Biggest sources of immigrants to Seattle

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April 4, 2021
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Biggest sources of immigrants to Seattle

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

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

1 / 50
Marianna Ianovska // Shutterstock

#50. Chile

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,715
- 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
2 / 50
Pixabay

#49. Netherlands

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,781
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 85,161
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #69 most common country of origin
3 / 50
Gregory DALLEAU // Unsplash

#48. Ireland

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,804
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%

National
- Number of residents: 121,469
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #53 most common country of origin
4 / 50
neshom // Pixabay

#47. Bosnia and Herzegovina

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,810
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 103,938
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #57 most common country of origin
5 / 50
Fitria Ramli // Shutterstock

#46. Saudi Arabia

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 1,868
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 85,000
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #70 most common country of origin
6 / 50
Vixit // Shutterstock

#45. Nepal

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,035
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 140,904
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #49 most common country of origin
7 / 50
Pixabay

#44. Turkey

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,076
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 119,380
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #54 most common country of origin
8 / 50
HandmadePictures // Shutterstock

#43. South Africa

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,246
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 104,022
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #56 most common country of origin
9 / 50
Henrik Palm // Wikimedia Commons

#42. Belarus

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,363
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 63,642
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #78 most common country of origin
10 / 50
GoodFreePhotos

#41. Malaysia

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,364
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 76,521
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #74 most common country of origin
11 / 50
Prin Adulyatham // Shutterstock

#40. Egypt

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,378
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 191,452
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #40 most common country of origin
12 / 50
Maksym Kozlenko // Wikimedia Commons

#39. Fiji

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,435
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%

National
- Number of residents: 47,004
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #86 most common country of origin
13 / 50
Michal Knitl // Shutterstock

#38. Afghanistan

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,539
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 101,548
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #59 most common country of origin
14 / 50
Wikimedia Commons

#37. Israel

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,821
- 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
15 / 50
Alexander Canas Arango // Shutterstock

#36. Colombia

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 2,834
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%

National
- Number of residents: 761,374
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
- #12 most common country of origin
16 / 50
Marek Poplawski // Shutterstock

#35. Honduras

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,275
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 651,123
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
- #16 most common country of origin
17 / 50
Creativa Images // Shutterstock

#34. Indonesia

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,323
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 96,229
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #62 most common country of origin
18 / 50
Tupungato // Shutterstock

#33. France

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,374
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 181,554
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #41 most common country of origin
19 / 50
Serghei Starus // Shutterstock

#32. Moldova

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,396
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 45,661
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #89 most common country of origin
20 / 50
Simon // Pixabay

#31. Australia

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,441
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 92,483
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #64 most common country of origin
21 / 50
USACE HQ , JIM GORDAN, CIV, USACE // Wikicommons

#30. Iraq

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,563
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 225,038
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #38 most common country of origin
22 / 50
Christian Vinces // Shutterstock

#29. Peru

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,606
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 451,076
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #18 most common country of origin
23 / 50
Nahlik // Shutterstock

#28. Poland

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 3,640
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%

National
- Number of residents: 410,841
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #21 most common country of origin
24 / 50
Dave Primov // Shutterstock

#27. Eritrea

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,116
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%

National
- Number of residents: 45,119
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
- #90 most common country of origin
25 / 50
Augustin Lazaroiu // Shutterstock

#26. Romania

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,719
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

National
- Number of residents: 162,046
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #45 most common country of origin
26 / 50
Pascal Müller // Unsplash

#25. Laos

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 4,922
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

National
- Number of residents: 181,546
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
- #42 most common country of origin
27 / 50
Catarina Belova // Shutterstock

#24. Brazil

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 5,025
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

National
- Number of residents: 433,479
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
- #20 most common country of origin
28 / 50
Saqib Rizvi // Shutterstock

#23. Pakistan

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 5,045
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%

National
- Number of residents: 376,127
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #25 most common country of origin
29 / 50
Kobby Dagan // Shutterstock

#22. Guatemala

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 6,722
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%

National
- Number of residents: 979,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
- #10 most common country of origin
30 / 50
Ninara // Wikimedia Commons

#21. Iran

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 6,811
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%

National
- Number of residents: 382,260
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #23 most common country of origin
31 / 50
Photos By Beks // Unsplash

#20. Kenya

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 7,113
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%

National
- Number of residents: 141,751
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #48 most common country of origin
32 / 50
Jack Bkk // Shutterstock

#19. Thailand

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 7,279
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%

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

#18. Somalia

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 7,299
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%

National
- Number of residents: 98,966
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
- #60 most common country of origin
34 / 50
JMRAFFi // Wikimedia Commons

#17. El Salvador

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,028
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%

National
- Number of residents: 1,381,008
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
- #5 most common country of origin
35 / 50
Diego Delso // Wikimedia Commons

#16. Hong Kong

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 8,115
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%

National
- Number of residents: 231,275
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
- #36 most common country of origin
36 / 50
Vannrith Va // Unsplash

#15. Cambodia

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 9,643
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%

National
- Number of residents: 151,066
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
- #46 most common country of origin
37 / 50
Max Pixel

#14. Germany

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 11,373
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%

National
- Number of residents: 560,368
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.3%
- #17 most common country of origin
38 / 50
PIxabay

#13. Taiwan

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 12,849
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%

National
- Number of residents: 381,098
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #24 most common country of origin
39 / 50
Viacheslav Lopatin // Shutterstock

#12. Russia

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 13,106
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%

National
- Number of residents: 391,641
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
- #22 most common country of origin
40 / 50
Unsplash

#11. Japan

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 13,782
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%

National
- Number of residents: 345,140
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #29 most common country of origin
41 / 50
User:Colin // Wikimedia Commons

#10. United Kingdom

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 14,981
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.1%

National
- Number of residents: 698,612
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
- #14 most common country of origin
42 / 50
neiljs // Flickr

#9. Ethiopia

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 18,580
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.6%

National
- Number of residents: 249,777
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
- #34 most common country of origin
43 / 50
Unsplash

#8. Ukraine

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 20,513
- Percent of foreign born residents: 2.8%

National
- Number of residents: 345,250
- Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
- #28 most common country of origin
44 / 50
Unsplash

#7. Canada

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 26,659
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.7%

National
- Number of residents: 808,566
- Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
- #11 most common country of origin
45 / 50
Kys951 // Wikimedia Commons

#6. South Korea

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 39,047
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.4%

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

#5. Vietnam

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 48,336
- Percent of foreign born residents: 6.7%

National
- Number of residents: 1,336,988
- Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
- #6 most common country of origin
47 / 50
Joseph Oropel // Shutterstock

#4. Philippines

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 52,237
- Percent of foreign born residents: 7.2%

National
- Number of residents: 1,983,939
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
- #4 most common country of origin
48 / 50
Sean Pavone // Shutterstock

#3. China

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 63,803
- Percent of foreign born residents: 8.8%

National
- Number of residents: 2,162,395
- Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
- #3 most common country of origin
49 / 50
Kriangkrai Thitimakorn // Shutterstock

#2. India

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 74,459
- Percent of foreign born residents: 10.3%

National
- Number of residents: 2,561,906
- Percent of foreign born residents: 5.8%
- #2 most common country of origin
50 / 50
Jakub Hejtmánek // Wikicommons

#1. Mexico

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA Metro Area
- Number of residents: 93,037
- Percent of foreign born residents: 12.9%

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

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