec. |
2,942
|
0.10%
|
Guinea |
2,828
|
0.10%
|
Lithuania |
2,763
|
0.10%
|
Bolivia |
2,527
|
0.10%
|
Singapore |
2,460
|
0.10%
|
South America |
2,377
|
0.10%
|
Slovakia |
2,373
|
0.10%
|
Jordan |
2,339
|
0.10%
|
Ethiopia |
2,254
|
0.10%
|
Uruguay |
2,211
|
0.10%
|
Latvia |
2,191
|
0.10%
|
Portugal |
2,151
|
0.10%
|
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
2,061
|
0.10%
|
New Zealand |
2,020
|
0.10%
|
Sudan |
1,976
|
0.10%
|
Algeria |
1,975
|
0.10%
|
Northern Africa |
1,949
|
0.10%
|
Liberia |
1,944
|
0.10%
|
Sierra Leone |
1,941
|
0.10%
|
Paraguay |
1,709
|
0.10%
|
Cambodia |
1,684
|
0.10%
|
TOTAL |
3,315,519
|
100%
|
NOTE: These estimates are based on weighted survey data from the 2015 American Community Survey, which is a representative sample of the U.S. population, not a complete count. Caution should be used in interpreting these estimates, particularly when they are based on relatively few sample observations, as is the case for many of the smaller countries in this table.
Foreign Born Percentage of Working Population in Select Cities
New York City is one of the most diverse cities in the nation. Immigrants make up 46% of the City’s workforce – a higher share than in any major city except Miami.
City |
% of Workers Foreign Born |
Miami |
60% |
Silicon Valley |
47% |
New York City |
46% |
San Jose |
44% |
Los Angeles |
42% |
San Francisco |
37% |
San Diego |
29% |
Chicago |
26% |
Average Weeks Worked per Year by Foreign and U.S. born New York City Residents
Immigrants are employed at the same rate as U.S.-born New Yorkers and they work as many or more hours per week, as well as more weeks per year, compared to U.S.-born New Yorkers.
Weeks/Year |
U.S. Born |
Foreign Born |
50 to 52 |
78.4% |
79.4% |
48 to 49 |
2.0% |
2.3% |
40 to 47 |
5.0% |
5.1% |
27 to 39 |
4.9% |
5.1% |
14 to 26 |
4.2% |
3.9% |
< 14 |
5.6% |
4.3% |
Total |
100% |
100% |
Self Employment-Among U.S. and Foreign Born New York City Residents
With 53% of self-employed New Yorkers who are foreign born, and 51% of all business owners, immigrants are entrepreneurial. A majority of business owners in New York City (83,000) are foreign-born.
U.S. Born |
Foreign Born |
Total |
Percent Foreign Born |
|
Self Employed |
237,000 |
265,000 |
501,000 |
53% |
Self Employed in Own Business |
81,000 |
83,000 |
164,000 |
51% |
Earned Income of U.S. and Foreign Born New York City Residents
Immigrants earn $100 billion a year – nearly one-third of all earned income in New York City
U.S. Born |
Foreign Born |
Total |
Percent Foreign Born |
|
---|---|---|---|---|
Earned Income |
$209 Billion |
$100 Billion |
$309 Billion |
32% |
U.S. and Foreign Born New York City Residents Living in Family Owned Homes
Of City home-owners, 46% (451,000) of 991,000 are foreign-born.
U.S Born |
Foreign Born |
Total |
|
Homes owned |
539,770 |
451,300 |
991,070 |
Residents |
1,788,000 |
1,105,000 |
2,893,000 |
Educational Attainment of New York City Immigrants, by Decade of Entry
Immigrants are increasingly well educated. More than a quarter of recent immigrants have a college or graduate degree. Between the 1990s and 2000s, the number of immigrants with a graduate degree has jumped by more than 60 percent. Since the 1980s, immigrants coming to NYC with a graduate degree has more than doubled.
Decade of Entry |
No College Degree |
BA/BS |
Graduate Degree |
pre-1950 |
24,525 |
2,108 |
5,138 |
50s |
72,161 |
7,096 |
6,710 |
60s |
159,001 |
19,930 |
16,515 |
70s |
230,216 |
48,001 |
32,789 |
80s |
457,836 |
96,083 |
65,901 |
90s |
623,945 |
159,693 |
90,343 |
2000s |
1,027,961 |
215,156 |
148,662 |
Industries Where Foreign Born New York City Residents Work
Within the “entertainment”, “medical”, “technology”, and “financial analysis” industries, 54%, 50%, 47%, and 44% of employees respectively are foreign born.
Industry |
Foreign Born |
Native Born |
Percent Foreign Born |
Professional Services |
400,039 |
658,373 |
38% |
Medical |
353,437 |
348,057 |
50% |
Retail/Wholesale |
274,878 |
313,114 |
47% |
Entertainment |
264,169 |
229,598 |
54% |
Utilities and Const. |
177,188 |
97,735 |
64% |
Transportation |
161,656 |
119,759 |
57% |
Other Services |
159,803 |
106,728 |
60% |
Education |
140,225 |
311,908 |
31% |
Family Services |
112,487 |
108,759 |
51% |
Manufacturing |
104,120 |
71,368 |
59% |
Administration |
62,646 |
117,346 |
35% |
Information |
44,491 |
130,880 |
25% |
Occupations of Foreign Born New York City Residents
Occupation | Foreign Born | Native | Total | Percent Foreign Born |
Nursing and Home Health | 141,437 | 42,420 | 183,857 | 77% |
Janitorial | 130,646 | 71,526 | 202,172 | 65% |
Drivers | 127,231 | 53,456 | 180,687 | 70% |
Sales | 110,956 | 139,073 | 250,029 | 44% |
Personal Care | 90,563 | 71,302 | 161,865 | 56% |
Construction | 88,311 | 31,790 | 120,101 | 74% |
Cooks and Food Prep. | 71,282 | 34,018 | 105,300 | 68% |
Food Serving | 55,743 | 56,731 | 112,474 | 50% |
Financial Analysts | 53,389 | 68,994 | 122,383 | 44% |
Nurses/Med. Therapists | 52,099 | 51,774 | 103,873 | 50% |
Tech./Computer Related | 50,537 | 57,914 | 108,451 | 47% |
Sales | 47,868 | 51,500 | 99,368 | 48% |
Managers | 45,596 | 76,523 | 122,119 | 37% |
Office Workers | 45,464 | 53,085 | 98,549 | 46% |
Barbers & Hairdressers | 42,031 | 14,708 | 56,739 | 74% |
Preschool Teachers | 39,203 | 103,941 | 143,144 | 27% |
Medical Technicians | 38,576 | 34,294 | 72,870 | 53% |
Construction | 38,453 | 23,443 | 61,896 | 62% |
Office Workers | 38,264 | 85,357 | 123,621 | 31% |
Office Clerks | 37,603 | 60,253 | 97,856 | 38% |
Unemployed | 37,395 | 58,339 | 95,734 | 39% |
Transportation Operators | 36,351 | 32,135 | 68,486 | 53% |
Misc. Office | 33,574 | 58,514 | 92,088 | 36% |
Billing and Bookkeeping | 32,707 | 42,737 | 75,444 | 43% |
Chefs and Cooks | 31,806 | 14,615 | 46,421 | 69% |
Security Workers | 29,959 | 46,700 | 76,659 | 39% |
Artists/Designers | 28,905 | 49,622 | 78,527 | 37% |
Other Managers | 28,788 | 43,008 | 71,796 | 40% |
Counselors | 28,567 | 64,608 | 93,175 | 31% |
Medical Professionals | 26,557 | 31,011 | 57,568 | 46% |
HR Managers | 26,327 | 50,339 | 76,666 | 34% |
Clothing Production | 25,973 | 4,446 | 30,419 | 85% |
Business Analysts | 22,730 | 53,984 | 76,714 | 30% |
Teaching Assistants | 22,477 | 40,159 | 62,636 | 36% |
Science Managers | 22,283 | 45,850 | 68,133 | 33% |
Office Assistants | 21,613 | 40,884 | 62,497 | 35% |
Business Managers | 21,417 | 41,774 | 63,191 | 34% |
Machine Workers | 21,201 | 9,536 | 30,737 | 69% |
Food Service | 20,007 | 16,432 | 36,439 | 55% |
Performers | 19,163 | 61,326 | 80,489 | 24% |
Postsecondary Teachers | 19,090 | 36,376 | 55,466 | 34% |
Sales | 18,987 | 29,656 | 48,643 | 39% |
Chief Executives | 18,955 | 38,547 | 57,502 | 33% |
Car Repair | 18,492 | 11,209 | 29,701 | 62% |
Medical Assistants | 17,632 | 22,031 | 39,663 | 44% |
Machine Repair | 17,605 | 19,740 | 37,345 | 47% |
Office Supervisors | 16,636 | 23,290 | 39,926 | 42% |
Sales Agents | 13,874 | 43,691 | 57,565 | 24% |
Law Clerks | 13,207 | 56,752 | 69,959 | 19% |
Food Production | 12,597 | 6,030 | 18,627 | 68% |
Sales Representatives | 12,594 | 17,110 | 29,704 | 42% |
Chemical Productions | 12,025 | 6,121 | 18,146 | 66% |
Actors/Directors | 11,321 | 46,644 | 57,965 | 20% |
Marketing Managers | 9,993 | 30,100 | 40,093 | 25% |
Police Related | 9,503 | 29,073 | 38,576 | 25% |
Transportation Attendants | 9,316 | 7,429 | 16,745 | 56% |
Other Teachers | 9,117 | 27,275 | 36,392 | 25% |
Administrative Support | 8,475 | 19,133 | 27,608 | 31% |
Porters and Bellhops | 8,446 | 8,054 | 16,500 | 51% |
Grounds Maintenance | 7,040 | 7,212 | 14,252 | 49% |
Paralegals | 6,923 | 17,395 | 24,318 | 28% |
Engineers | 6,846 | 5,571 | 12,417 | 55% |
Cameramen | 5,931 | 16,265 | 22,196 | 27% |
Religious Workers | 5,737 | 5,248 | 10,985 | 52% |
Business Specialists | 5,333 | 9,549 | 14,882 | 36% |
Biological Scientists | 5,191 | 4,283 | 9,474 | 55% |
Surveyors | 4,967 | 4,136 | 9,103 | 55% |
Janitorial Supervisors | 4,695 | 3,756 | 8,451 | 56% |
Architects | 4,606 | 5,610 | 10,216 | 45% |
Scientific Technicians | 4,509 | 7,238 | 11,747 | 38% |
Social Scientists | 4,479 | 11,419 | 15,898 | 28% |
Technical Drawing | 3,312 | 4,499 | 7,811 | 42% |
Physical Scientists | 3,275 | 3,328 | 6,603 | 50% |
Actuaries | 3,101 | 2,316 | 5,417 | 57% |
Personal Service Supervisors | 2,579 | 926 | 3,505 | 74% |
Prepared by Andrew McWilliam, Senior Research Economist • Bureau of Budget •