Biggest sources of immigrants to Rhode Island
Over 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 biggest sources of immigrants to Rhode Island using data from the "U.S. Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by the highest number of residents according to 2020 5-year estimates. Keep reading to find out more about the immigrant community in your home state.
#50. Spain
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 347
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 118,177
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #56 most common country of origin
#49. Ghana
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 351
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 180,675
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #43 most common country of origin
#48. Hong Kong
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 375
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 232,202
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #38 most common country of origin
#47. Chile
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 381
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 100,875
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #62 most common country of origin
#46. Trinidad and Tobago
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 406
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 233,024
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #37 most common country of origin
#45. Egypt
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 436
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 202,049
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #40 most common country of origin
#44. Honduras
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 504
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 649,209
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #15 most common country of origin
#43. Dominica
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 530
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 33,455
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #107 most common country of origin
#42. Venezuela
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 547
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 394,365
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #22 most common country of origin
#41. Romania
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 550
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 163,817
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #46 most common country of origin
#40. Taiwan
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 556
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 378,942
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #25 most common country of origin
#39. Pakistan
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 568
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 385,873
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #24 most common country of origin
#38. France
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 569
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 181,242
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #42 most common country of origin
#37. Senegal
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 622
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 27,838
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #113 most common country of origin
#36. Cuba
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 622
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 1,314,570
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
- #7 most common country of origin
#35. Peru
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 640
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 451,666
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #18 most common country of origin
#34. Ecuador
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 681
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 440,337
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #19 most common country of origin
#33. Ireland
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 693
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 122,010
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #55 most common country of origin
#32. Greece
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 705
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 124,428
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #54 most common country of origin
#31. Syria
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 719
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 102,884
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #60 most common country of origin
#30. Japan
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 730
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 346,149
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #28 most common country of origin
#29. Thailand
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 747
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 256,436
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #34 most common country of origin
#28. Ukraine
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 801
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 358,823
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #27 most common country of origin
#27. Vietnam
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 818
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 1,354,391
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #6 most common country of origin
#26. Lebanon
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 858
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 127,239
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #52 most common country of origin
#25. Jamaica
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 891
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 760,486
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #13 most common country of origin
#24. Poland
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 1,017
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 411,750
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #20 most common country of origin
#23. South Korea
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 1,097
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 1,048,588
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
- #9 most common country of origin
#22. Russia
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 1,097
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 397,214
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #21 most common country of origin
#21. Bolivia
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 1,446
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
- Number of residents: 75,533
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #75 most common country of origin
#20. Germany
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 1,492
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
- Number of residents: 549,073
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
- #16 most common country of origin
#19. Laos
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 2,069
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.4%
National
- Number of residents: 179,004
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #44 most common country of origin
#18. Brazil
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 2,077
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.4%
National
- Number of residents: 474,723
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
- #17 most common country of origin
#17. Philippines
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 2,253
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
National
- Number of residents: 1,967,140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin
#16. El Salvador
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 2,372
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
National
- Number of residents: 1,370,579
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin
#15. Cambodia
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 2,418
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
National
- Number of residents: 149,486
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #47 most common country of origin
#14. Canada
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 2,497
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
National
- Number of residents: 817,885
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%
- #11 most common country of origin
#13. Italy
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 2,637
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
National
- Number of residents: 326,407
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
- #30 most common country of origin
#12. Mexico
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 3,143
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.1%
National
- Number of residents: 10,924,662
- Percent of foreign born residents: 24.8%
- #1 most common country of origin
#11. Nigeria
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 3,160
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.1%
National
- Number of residents: 366,534
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #26 most common country of origin
#10. Liberia
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 3,199
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
National
- Number of residents: 92,283
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #68 most common country of origin
#9. Haiti
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 3,509
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
National
- Number of residents: 667,432
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #14 most common country of origin
#8. Azores Islands
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 3,980
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.7%
National
- Number of residents: 28,260
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #112 most common country of origin
#7. China
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 4,667
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
National
- Number of residents: 2,184,189
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin
#6. Colombia
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 6,011
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.1%
National
- Number of residents: 792,579
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #12 most common country of origin
#5. Cabo Verde
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 6,987
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.7%
National
- Number of residents: 41,236
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #96 most common country of origin
#4. India
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 7,089
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.8%
National
- Number of residents: 2,618,558
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.9%
- #2 most common country of origin
#3. Guatemala
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 14,065
- Percent of foreign born residents: 9.5%
National
- Number of residents: 964,528
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin
#2. Portugal
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 16,483
- Percent of foreign born residents: 11.1%
National
- Number of residents: 172,739
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #45 most common country of origin
#1. Dominican Republic
Rhode Island
- Number of residents: 27,822
- Percent of foreign born residents: 18.8%
National
- Number of residents: 1,125,208
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.6%
- #8 most common country of origin