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.
#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
#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
#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
#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
#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
#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
#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
#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
#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
#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
