Key findings about Black immigrants in the US

Deporting individuals to countries in Asia and Africa is highly challenging due to the vast distances and the refusal of many nations to provide consent. Credit: John Moore/Getty Images.

Sep 25, 2024 Story by: Editor

Black immigrants have played a vital role in expanding and diversifying the overall Black population in the United States. A new report by the Pew Research Center delves into the size, characteristics, and future growth of this population. Here are some key findings:

1. One-in-ten Black people in the U.S. are immigrants: By 2019, the number of Black immigrants in the U.S. reached 4.6 million, a significant rise from approximately 800,000 in 1980. This surge contributed to 19% of the growth in the Black population, which increased by 20 million during the same time. It is projected that Black immigrants will make up around one-third of the Black population’s growth by 2060.

2. Many Black Americans have recent immigrant ties: Besides the 12% of Black people who were born abroad, about 9% are second-generation Americans—those born in the U.S. with at least one foreign-born parent. Together, these groups form 21% of the overall Black population, a figure comparable to the general U.S. population but lower than among Hispanics and Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders.

3. A majority of Black immigrants arrived after 2000: 58% of Black immigrants came to the U.S. after 2000, with 31% arriving between 2010 and 2019. This is slightly higher than the overall U.S. immigrant population, of which about half arrived after 2000. Among Black immigrants, African-born individuals stand out, with three-quarters arriving in 2000 or later, including 43% between 2010 and 2019. Immigrants from the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico, and South America, on average, arrived earlier than African-born counterparts, with most arriving before 2000.

4. Africa is driving growth in Black immigrants, but the Caribbean remains dominant: In 2019, immigrants from Africa and the Caribbean made up 88% of all Black foreign-born individuals in the U.S. While the number of Black African immigrants grew by 246% between 2000 and 2019—from around 600,000 to 2.0 million—Caribbean immigrants still represent the largest group, making up 46% of the U.S. Black immigrant population.

5. Jamaica and Haiti are the leading origin countries: In 2019, Jamaica and Haiti accounted for 31% of the U.S. Black immigrant population (16% from Jamaica and 15% from Haiti). This share is down from 39% in 2000, reflecting increased diversity among Black immigrants. Nigeria and Ethiopia followed as major origin countries for Black African immigrants, with around 390,000 and 260,000 immigrants, respectively. Together, the top 10 origin countries, all in Africa and the Caribbean, made up 66% of the U.S. Black immigrant population in 2019.

6. Educational attainment is rising among Black immigrants: Between 2000 and 2019, the share of Black immigrants with a college degree or higher grew significantly. In 2019, nearly a third (31%) of Black immigrants aged 25 and older had at least a bachelor’s degree, up from 21% in 2000. This 10-percentage point rise outpaced the growth among the Black U.S.-born population (8 points), the overall U.S.-born population (9 points), and the entire immigrant population (9 points). Black immigrants earn degrees at nearly the same rate as all U.S. immigrants (31% vs. 33%).

7. New York City has the largest Black immigrant population: In 2019, New York City was home to 1.1 million Black immigrants, making it the largest metropolitan area for this population. Miami followed with 490,000 Black immigrants, and the Washington, D.C. area had 260,000. Other notable metro areas for Black immigrants include Atlanta, Boston, Houston, and Dallas. Some cities have large populations from specific countries; for example, 35% of the nation’s Black Jamaican immigrants live in the New York City metro area, and over 35% of Black Haitian immigrants reside in the Miami area. Additionally, around 20% of Ethiopian immigrants are located in the Washington, D.C. area.
Regionally, in 2019, the majority of Black immigrants lived in the South (42%) or Northeast (36%), with smaller shares residing in the West and Midwest (each home to roughly 10% of the population). Source: PewResearch