Biggest sources of immigrants to Grand Rapids
Nearly 14% of the United States population is composed of immigrants. But in reality, the vast majority of Americans today are here because of relatives who immigrated from other countries some time in the last several hundred years.
And while the distinctive American culture and spirit is the result of blending many diverse cultures and histories, the United States has for centuries had an up-and-down relationship with immigration.
Each era of immigration has been met with reductive ideas and resistance, whether the backlash was directed toward the Chinese, Irish, Italians, or Mexicans. Immigration laws have targeted specific groups at various times, stoking intolerance and preventing people from truly joining American society. Over time, however, as laws changed to be more equitable and immigrants found their footings, we have reaped the rewards of innovation in business, music, art, literature, dance, food, societal norms, entertainment, and sports—all while realizing a greater understanding of and respect for different cultures, religions, and ideas.
Stacker compiled a list of the countries most immigrants to Grand Rapids come from, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by highest number of foreign-born residents who lived in Grand Rapids as of 2019's five-year estimates.
Keep reading to find out more about the immigrant community in your home city.
#50. Chile
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 188
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 98,945
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #61 most common country of origin
#49. Ghana
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 193
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 178,388
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #43 most common country of origin
#48. Iran
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 197
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 382,260
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #23 most common country of origin
#47. Taiwan
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 205
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 381,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #24 most common country of origin
#46. Israel
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 206
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 135,672
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #50 most common country of origin
#45. Eritrea
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 207
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 45,119
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #90 most common country of origin
#43 (tie). Italy
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 214
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 332,857
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #30 most common country of origin
#43 (tie). Uganda
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 214
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 31,366
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #105 most common country of origin
#42. Brazil
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 223
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 433,479
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #20 most common country of origin
#41. Pakistan
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 246
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 376,127
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #25 most common country of origin
#40. Cambodia
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 280
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 151,066
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #46 most common country of origin
#39. Colombia
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 298
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 761,374
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #12 most common country of origin
#38. Bangladesh
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 300
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 237,288
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #35 most common country of origin
#37. Democratic Republic of Congo
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 311
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 43,723
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #91 most common country of origin
#36. Somalia
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 327
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 98,966
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #60 most common country of origin
#35. Sudan
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 333
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 46,716
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #87 most common country of origin
#34. Syria
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 341
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 95,802
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #63 most common country of origin
#33. Congo
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 367
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 30,496
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #106 most common country of origin
#32. Kenya
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 370
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 141,751
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #48 most common country of origin
#31. Jamaica
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 385
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 741,386
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #13 most common country of origin
#30. Haiti
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 405
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 672,655
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #15 most common country of origin
#29. Liberia
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 414
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 87,991
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #67 most common country of origin
#27 (tie). Poland
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 428
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 410,841
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #21 most common country of origin
#27 (tie). Russia
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 428
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 391,641
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #22 most common country of origin
#26. Sierra Leone
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 430
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 40,991
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #94 most common country of origin
#25. Honduras
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 472
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 651,123
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #16 most common country of origin
#24. Japan
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 500
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 345,140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #29 most common country of origin
#23. Iraq
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 511
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 225,038
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #38 most common country of origin
#22. Thailand
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 529
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 255,345
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #32 most common country of origin
#21. Romania
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 536
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 162,046
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #45 most common country of origin
#20. Nepal
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 620
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 140,904
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #49 most common country of origin
#19. El Salvador
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 648
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 1,381,008
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin
#18. Albania
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 777
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
National
- Number of residents: 89,911
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #65 most common country of origin
#17. Ethiopia
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 841
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
National
- Number of residents: 249,777
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #34 most common country of origin
#16. Burma
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,220
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
National
- Number of residents: 147,573
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #47 most common country of origin
#15. Laos
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,325
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
National
- Number of residents: 181,546
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #42 most common country of origin
#14. United Kingdom
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,384
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%
National
- Number of residents: 698,612
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
- #14 most common country of origin
#13. Germany
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,395
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%
National
- Number of residents: 560,368
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%
- #17 most common country of origin
#12. Philippines
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,526
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.1%
National
- Number of residents: 1,983,939
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin
#11. Dominican Republic
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,536
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.1%
National
- Number of residents: 1,118,147
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.5%
- #8 most common country of origin
#10. South Korea
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,838
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.5%
National
- Number of residents: 1,044,634
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
- #9 most common country of origin
#9. Netherlands
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,947
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.7%
National
- Number of residents: 85,161
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #69 most common country of origin
#8. Cuba
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,969
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.7%
National
- Number of residents: 1,289,875
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.9%
- #7 most common country of origin
#7. Bosnia and Herzegovina
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,257
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
National
- Number of residents: 103,938
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #57 most common country of origin
#6. Canada
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,505
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.5%
National
- Number of residents: 808,566
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #11 most common country of origin
#5. China
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,688
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.7%
National
- Number of residents: 2,162,395
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin
#4. India
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,034
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.2%
National
- Number of residents: 2,561,906
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.8%
- #2 most common country of origin
#3. Guatemala
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,610
- Percent of foreign born residents: 6.4%
National
- Number of residents: 979,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin
#2. Vietnam
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,739
- Percent of foreign born residents: 6.6%
National
- Number of residents: 1,336,988
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
- #6 most common country of origin
#1. Mexico
Grand Rapids-Kentwood, MI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 18,997
- Percent of foreign born residents: 26.3%
National
- Number of residents: 11,250,541
- Percent of foreign born residents: 25.6%
- #1 most common country of origin
