Biggest Sources of Immigrants to South Carolina

Canva

Biggest sources of immigrants to South Carolina

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 South Carolina 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.

You may also like: Metros in South Carolina that are best for nurses

#50. Iraq

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 740
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 229,309
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #39 most common country of origin

#49. Portugal

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 788
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 172,739
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #45 most common country of origin

#48. Guyana

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 790
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 273,368
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #32 most common country of origin

#47. Bolivia

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 809
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 75,533
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #75 most common country of origin

#46. Israel

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 842
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 139,083
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #51 most common country of origin

You may also like: Cheddar cheese, ham, and other groceries that dropped in price in the South last month

#45. Kenya

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 857
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 145,272
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #49 most common country of origin

#44. Nicaragua

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 876
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 244,405
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #35 most common country of origin

#43. Haiti

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 944
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 667,432
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #14 most common country of origin

#42. Ireland

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 999
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 122,010
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #55 most common country of origin

#41. Greece

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,053
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 124,428
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #54 most common country of origin

You may also like: Movies and TV shows casting in South Carolina

#40. Trinidad and Tobago

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,085
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 233,024
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #37 most common country of origin

#39. Cambodia

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,115
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 149,486
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #47 most common country of origin

#38. Taiwan

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,197
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 378,942
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #25 most common country of origin

#37. Laos

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,230
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 179,004
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #44 most common country of origin

#36. Argentina

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,232
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 193,056
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #41 most common country of origin

You may also like: These 10 car insurers have the highest market share in South Carolina

#35. Pakistan

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,245
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 385,873
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #24 most common country of origin

#34. Iran

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,257
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 389,383
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #23 most common country of origin

#33. Spain

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,282
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 118,177
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #56 most common country of origin

#32. Italy

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,295
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 326,407
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
- #30 most common country of origin

#31. Nigeria

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,327
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 366,534
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #26 most common country of origin

You may also like: Counties with the worst droughts in South Carolina

#30. South Africa

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,349
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 108,650
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #58 most common country of origin

#29. Panama

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,377
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 101,520
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #61 most common country of origin

#28. Egypt

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,386
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 202,049
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #40 most common country of origin

#27. Peru

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,421
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 451,666
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #18 most common country of origin

#26. Costa Rica

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,443
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 89,462
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #69 most common country of origin

You may also like: Fastest-growing jobs in South Carolina

#25. Thailand

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,697
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 256,436
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #34 most common country of origin

#24. Romania

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,767
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 163,817
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #46 most common country of origin

#23. Dominican Republic

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,774
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 1,125,208
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.6%
- #8 most common country of origin

#22. Poland

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 1,848
- 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

#21. France

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 2,016
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 181,242
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #42 most common country of origin

You may also like: How opioid prescriptions to Medicaid patients in South Carolina stack up

#20. Ecuador

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 2,365
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 440,337
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #19 most common country of origin

#19. Japan

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 2,377
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 346,149
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #28 most common country of origin

#18. Venezuela

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 2,727
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
- Number of residents: 394,365
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #22 most common country of origin

#17. El Salvador

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 3,037
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
National
- Number of residents: 1,370,579
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin

#16. Russia

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 3,563
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.4%
National
- Number of residents: 397,214
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #21 most common country of origin

You may also like: How many people are receiving substance use treatment in South Carolina

#15. Cuba

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 3,641
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.4%
National
- Number of residents: 1,314,570
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
- #7 most common country of origin

#14. Ukraine

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 3,977
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
National
- Number of residents: 358,823
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #27 most common country of origin

#13. Brazil

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 4,428
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
National
- Number of residents: 474,723
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
- #17 most common country of origin

#12. South Korea

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 4,787
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
National
- Number of residents: 1,048,588
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
- #9 most common country of origin

#11. Jamaica

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 5,895
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
National
- Number of residents: 760,486
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #13 most common country of origin

You may also like: South Carolina small businesses thrive in these counties

#10. Vietnam

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 6,542
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.5%
National
- Number of residents: 1,354,391
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #6 most common country of origin

#9. Canada

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 8,059
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
National
- Number of residents: 817,885
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%
- #11 most common country of origin

#8. Guatemala

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 9,067
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.4%
National
- Number of residents: 964,528
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin

#7. Germany

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 9,185
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.5%
National
- Number of residents: 549,073
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
- #16 most common country of origin

#6. China

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 9,555
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.6%
National
- Number of residents: 2,184,189
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin

You may also like: Highest-rated things to do in South Carolina, according to Tripadvisor

#5. Colombia

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 10,619
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.0%
National
- Number of residents: 792,579
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #12 most common country of origin

#4. Philippines

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 10,811
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.1%
National
- Number of residents: 1,967,140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin

#3. Honduras

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 11,724
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
National
- Number of residents: 649,209
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #15 most common country of origin

#2. India

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 16,193
- Percent of foreign born residents: 6.2%
National
- Number of residents: 2,618,558
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.9%
- #2 most common country of origin

#1. Mexico

South Carolina
- Number of residents: 62,638
- Percent of foreign born residents: 23.8%
National
- Number of residents: 10,924,662
- Percent of foreign born residents: 24.8%
- #1 most common country of origin

You may also like: Counties receiving the most SBA loans in South Carolina