Biggest sources of immigrants to Roanoke

Written by:
April 21, 2022
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Biggest sources of immigrants to Roanoke

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 Roanoke come from, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by highest number of foreign-born residents who lived in Roanoke 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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#40. Laos

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 70
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 181,546
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #42 most common country of origin

#39. Greece

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 81
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 129,765
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #51 most common country of origin

#38. Iran

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 82
- 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

#37. Panama

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 83
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

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

#36. Singapore

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 84
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

National
- Number of residents: 34,014
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #101 most common country of origin

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#35. Ethiopia

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 90
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

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

#34. Spain

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 95
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

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

#33. Sudan

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 98
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

National
- Number of residents: 46,716
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #87 most common country of origin

#32. Russia

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 106
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

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

#31. Netherlands

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 118
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%

National
- Number of residents: 85,161
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #69 most common country of origin

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#30. Bolivia

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%

National
- Number of residents: 78,927
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #72 most common country of origin

#29. Colombia

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 154
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%

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

#28. Egypt

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 157
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%

National
- Number of residents: 191,452
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #40 most common country of origin

#27. Japan

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 169
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%

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

#26. Venezuela

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 171
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%

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

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#25. Ecuador

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 177
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%

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

#24. El Salvador

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 182
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%

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

#22 (tie). Brazil

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 189
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%

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

#22 (tie). Trinidad and Tobago

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 189
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%

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

#21. Jamaica

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 190
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%

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

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#20. Congo

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 211
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.4%

National
- Number of residents: 30,496
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #106 most common country of origin

#19. Guatemala

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 212
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.4%

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

#18. Peru

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 225
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%

National
- Number of residents: 451,076
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #18 most common country of origin

#17. Afghanistan

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 231
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%

National
- Number of residents: 101,548
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #59 most common country of origin

#16. Iraq

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 241
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%

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

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#15. South Korea

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 248
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%

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

#14. Nepal

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 284
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%

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

#13. Pakistan

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 293
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.0%

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

#12. Haiti

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 308
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.1%

National
- Number of residents: 672,655
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #15 most common country of origin

#11. Vietnam

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 360
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%

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

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#10. United Kingdom

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 381
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.6%

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

#9. Germany

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 402
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.7%

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

#8. Bosnia and Herzegovina

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 479
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.2%

National
- Number of residents: 103,938
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #57 most common country of origin

#7. Canada

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 550
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.7%

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

#6. Cuba

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 592
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.0%

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

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#5. Honduras

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 665
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%

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

#4. Philippines

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 752
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.1%

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

#3. China

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 928
- Percent of foreign born residents: 6.2%

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

#2. India

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,141
- Percent of foreign born residents: 7.7%

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

#1. Mexico

Roanoke, VA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,582
- Percent of foreign born residents: 10.6%

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

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