Biggest sources of immigrants to Knoxville
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 Knoxville come from, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by highest number of foreign-born residents who lived in Knoxville as of 2019's five-year estimates.
Keep reading to find out more about the immigrant community in your home city.
#50. Nigeria
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 105
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 350,272
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #26 most common country of origin
#48 (tie). Bolivia
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 111
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 78,927
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #72 most common country of origin
#48 (tie). Turkey
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 111
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 119,380
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #54 most common country of origin
#47. Greece
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 115
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 129,765
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #51 most common country of origin
#46. Netherlands
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 118
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 85,161
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #69 most common country of origin
#45. Nepal
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 119
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 140,904
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #49 most common country of origin
#44. Egypt
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 120
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 191,452
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #40 most common country of origin
#42 (tie). Israel
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 131
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 135,672
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #50 most common country of origin
#42 (tie). Syria
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 131
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 95,802
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #63 most common country of origin
#41. Uganda
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 132
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 31,366
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #105 most common country of origin
#40. Australia
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 148
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 92,483
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #64 most common country of origin
#39. Malaysia
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 152
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 76,521
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #74 most common country of origin
#38. Poland
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 153
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 410,841
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #21 most common country of origin
#36 (tie). Argentina
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 154
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 194,435
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #39 most common country of origin
#36 (tie). Jordan
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 154
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 81,155
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #71 most common country of origin
#35. France
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 158
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 181,554
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #41 most common country of origin
#34. Saudi Arabia
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 161
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 85,000
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #70 most common country of origin
#33. Peru
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 166
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 451,076
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #18 most common country of origin
#32. Czechoslovakia (includes Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 168
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 66,818
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #76 most common country of origin
#31. Kenya
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 175
- 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
#30. Bangladesh
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 192
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 237,288
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #35 most common country of origin
#29. South Africa
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 204
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 104,022
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #56 most common country of origin
#28. Moldova
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 210
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 45,661
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #89 most common country of origin
#27. Pakistan
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 221
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 376,127
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #25 most common country of origin
#26. Thailand
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 223
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 255,345
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #32 most common country of origin
#25. Ethiopia
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 243
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 249,777
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #34 most common country of origin
#24. Ukraine
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 246
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 345,250
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #28 most common country of origin
#23. Brazil
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 248
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 433,479
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #20 most common country of origin
#22. Iran
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 271
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 382,260
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #23 most common country of origin
#21. Sweden
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 290
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 47,286
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #85 most common country of origin
#20. Venezuela
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 370
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
National
- Number of residents: 349,720
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #27 most common country of origin
#19. Colombia
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 503
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.4%
National
- Number of residents: 761,374
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #12 most common country of origin
#18. Taiwan
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 518
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
National
- Number of residents: 381,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #24 most common country of origin
#17. Japan
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 551
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
National
- Number of residents: 345,140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #29 most common country of origin
#16. Cuba
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 569
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
National
- Number of residents: 1,289,875
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.9%
- #7 most common country of origin
#15. Romania
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 582
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
National
- Number of residents: 162,046
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #45 most common country of origin
#14. Russia
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 709
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.0%
National
- Number of residents: 391,641
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #22 most common country of origin
#13. El Salvador
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 811
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.3%
National
- Number of residents: 1,381,008
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin
#12. Iraq
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 817
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
National
- Number of residents: 225,038
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #38 most common country of origin
#11. Honduras
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 882
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.5%
National
- Number of residents: 651,123
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #16 most common country of origin
#10. Vietnam
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 883
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.5%
National
- Number of residents: 1,336,988
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
- #6 most common country of origin
#9. Philippines
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,069
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
National
- Number of residents: 1,983,939
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin
#8. Canada
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,102
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.2%
National
- Number of residents: 808,566
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #11 most common country of origin
#7. South Korea
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,185
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.4%
National
- Number of residents: 1,044,634
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
- #9 most common country of origin
#6. Germany
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,315
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.8%
National
- Number of residents: 560,368
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%
- #17 most common country of origin
#5. United Kingdom
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,404
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.0%
National
- Number of residents: 698,612
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
- #14 most common country of origin
#4. Guatemala
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,471
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.2%
National
- Number of residents: 979,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin
#3. China
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,891
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.4%
National
- Number of residents: 2,162,395
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin
#2. India
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,239
- Percent of foreign born residents: 6.4%
National
- Number of residents: 2,561,906
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.8%
- #2 most common country of origin
#1. Mexico
Knoxville, TN Metro Area
- Number of residents: 7,559
- Percent of foreign born residents: 21.8%
National
- Number of residents: 11,250,541
- Percent of foreign born residents: 25.6%
- #1 most common country of origin
