Biggest sources of immigrants to Illinois
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 Illinois 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. Haiti
Illinois
- Number of residents: 4,192
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 667,432
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #14 most common country of origin
#49. Argentina
Illinois
- Number of residents: 4,260
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 193,056
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #41 most common country of origin
#48. Ethiopia
Illinois
- Number of residents: 4,370
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 260,577
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #33 most common country of origin
#47. Israel
Illinois
- Number of residents: 4,665
- 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
#46. Belize
Illinois
- Number of residents: 4,705
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 46,339
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #93 most common country of origin
#45. Czechoslovakia (includes Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Illinois
- Number of residents: 5,106
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 65,849
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #79 most common country of origin
#44. Hong Kong
Illinois
- Number of residents: 5,116
- 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
#43. France
Illinois
- Number of residents: 5,152
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 181,242
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #42 most common country of origin
#42. Albania
Illinois
- Number of residents: 5,258
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 94,808
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #66 most common country of origin
#41. Belarus
Illinois
- Number of residents: 5,893
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 66,681
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #78 most common country of origin
#40. Venezuela
Illinois
- Number of residents: 5,902
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 394,365
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #22 most common country of origin
#39. Egypt
Illinois
- Number of residents: 6,255
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 202,049
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #40 most common country of origin
#38. Iran
Illinois
- Number of residents: 6,397
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 389,383
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #23 most common country of origin
#37. Ghana
Illinois
- Number of residents: 6,760
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 180,675
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #43 most common country of origin
#36. Ireland
Illinois
- Number of residents: 6,768
- 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
#35. Serbia
Illinois
- Number of residents: 6,857
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 37,679
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #98 most common country of origin
#34. Cuba
Illinois
- Number of residents: 7,162
- 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
#33. Jamaica
Illinois
- Number of residents: 7,282
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 760,486
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #13 most common country of origin
#32. Taiwan
Illinois
- Number of residents: 7,498
- 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
#31. Thailand
Illinois
- Number of residents: 7,588
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 256,436
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #34 most common country of origin
#30. Syria
Illinois
- Number of residents: 7,785
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 102,884
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #60 most common country of origin
#29. Brazil
Illinois
- Number of residents: 7,812
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 474,723
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
- #17 most common country of origin
#28. Peru
Illinois
- Number of residents: 8,484
- 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
#27. Jordan
Illinois
- Number of residents: 9,041
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 83,160
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #72 most common country of origin
#26. Bosnia and Herzegovina
Illinois
- Number of residents: 10,037
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 102,942
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #59 most common country of origin
#25. El Salvador
Illinois
- Number of residents: 10,097
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 1,370,579
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin
#24. Lithuania
Illinois
- Number of residents: 10,130
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 34,321
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #102 most common country of origin
#23. Honduras
Illinois
- Number of residents: 11,022
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 649,209
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #15 most common country of origin
#22. Japan
Illinois
- Number of residents: 11,282
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 346,149
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #28 most common country of origin
#21. Greece
Illinois
- Number of residents: 12,031
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 124,428
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #54 most common country of origin
#20. Bulgaria
Illinois
- Number of residents: 13,343
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 72,023
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #76 most common country of origin
#19. Iraq
Illinois
- Number of residents: 13,587
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 229,309
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #39 most common country of origin
#18. Colombia
Illinois
- Number of residents: 14,683
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 792,579
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #12 most common country of origin
#17. Romania
Illinois
- Number of residents: 15,508
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 163,817
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #46 most common country of origin
#16. Italy
Illinois
- Number of residents: 16,421
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 326,407
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
- #30 most common country of origin
#15. Ecuador
Illinois
- Number of residents: 16,702
- 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
#14. Russia
Illinois
- Number of residents: 17,583
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
- Number of residents: 397,214
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #21 most common country of origin
#13. Nigeria
Illinois
- Number of residents: 17,717
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
- Number of residents: 366,534
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #26 most common country of origin
#12. Canada
Illinois
- Number of residents: 18,792
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
National
- Number of residents: 817,885
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%
- #11 most common country of origin
#11. Germany
Illinois
- Number of residents: 18,849
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
National
- Number of residents: 549,073
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
- #16 most common country of origin
#10. Guatemala
Illinois
- Number of residents: 23,924
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%
National
- Number of residents: 964,528
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin
#9. Vietnam
Illinois
- Number of residents: 24,036
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.4%
National
- Number of residents: 1,354,391
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #6 most common country of origin
#8. Ukraine
Illinois
- Number of residents: 26,433
- 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
#7. Pakistan
Illinois
- Number of residents: 30,343
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
National
- Number of residents: 385,873
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #24 most common country of origin
#6. South Korea
Illinois
- Number of residents: 39,132
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
National
- Number of residents: 1,048,588
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
- #9 most common country of origin
#5. China
Illinois
- Number of residents: 75,225
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.2%
National
- Number of residents: 2,184,189
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin
#4. Philippines
Illinois
- Number of residents: 88,628
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.0%
National
- Number of residents: 1,967,140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin
#3. Poland
Illinois
- Number of residents: 125,468
- Percent of foreign born residents: 7.1%
National
- Number of residents: 411,750
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #20 most common country of origin
#2. India
Illinois
- Number of residents: 160,575
- Percent of foreign born residents: 9.1%
National
- Number of residents: 2,618,558
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.9%
- #2 most common country of origin
#1. Mexico
Illinois
- Number of residents: 623,058
- Percent of foreign born residents: 35.1%
National
- Number of residents: 10,924,662
- Percent of foreign born residents: 24.8%
- #1 most common country of origin
