Biggest sources of immigrants to Milwaukee
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 Milwaukee come from, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by highest number of foreign-born residents who lived in Milwaukee as of 2019's five-year estimates.
Keep reading to find out more about the immigrant community in your home city.
#50. Austria
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 308
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 43,103
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #92 most common country of origin
#49. Belarus
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 332
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 63,642
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #78 most common country of origin
#48. El Salvador
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 335
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 1,381,008
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin
#47. Israel
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 359
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 135,672
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #50 most common country of origin
#46. Netherlands
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 361
- 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. Romania
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 362
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 162,046
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #45 most common country of origin
#44. Nicaragua
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 390
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 251,913
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #33 most common country of origin
#43. Hungary
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 394
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
- Number of residents: 65,873
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #77 most common country of origin
#42. Japan
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 402
- 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
#41. Peru
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 416
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 451,076
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #18 most common country of origin
#40. Honduras
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 431
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 651,123
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #16 most common country of origin
#39. Taiwan
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 440
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 381,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #24 most common country of origin
#38. Brazil
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 457
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 433,479
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #20 most common country of origin
#37. Czechoslovakia (includes Czech Republic and Slovakia)
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 492
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 66,818
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #76 most common country of origin
#36. Serbia
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 494
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 37,570
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #96 most common country of origin
#35. Greece
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 514
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
- Number of residents: 129,765
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #51 most common country of origin
#34. Ghana
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 532
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 178,388
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #43 most common country of origin
#33. Kenya
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 550
- 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
#32. Malaysia
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 557
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 76,521
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #74 most common country of origin
#31. Somalia
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 617
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 98,966
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #60 most common country of origin
#30. Croatia
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 624
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 37,176
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #97 most common country of origin
#29. Bosnia and Herzegovina
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 636
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 103,938
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #57 most common country of origin
#28. Iran
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 638
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
- Number of residents: 382,260
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #23 most common country of origin
#27. Cuba
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 640
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
- Number of residents: 1,289,875
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.9%
- #7 most common country of origin
#26. Albania
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 797
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 89,911
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #65 most common country of origin
#25. Jordan
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 816
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 81,155
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #71 most common country of origin
#24. Dominican Republic
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 869
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
- Number of residents: 1,118,147
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.5%
- #8 most common country of origin
#23. Italy
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 872
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 332,857
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #30 most common country of origin
#22. Colombia
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 885
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 761,374
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #12 most common country of origin
#21. Guatemala
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 921
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 979,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin
#20. Iraq
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 957
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
National
- Number of residents: 225,038
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #38 most common country of origin
#19. Nigeria
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,090
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
- Number of residents: 350,272
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #26 most common country of origin
#18. Jamaica
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,108
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
- Number of residents: 741,386
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #13 most common country of origin
#17. Saudi Arabia
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,180
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
- Number of residents: 85,000
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #70 most common country of origin
#16. Ukraine
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,202
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
- Number of residents: 345,250
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #28 most common country of origin
#15. Vietnam
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,227
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
National
- Number of residents: 1,336,988
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
- #6 most common country of origin
#14. Canada
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,642
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.4%
National
- Number of residents: 808,566
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #11 most common country of origin
#13. Poland
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,696
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
National
- Number of residents: 410,841
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #21 most common country of origin
#12. Russia
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,858
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
National
- Number of residents: 391,641
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #22 most common country of origin
#11. Pakistan
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,908
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
National
- Number of residents: 376,127
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #25 most common country of origin
#10. United Kingdom
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,022
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
National
- Number of residents: 698,612
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
- #14 most common country of origin
#9. South Korea
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,167
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%
National
- Number of residents: 1,044,634
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
- #9 most common country of origin
#8. Philippines
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,400
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.1%
National
- Number of residents: 1,983,939
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin
#7. Burma
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,177
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.7%
National
- Number of residents: 147,573
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #47 most common country of origin
#6. Germany
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,586
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
National
- Number of residents: 560,368
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%
- #17 most common country of origin
#5. Laos
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,616
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
National
- Number of residents: 181,546
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #42 most common country of origin
#4. Thailand
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,866
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.3%
National
- Number of residents: 255,345
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #32 most common country of origin
#3. China
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 5,183
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
National
- Number of residents: 2,162,395
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin
#2. India
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 12,107
- Percent of foreign born residents: 10.4%
National
- Number of residents: 2,561,906
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.8%
- #2 most common country of origin
#1. Mexico
Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI Metro Area
- Number of residents: 35,877
- Percent of foreign born residents: 30.9%
National
- Number of residents: 11,250,541
- Percent of foreign born residents: 25.6%
- #1 most common country of origin