Biggest sources of immigrants to Washington
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 Washington 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. Venezuela
Washington
- Number of residents: 2,565
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 394,365
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #22 most common country of origin
#49. Fiji
Washington
- Number of residents: 2,607
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 46,663
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #92 most common country of origin
#48. Saudi Arabia
Washington
- Number of residents: 2,614
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 76,837
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #74 most common country of origin
#47. Malaysia
Washington
- Number of residents: 2,651
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 78,179
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #73 most common country of origin
#46. Bulgaria
Washington
- Number of residents: 2,720
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
- Number of residents: 72,023
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #76 most common country of origin
#45. Kazakhstan
Washington
- Number of residents: 2,750
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 32,757
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #108 most common country of origin
#44. Israel
Washington
- Number of residents: 2,777
- 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
#43. South Africa
Washington
- Number of residents: 2,794
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 108,650
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #58 most common country of origin
#42. Micronesia
Washington
- Number of residents: 2,795
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 30,841
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #110 most common country of origin
#41. Cuba
Washington
- Number of residents: 3,195
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 1,314,570
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
- #7 most common country of origin
#40. Bosnia and Herzegovina
Washington
- Number of residents: 3,238
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 102,942
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #59 most common country of origin
#39. Turkey
Washington
- Number of residents: 3,295
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 126,351
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #53 most common country of origin
#38. Netherlands
Washington
- Number of residents: 3,607
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 83,275
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #71 most common country of origin
#37. Belarus
Washington
- Number of residents: 3,742
- 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
#36. Indonesia
Washington
- Number of residents: 3,981
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 96,337
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #64 most common country of origin
#35. Honduras
Washington
- Number of residents: 4,391
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 649,209
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #15 most common country of origin
#34. Poland
Washington
- Number of residents: 4,419
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 411,750
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #20 most common country of origin
#33. Afghanistan
Washington
- Number of residents: 4,489
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 111,234
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #57 most common country of origin
#32. France
Washington
- Number of residents: 4,581
- 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
#31. Australia
Washington
- Number of residents: 4,663
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 96,235
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #65 most common country of origin
#30. Peru
Washington
- Number of residents: 4,735
- 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
#29. Colombia
Washington
- Number of residents: 4,912
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 792,579
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #12 most common country of origin
#28. Moldova
Washington
- Number of residents: 4,918
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 48,216
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #90 most common country of origin
#27. Eritrea
Washington
- Number of residents: 4,945
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 49,710
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #89 most common country of origin
#26. Iraq
Washington
- Number of residents: 4,970
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 229,309
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #39 most common country of origin
#25. Pakistan
Washington
- Number of residents: 5,653
- 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
#24. Laos
Washington
- Number of residents: 5,854
- 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
#23. Brazil
Washington
- Number of residents: 6,907
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 474,723
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
- #17 most common country of origin
#22. Romania
Washington
- Number of residents: 7,161
- 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
#21. Somalia
Washington
- Number of residents: 7,593
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 96,898
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #63 most common country of origin
#20. Hong Kong
Washington
- Number of residents: 8,416
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 232,202
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #38 most common country of origin
#19. Kenya
Washington
- Number of residents: 9,404
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 145,272
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #49 most common country of origin
#18. Thailand
Washington
- Number of residents: 9,504
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 256,436
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #34 most common country of origin
#17. Iran
Washington
- Number of residents: 9,506
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 389,383
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #23 most common country of origin
#16. Cambodia
Washington
- Number of residents: 11,226
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
- Number of residents: 149,486
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #47 most common country of origin
#15. Guatemala
Washington
- Number of residents: 12,159
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
National
- Number of residents: 964,528
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin
#14. El Salvador
Washington
- Number of residents: 12,326
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
National
- Number of residents: 1,370,579
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin
#13. Taiwan
Washington
- Number of residents: 15,360
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.4%
National
- Number of residents: 378,942
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #25 most common country of origin
#12. Germany
Washington
- Number of residents: 18,309
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
National
- Number of residents: 549,073
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
- #16 most common country of origin
#11. Japan
Washington
- Number of residents: 18,672
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
National
- Number of residents: 346,149
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #28 most common country of origin
#10. Russia
Washington
- Number of residents: 20,046
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
National
- Number of residents: 397,214
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #21 most common country of origin
#9. Ethiopia
Washington
- Number of residents: 20,174
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%
National
- Number of residents: 260,577
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #33 most common country of origin
#8. Ukraine
Washington
- Number of residents: 34,277
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
National
- Number of residents: 358,823
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #27 most common country of origin
#7. Canada
Washington
- Number of residents: 46,838
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.3%
National
- Number of residents: 817,885
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%
- #11 most common country of origin
#6. South Korea
Washington
- Number of residents: 48,595
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
National
- Number of residents: 1,048,588
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
- #9 most common country of origin
#5. Vietnam
Washington
- Number of residents: 58,322
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.4%
National
- Number of residents: 1,354,391
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #6 most common country of origin
#4. Philippines
Washington
- Number of residents: 71,552
- Percent of foreign born residents: 6.6%
National
- Number of residents: 1,967,140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin
#3. China
Washington
- Number of residents: 76,201
- Percent of foreign born residents: 7.0%
National
- Number of residents: 2,184,189
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin
#2. India
Washington
- Number of residents: 88,520
- Percent of foreign born residents: 8.1%
National
- Number of residents: 2,618,558
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.9%
- #2 most common country of origin
#1. Mexico
Washington
- Number of residents: 241,393
- Percent of foreign born residents: 22.2%
National
- Number of residents: 10,924,662
- Percent of foreign born residents: 24.8%
- #1 most common country of origin
