For the first time in U.S. history, immigration was the sole factor behind the country's population growth in a single year, according to a study released Wednesday by the Migration Policy Institute.
Based on U.S. Census Bureau data from 2022-2023, the MPI report attributes this shift to declining birth rates among American-born residents.
The U.S. population grew solely due to immigration between 2022 and 2023, marking a historic first, according to the MPI's analysis of census data. The study found that the U.S. immigrant population increased by 1.6 million, reaching a record 47.8 million people, or 14.3% of the total population.
"Recent MPI work shows that immigrants and their U.S.-born children are projected to account for all future U.S. labor force growth over the coming decades, which is a finding that should be of interest to policymakers, employers, educators, and others," said Jeanne Batalova, an MPI senior policy analyst and demographer.
The Census Bureau has tracked immigration trends since 1850, recording fluctuations from the early 1900s boom to the mid-century decline and the steady increase from the 1970s onward.
The latest findings highlight the significant role immigration plays amid a nationwide decline in birth rates. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, birth rates among women aged 20-24 reached a record low in 2023, with an overall decline for women between 20 and 39.
These demographic changes are shaping the U.S. workforce.
A study by the National Foundation for American Policy found that in 2023, more immigrants were entering the workforce than American-born individuals, driven by an aging population and decreasing birth rates. Immigrants made up approximately 18% of the total workforce that year.
A separate study by the Center for Immigration Studies estimates that as of January 2025, the immigrant population has risen further to 15.8% of the total U.S. population.
Mexicans remain the largest immigrant group, comprising 23% of the total foreign-born population, followed by Indians at 6% and Chinese at 5%. The fastest-growing immigrant groups come from Central and South America, the Philippines, Nigeria, and Afghanistan.
The CIS study also found that nearly three-quarters of U.S. immigrants in 2023 had legal status, with 49% becoming U.S. citizens and 19% holding green cards. The proportion of children living with at least one immigrant parent has doubled since 1990, rising from 13% to 26%.
The immigrant population remains concentrated in major urban areas. New York City has the largest total number of immigrants at 5.9 million, while Miami has the highest percentage at 42%, while Texas and Florida continue to see the greatest numerical growth.
Steven Camarota, CIS director of research, emphasized the scale of the shift, saying, "The new data is not only more up to date, and therefore better reflects the migrant surge, it is the first government survey to reflect the reweighting the Census Bureau did to reflect that surge better. The total foreign-born is now 53.3, not 47.8 million. And the percent of the U.S. population is a record 15.8%."
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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