Foreign Born in Missouri
The percentage of the population that was foreign born was 3.4 percent in Missouri in 2005, according to the U.S. Census’ American Community Survey (ACS), a new and more timely people count than the decennial census. That percentage was 2.7 percent in 2000, and 1.6 percent in 1990.
How the States Ranked
Missouri ranks 41st in percentage of foreign born. Only
Louisiana, Alabama, Kentucky, South
Dakota, Wyoming, North Dakota, Montana, Mississippi and West
Virginia (just 1.1 percent) rank lower. The percent of the
nation as a whole that was foreign born in 2005 was 12.4 percent.
The top state is
California, where almost a third of the population is foreign born.
|
Top Ten States, % Foreign Born |
||
|
1 |
California |
27.2 |
|
2 |
New York |
21.4 |
|
3 |
New Jersey |
19.5 |
|
4 |
Florida |
18.5 |
|
5 |
Nevada |
17.4 |
|
6 |
Hawaii |
17.2 |
|
7 |
Texas |
15.9 |
|
8 |
Arizona |
14.5 |
|
9 |
Massachusetts |
14.4 |
|
10 |
Illinois |
13.6 |
More than 1 in 3 residents living in Los Angeles (40.3 percent), San Jose (37.9) and New York (36.6) were not U.S. citizens at birth.
How Missouri Ranked
Kansas City (7.4 percent) and St. Louis (6.7) were at approximately
half the national average; Springfield, at 2.8 percent, well below.
The city with the largest percentage of foreign born population was
Columbia, at 7.9 percent.
No Missouri county has as high a percentage of foreign-born population as Columbia. In Missouri, as in the nation, the foreign-born population resides largely in metropolitan areas. St. Louis County’s percentage is 6.3, Boone’s is 6.0 and Jackson’s 5.7.
|
Percent Foreign Born, Select Missouri Counties* |
|
|
St. Louis City |
6.7 |
|
St. Louis |
6.3 |
|
Boone |
6.0 |
|
Jackson |
5.7 |
|
Platte |
4.7 |
|
Clay |
3.8 |
|
Jasper |
3.1 |
|
Greene |
2.5 |
|
St. Charles |
2.4 |
|
Cass |
1.8 |
|
Cape Girardeau |
1.5 |
|
Jefferson |
1.3 |
|
Christian |
1.2 |
|
Cole |
1.2 |
|
Buchanan |
0.9 |
|
Franklin |
0.7 |
|
* The ACS has to date fully surveyed only 15 counties plus St. Louis City. |
|
Further ACS Population Data
Further ACS analysis reveals that 12.1
percent of Americans are now over aged 65, and the median age has
reached 36.4 years – the oldest ever. Missourians are older still:
The median age of Missourians in 2005 was 37.4, and 12.8 percent are
over age 65. These trends show no sign of abating.
About the ACS
The American Community Survey is designed to provide more timely
and updated information about the nation’s changing and diverse
population every year. Without the ACS, this type of information —
historically gathered just once a decade — would not be available
for communities until 2012. The
survey is limited to households and excludes those living in
institutions, college dormitories and other group quarters.
The ACS is on the web at http://www.census.gov/acs/www/
Source: U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census and 2005 American Community Survey
