Biggest sources of immigrants to Los Angeles

Written by:
April 4, 2021
Ninara // Wikimedia Commons

Biggest sources of immigrants to Los Angeles

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 Los Angeles come from, using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by highest number of foreign-born residents who lived in Los Angeles as of 2019’s five-year estimates.

Keep reading to find out more about the immigrant community in your home city.

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byvalet // Shutterstock

#50. Jamaica

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 6,472
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%

National
- Number of residents: 741,386
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #13 most common country of origin
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Madrugada Verde // Shutterstock

#49. Sri Lanka

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 6,677
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 52,439
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #83 most common country of origin
3 / 50
Marianna Ianovska // Shutterstock

#48. Chile

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 6,991
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 98,945
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #61 most common country of origin
4 / 50
neiljs // Flickr

#47. Ethiopia

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,283
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 249,777
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #34 most common country of origin
5 / 50
Simon // Pixabay

#46. Australia

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,329
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 92,483
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #64 most common country of origin
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Pixabay

#45. Turkey

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,379
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 119,380
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #54 most common country of origin
7 / 50
Denys Yelmanov // Shutterstock

#44. Bangladesh

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,388
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 237,288
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #35 most common country of origin
8 / 50
Cheng Qian // Unsplash

#43. Burma

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,622
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 147,573
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #47 most common country of origin
9 / 50
HandmadePictures // Shutterstock

#42. South Africa

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,684
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 104,022
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #56 most common country of origin
10 / 50
Nahlik // Shutterstock

#41. Poland

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,713
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 410,841
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #21 most common country of origin
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USACE HQ , JIM GORDAN, CIV, USACE // Wikicommons

#40. Iraq

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 9,205
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 225,038
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #38 most common country of origin
12 / 50
Augustin Lazaroiu // Shutterstock

#39. Romania

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 9,499
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 162,046
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #45 most common country of origin
13 / 50
Pixabay

#38. Italy

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 11,216
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 332,857
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #30 most common country of origin
14 / 50
OpenUpEd // Flickr

#37. Nigeria

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 12,660
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 350,272
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #26 most common country of origin
15 / 50
Michael Shade // Wikicommons

#36. Ecuador

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 13,603
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 438,474
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #19 most common country of origin
16 / 50
Saqib Rizvi // Shutterstock

#35. Pakistan

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 13,699
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 376,127
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #25 most common country of origin
17 / 50
dronepicr // Flickr

#34. Belize

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 13,872
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 48,869
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #84 most common country of origin
18 / 50
Tupungato // Shutterstock

#33. France

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 14,236
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 181,554
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #41 most common country of origin
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Bernard Gagnon // Wikimedia Commons

#32. Syria

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 15,286
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 95,802
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #63 most common country of origin
20 / 50
Catarina Belova // Shutterstock

#31. Brazil

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 15,705
- 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
21 / 50
Wikimedia Commons

#30. Israel

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 16,738
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 135,672
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #50 most common country of origin
22 / 50
Unsplash

#29. Ukraine

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 17,151
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 345,250
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #28 most common country of origin
23 / 50
Evgeniya Uvarova // Shutterstock

#28. Argentina

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 17,967
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 194,435
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #39 most common country of origin
24 / 50
Creativa Images // Shutterstock

#27. Indonesia

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 18,399
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 96,229
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #62 most common country of origin
25 / 50
Unsplash

#26. Lebanon

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 19,797
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 121,697
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #52 most common country of origin
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Falkenpost // Pixabay

#25. Cuba

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 19,826
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 1,289,875
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.9%
- #7 most common country of origin
27 / 50
Prin Adulyatham // Shutterstock

#24. Egypt

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 20,651
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 191,452
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #40 most common country of origin
28 / 50
Alexander Canas Arango // Shutterstock

#23. Colombia

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 22,518
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 761,374
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #12 most common country of origin
29 / 50
Max Pixel

#22. Germany

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 22,823
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 560,368
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%
- #17 most common country of origin
30 / 50
Viacheslav Lopatin // Shutterstock

#21. Russia

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 24,274
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

National
- Number of residents: 391,641
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #22 most common country of origin
31 / 50
Elena Simona Craciun // Shutterstock

#20. Nicaragua

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 25,360
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

National
- Number of residents: 251,913
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #33 most common country of origin
32 / 50
Jack Bkk // Shutterstock

#19. Thailand

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 25,983
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

National
- Number of residents: 255,345
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #32 most common country of origin
33 / 50
Vannrith Va // Unsplash

#18. Cambodia

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 27,323
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

National
- Number of residents: 151,066
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #46 most common country of origin
34 / 50
Diego Delso // Wikimedia Commons

#17. Hong Kong

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 32,511
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

National
- Number of residents: 231,275
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #36 most common country of origin
35 / 50
Christian Vinces // Shutterstock

#16. Peru

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 33,025
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%

National
- Number of residents: 451,076
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #18 most common country of origin
36 / 50
Marek Poplawski // Shutterstock

#15. Honduras

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 37,517
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%

National
- Number of residents: 651,123
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #16 most common country of origin
37 / 50
Unsplash

#14. Canada

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 42,383
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%

National
- Number of residents: 808,566
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #11 most common country of origin
38 / 50
User:Colin // Wikimedia Commons

#13. United Kingdom

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 43,982
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%

National
- Number of residents: 698,612
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
- #14 most common country of origin
39 / 50
Unsplash

#12. Japan

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 49,003
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%

National
- Number of residents: 345,140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #29 most common country of origin
40 / 50
Spetsnaz1991 // Wikicommons

#11. Armenia

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 64,752
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%

National
- Number of residents: 86,804
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #68 most common country of origin
41 / 50
PIxabay

#10. Taiwan

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 91,356
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.1%

National
- Number of residents: 381,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #24 most common country of origin
42 / 50
Kriangkrai Thitimakorn // Shutterstock

#9. India

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 95,523
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%

National
- Number of residents: 2,561,906
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.8%
- #2 most common country of origin
43 / 50
Ninara // Wikimedia Commons

#8. Iran

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 137,948
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%

National
- Number of residents: 382,260
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #23 most common country of origin
44 / 50
Kobby Dagan // Shutterstock

#7. Guatemala

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 189,138
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.3%

National
- Number of residents: 979,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin
45 / 50
Kys951 // Wikimedia Commons

#6. South Korea

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 210,643
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.8%

National
- Number of residents: 1,044,634
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
- #9 most common country of origin
46 / 50
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#5. China

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 237,086
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.4%

National
- Number of residents: 2,162,395
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin
47 / 50
Quangpraha // Pixabay

#4. Vietnam

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 246,113
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.6%

National
- Number of residents: 1,336,988
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
- #6 most common country of origin
48 / 50
JMRAFFi // Wikimedia Commons

#3. El Salvador

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 287,828
- Percent of foreign born residents: 6.6%

National
- Number of residents: 1,381,008
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin
49 / 50
Joseph Oropel // Shutterstock

#2. Philippines

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 295,310
- Percent of foreign born residents: 6.7%

National
- Number of residents: 1,983,939
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin
50 / 50
Jakub Hejtmánek // Wikicommons

#1. Mexico

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,600,293
- Percent of foreign born residents: 36.5%

National
- Number of residents: 11,250,541
- Percent of foreign born residents: 25.6%
- #1 most common country of origin

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