Despite the ongoing national debate about immigration policy, the United States remains one of the world’s biggest magnets for immigrants. Foreign nationals enter the country via numerous ways, but the general motives are the same: they come to the U.S. seeking better opportunities for themselves and their children.
Immigrants who come to the U.S. have many cities to choose from where to put their roots. Some choose to live in areas where previous immigrants from their home country have already established a community. But these may not always necessarily be the best options.
The recent report “Immigrants and Opportunity in America’s Cities” from The George W. Bush Institute-SMU Economic Growth Initiative, reviewed 12 key indicators in America’s 100 most populous metropolitan areas to identify the communities where immigrants are thriving.
According to the report, the Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Alpharetta, Georgia, metro area ranks as the 22nd best city for immigrants. Atlanta is home to an estimated 843,540 people who were born in foreign countries, accounting for 13.9% of the total population. From 2010 through 2021, immigration accounted for net population growth of 166,732 people, driving overall population growth up by 3.1%.
Economic prosperity is likely drawing many new Americans to Atlanta. The typical household headed by a foreign-born resident earns $68,636 per year, and the homeownership rate among the area’s foreign born residents stands at 61.2%. These and other socioeconomic measures compare relatively favorably against the metro area population as a whole. The median household income and homeownership rate across all residents in the Atlanta area stand at $71,193 and 64.2%, respectively.
All data in this story is from The George W. Bush Institute. A full methodology and documentation of sources is available on pages 72 and 73 of the report.
| Rank | Metro area | Foreign born population | Foreign born pop. as a share of total (%) | Median household income, foreign born pop. ($) | Home ownership rate, foreign born pop. (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Jose, CA | 770,175 | 39.1 | 136,154 | 53.3 |
| 2 | Baltimore | 289,295 | 10.3 | 81,348 | 60.4 |
| 3 | San Francisco | 1,440,130 | 30.7 | 102,953 | 52.9 |
| 4 | Seattle | 771,758 | 19.2 | 90,787 | 54.2 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | 1,442,859 | 22.8 | 90,811 | 58.4 |
| 6 | St. Louis | 135,126 | 4.8 | 69,907 | 59.6 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh | 93,323 | 4.0 | 65,245 | 52.7 |
| 8 | Raleigh, NC | 171,084 | 12.0 | 74,746 | 58.4 |
| 9 | Jackson, MS | 13,566 | 2.3 | 70,000 | 59.8 |
| 10 | Cincinnati | 110,692 | 5.0 | 68,690 | 52.0 |
| 11 | Hartford, CT | 160,196 | 13.3 | 71,205 | 57.6 |
| 12 | Detroit | 433,420 | 10.1 | 68,996 | 66.5 |
| 13 | Albany, NY | 73,346 | 8.3 | 70,119 | 54.0 |
| 14 | Madison, WI | 49,802 | 7.4 | 66,204 | 43.2 |
| 15 | Worcester, MA | 107,958 | 11.4 | 71,506 | 54.4 |
| 16 | Philadelphia | 677,791 | 11.1 | 68,532 | 59.4 |
| 17 | Bridgeport, CT | 206,480 | 21.9 | 76,108 | 55.0 |
| 18 | Boston | 922,623 | 18.9 | 77,142 | 46.6 |
| 19 | Harrisburg, PA | 39,466 | 6.8 | 68,855 | 52.4 |
| 20 | Richmond, VA | 104,308 | 8.0 | 65,710 | 57.0 |
| 21 | Colorado Springs, CO | 51,226 | 6.8 | 67,229 | 61.9 |
| 22 | Atlanta | 843,540 | 13.9 | 68,636 | 61.2 |
| 23 | Dayton, OH | 36,689 | 4.5 | 61,216 | 52.9 |
| 24 | Virginia Beach, VA | 119,156 | 6.7 | 64,516 | 59.6 |
| 25 | Jacksonville, FL | 149,986 | 9.4 | 64,190 | 62.4 |
Samuel Stebbins, 24/7 Wall St. via The Center Square
