Biggest sources of immigrants to Houston

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April 21, 2022
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Biggest sources of immigrants to Houston

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 Houston come from, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by highest number of foreign-born residents who lived in Houston as of 2019's five-year estimates.

Keep reading to find out more about the immigrant community in your home city.

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#50. Malaysia

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,019
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 76,521
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #74 most common country of origin

#49. South Africa

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,121
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 104,022
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #56 most common country of origin

#48. Nepal

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,223
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 140,904
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #49 most common country of origin

#47. Panama

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,253
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 103,299
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #58 most common country of origin

#46. Jordan

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,335
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 81,155
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #71 most common country of origin

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#45. Spain

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,359
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 115,113
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #55 most common country of origin

#44. Indonesia

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,425
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 96,229
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #62 most common country of origin

#43. Australia

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,459
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 92,483
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #64 most common country of origin

#42. Cameroon

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,582
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 60,120
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #80 most common country of origin

#41. Turkey

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,618
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 119,380
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #54 most common country of origin

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#40. Thailand

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,688
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 255,345
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #32 most common country of origin

#39. Ecuador

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,698
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 438,474
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #19 most common country of origin

#38. Saudi Arabia

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,976
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 85,000
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #70 most common country of origin

#37. Cambodia

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,162
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 151,066
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #46 most common country of origin

#36. France

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,244
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 181,554
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #41 most common country of origin

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#35. Kenya

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,284
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 141,751
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #48 most common country of origin

#34. Hong Kong

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,391
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 231,275
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #36 most common country of origin

#33. Dominican Republic

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,538
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 1,118,147
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.5%
- #8 most common country of origin

#32. Bangladesh

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,645
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 237,288
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #35 most common country of origin

#31. Japan

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,889
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 345,140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #29 most common country of origin

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#30. Argentina

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,913
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 194,435
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #39 most common country of origin

#29. Lebanon

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 5,078
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 121,697
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #52 most common country of origin

#28. Egypt

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 5,289
- 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

#27. Ethiopia

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 5,971
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 249,777
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #34 most common country of origin

#26. Russia

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 6,106
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 391,641
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #22 most common country of origin

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#25. Trinidad and Tobago

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 6,400
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 230,035
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #37 most common country of origin

#24. Peru

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 7,522
- 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

#23. Brazil

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 7,615
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 433,479
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #20 most common country of origin

#22. Germany

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,046
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 560,368
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%
- #17 most common country of origin

#21. Iraq

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,309
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 225,038
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #38 most common country of origin

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#20. Jamaica

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,591
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 741,386
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #13 most common country of origin

#19. Nicaragua

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,721
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 251,913
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #33 most common country of origin

#18. Iran

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 10,282
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

National
- Number of residents: 382,260
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #23 most common country of origin

#17. South Korea

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 11,495
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

National
- Number of residents: 1,044,634
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
- #9 most common country of origin

#16. Taiwan

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 13,230
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%

National
- Number of residents: 381,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #24 most common country of origin

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#15. Canada

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 18,015
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%

National
- Number of residents: 808,566
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #11 most common country of origin

#14. United Kingdom

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 20,349
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%

National
- Number of residents: 698,612
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
- #14 most common country of origin

#13. Venezuela

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 27,632
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%

National
- Number of residents: 349,720
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #27 most common country of origin

#12. Colombia

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 28,104
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%

National
- Number of residents: 761,374
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #12 most common country of origin

#11. Cuba

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 28,902
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%

National
- Number of residents: 1,289,875
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.9%
- #7 most common country of origin

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#10. Pakistan

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 30,729
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%

National
- Number of residents: 376,127
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #25 most common country of origin

#9. Philippines

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 39,544
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.5%

National
- Number of residents: 1,983,939
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin

#8. Guatemala

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 41,586
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.6%

National
- Number of residents: 979,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin

#7. Nigeria

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 43,924
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.7%

National
- Number of residents: 350,272
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #26 most common country of origin

#6. China

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 50,352
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%

National
- Number of residents: 2,162,395
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin

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#5. Honduras

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 69,383
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.3%

National
- Number of residents: 651,123
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #16 most common country of origin

#4. Vietnam

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 90,627
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.6%

National
- Number of residents: 1,336,988
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
- #6 most common country of origin

#3. India

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 90,794
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.6%

National
- Number of residents: 2,561,906
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.8%
- #2 most common country of origin

#2. El Salvador

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 123,387
- Percent of foreign born residents: 7.6%

National
- Number of residents: 1,381,008
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin

#1. Mexico

Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX Metro Area
- Number of residents: 612,515
- Percent of foreign born residents: 38.0%

National
- Number of residents: 11,250,541
- Percent of foreign born residents: 25.6%
- #1 most common country of origin

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