Impact of the North Carolina Foreign-Born Population
North Carolina is the 4th fastest growing state in the nation. That growth is driven by internal migration and the arrival of foreign-born population. These new North Carolinians from other countries are an important and valuable part of the state. The data below highlight the diversity and impact of the foreign-born population, and inform planning and services for all North Carolinians in the future.
Data are for 2020 unless otherwise stated.Economic impact of the foreign-born population is based on the George Washington University Institute of Public Policy "Counting for Dollars: The Role of the Decennial Census in the Geographic Distribution of Federal Funds." |
2020 Total Foriegn-Born Population
Total Foreign-Born Population: | Naturalized US Citizen: | Not US Citizen: |
832,602 | 337,899 | 494,703 |
Foreign-Born Population | 5 Year Percent Change | |
Europe: | 88,497 | 31.45 |
Asia: | 237,088 | 66.95 |
Africa: | 66,169 | 87.97 |
Oceania: | 3,349 | 31.45 |
Central America: | 320,770 | -1.42 |
South America: | 51,849 | 49.21 |
Foreign-Born Population Trend
Foreign-Born Place of Birth
English Proficiency
Foreign-Born Population | Speaks English Less Than "Very Well" | |
Persons Speaking Spanish at Home | 736,886 | 613,634 |
Persons Speaking Chinese (incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) at Home | 37,320 | 31,275 |
Persons Speaking Other Indo-European Languages at Home | 97,199 | 51,709 |
2019 Parents Speak Language Other Than English at Home | 317,170 | 166,194 |