Immigrant Place of Birth Map




Columbus has a rapidly-growing immigrant population, with nearly 13% of the total population being foreign-born in 2020. But where exactly are these immigrant coming from, and where are they settling down in Columbus and Franklin County? To answer these questions, I visited the US Census and made this immigrant place of birth map from the raw data.

Click on any census tract to see the total immigrant population in 2020, a percentage breakdown by continent of origin and the top 5 nations of origin for each tract.

From the map, we can see that the Northwest and Northeast parts of Columbus and Franklin County are dominated by immigrants of Asian origin. Hilltop, Linden and parts of the Southeast are much more North American in origin, with the 161/Morse corridors and the Far East largely have African origins. There are relatively few South American or European dominated areas, but they do exist scattered about.
Some common misconceptions are debunked, however. Hilltop through Lincoln Village has long been thought to be the hub of the Mexican immigrant population, but several Latin American nations have significant populations there, including Honduras, El Salvador and Colombia. Many Mexicans seem to be settling in the Linden area now, instead. Meanwhile, Somalia is often considered as the origin of many immigrants in the Morse/161 corridors, and while that population does exist there, these corridors are far more diverse than common thinking.

2020 census tract maps are currently available for all sorts of other demographic and population data. This information in tract format is generally available for Columbus going back to 1930.



2018 Columbus and Peer Foreign-Born Comparison



Foreign-born comparison

In the ongoing series discussing topics related to the 2018 Census demographic estimates, today I will update the foreign-born comparison.  Beyond the simple comparison, I will also talk about the regions and countries that the foreign-born populations come from.

Total Foreign-Born Population Rank by City 2010 and 2018
2010————————————-——-2018

1. Chicago: 557,674—————1. Chicago: 540,738
2. San Jose: 366,194————-2. San Jose: 407,839
3. Austin: 148,431—————-3. Austin: 180,544
4. Las Vegas: 130,503———–4. Las Vegas: 133,033
5. Sacramento: 96,105———-5. Columbus: 125,339
6. Columbus: 86,663————-6. Sacramento: 114,786
7. Portland: 83,026—————7. Jacksonville: 111,798
8. Jacksonville: 77,145——–8. Nashville: 95,040
9. Indianapolis: 74,707——–9. Portland: 90,728
10. Nashville: 73,327———-10. Indianapolis: 81,764
11. Minneapolis: 57,846——11. Minneapolis: 68,131
12. Milwaukee: 57,222——–12. St. Paul: 59,381
13. Providence: 52,920——-13. Milwaukee: 57,647
14. St. Paul: 50,366———–14. Omaha: 50,279
15. Virginia Beach: 40,756—15. Providence ;46,995
16. Omaha: 39,288————16. Detroit: 44,520
17. Wichita: 39,128————17. Kansas City: 43,485
18. Kansas City: 35,532——18. Virginia Beach: 43,385
19. Detroit: 34,307————19. Wichita: 42,171
20. Madison: 24,929———20. Madison: 32,622
21. St. Louis: 23,011———-21. Des Moines: 31,013
22. Lincoln: 22,214———–22. Pittsburgh: 26,569
23. Des Moines: 20,798—–23. Lincoln: 23,309
24. Pittsburgh: 18,698——24. Fort Wayne: 22,489
25. Cleveland: 17,739——-25. Cleveland: 21,838
26. Grand Rapids: 16,615—26. St. Louis: 21,538
27. Cincinnati: 16,531——-27. Cincinnati: 20,592
28. Fort Wayne: 15,286—-28. Grand Rapids: 20,032
29. Toledo: 11,159———–29. Akron: 13,649
30. Akron: 8,524————30. Toledo: 9,038
31. Dayton: 5,102———–31. Dayton: 7,311
32. Youngstown: 3,695—-32. Canton: 3,241
33. Canton: 1,343———–33: Youngstown: 976

Here’s the 2010-2018 total change.

And the 2010-2018 change by %.

Columbus has done very well in both total and % growth of its foreign-born population since 2010.

So now that we know how many foreign-born immigrants are arriving and how fast, let’s take a look at where they are coming from.

Total Foreign-Born Residents From Europe in 2000 and 2018
2000———————————————–2018

1. Chicago: 145,462———————1. Chicago: 91,397
2. San Jose: 21,904———————2. San Jose: 22,043
3. Portland: 17,572———————-3. Jacksonville: 18,808
4. Jacksonville: 10,883————4. Portland: 17,016
5. Las Vegas: 9,070—————-5. Austin: 11,981
6. Cleveland: 8,796—————-6. Las Vegas: 11,472
7. St. Louis: 8,543——————7. Columbus: 8,141
8. Sacramento: 8,204————-8. Nashville: 8,108
9. Milwaukee: 7,841—————9. Virginia Beach: 6,710
10. Austin: 7,474——————10. Sacramento: 6,275
11. Pittsburgh: 7,413————–11. Pittsburgh: 5,047
12. Columbus: 7,017————–12. Minneapolis: 5,031
13. Indianapolis: 6,543———–13. Omaha: 3,845
14. Virginia Beach: 6,333——–14. St. Louis: 4,711
15. Detroit: 5,600—————–15. Indianapolis: 4,199
16. Minneapolis: 5,409———–16. Omaha: 3,845
17. Providence: 5,126————-17. Milwaukee: 3,808
18. Nashville: 4,859—————18. Madison: 3,519
19. Cincinnati: 3,851————–19. Providence: 3,030
20. Grand Rapids: 3,396———20. Lincoln: 2,777
21. Omaha: 3,320—————–21. Cincinnati: 2,738
22. St. Paul: 3,255—————-22. St. Paul: 2,449
23. Des Moines: 3,216———–23. Grand Rapids: 2,336
24. Kansas City: 2,985———-24. Kansas City: 2,320
25. Madison: 2,871—————25. Fort Wayne: 2,235
26. Lincoln: 2,701—————-26. Wichita: 1,851
27. Akron: 2,687—————–27. Detroit: 1,767
28. Fort Wayne: 2076———–28. Akron: 1,580
29. Toledo: 2,020—————-29. Des Moines: 1,042
30. Wichita: 2,004————–30. Toledo: 496
31. Dayton: 901——————31. Canton: 347
32. Youngstown: 870———–32. Dayton: 347
33. Canton: 590—————–33. Youngstown: 337

Columbus had more European immigrants than most in 2000 and 2018, and was one of the relatively few cities that saw an increase by 2018.

Total Foreign-born Population from Asia 2000 and 2018
2000————————————————–2018

1. San Jose: 182,712—————————1. San Jose: 256,504
2. Chicago: 112,932—————————2. Chicago: 144,970
3. Sacramento: 40,253———————3. Austin: 59,711
4. Portland: 26,271—————————4. Sacramento: 56,084
5. Austin: 25,036——————————5. Columbus: 49,185
6. St. Paul: 23,245———————-6. Portland: 42,245
7. Columbus: 22,354——————-7. Jacksonville: 39,543
8. Jacksonville: 17,427—————–8. Las Vegas: 35,959
9. Minneapolis: 17,376—————–9. St. Paul: 34,246
10. Las Vegas: 17,062—————–10. Nashville: 28,142
11. Virginia Beach: 15,176————-11. Indianapolis: 24,992
12. Detroit: 15,114———————-12. Virginia Beach: 21,954
13. Nashville: 12,573——————-13. Milwaukee: 18,192
14. Milwaukee: 12,114——————14. Minneapolis: 17,929
15. Wichita: 10,826——————–15. Detroit: 17,474
16. Madison: 9,736——————–16. Madison: 17,021
17. Indianapolis: 9,190—————-17. Omaha: 14,582
18. Pittsburgh: 7,938—————–18. Wichita: 14,107
19. Providence: 7,871—————–19. Kansas City: 13,753
20. Kansas City: 7,312—————-20. Des Moines: 13,139
21. Lincoln: 6,691———————-21. Pittsburgh: 12,929
22. St. Louis: 6,425——————–22. Lincoln: 11,233
23. Omaha: 6,302 ———————23. Fort Wayne: 10,809
24. Cleveland: 6,213——————-24. Cleveland: 10,351
25. Des Moines: 5,239—————-25. St. Louis: 9,505
26. Cincinnati: 4,326——————26. Akron: 8,391
27. Toledo: 3,847———————-27. Providence: 7,744
28. Grand Rapids: 3,206————–28. Cincinnati: 5,599
29. Akron: 3,099———————–29. Toledo: 3,597
30. Fort Wayne: 2,792—————–30. Grand Rapids: 3,369
31. Dayton: 903————————-31. Dayton: 2,575
32. Youngstown: 338——————32. Canton: 542
33. Canton: 296————————33. Youngstown: 196

Columbus ranks even higher with its foreign-born Asian population.

Total Foreign-born Population from Africa 2000 and 2018
2000—————————————————2018

1. Minneapolis: 12,765——————–1. Columbus: 45,092
2. Chicago: 12,613————————-2. Minneapolis: 26,271
3. Columbus: 9,530———————–3. Chicago: 25,573
4. San Jose: 5,189————————-4. Nashville: 18,423
5. St. Paul: 4,697———————5. Indianapolis: 14,965
6. Nashville: 4,183——————-6. St. Paul: 13,594
7. Detroit:: 3,249———————7. Austin: 9,961
8. Providence: 3,138—————-8. Kansas City: 8,558
9. Indianapolis: 2,650—————9. San Jose: 8,546
10. Portland: 2,430—————–10. Cincinnati: 7,113
11. Austin 2,263———————11. Des Moines: 6,191
12. Kansas City: 2,192————–12. Omaha: 5,474
13. Cincinnati: 1,781—————-13. Grand Rapids: 3,932
14. Jacksonville: 1,719————-14. Portland: 3,899
15. St. Louis: 1,500—————–15. St. Louis: 3,777
16. Omaha: 1,497——————-16. Providence: 3,571
17. Milwaukee: 1,332—————17. Milwaukee: 3,552
18. Cleveland: 1,075—————-18. Jacksonville: 3,426
19. Sacramento: 1,051————-19. Lincoln: 2,942
20. Des Moines: 1,038————-20. Wichita: 2,752
21. Madison: 991——————–21. Madison: 2,599
22. Wichita: 946——————–22. Detroit: 2,081
23. Las Vegas: 916—————–23. Pittsburgh: 1,909
24. Pittsburgh: 905—————-24. Sacramento: 1,784
25. Virginia Beach: 840———–25. Virginia Beach: 1,783
26. Grand Rapids: 718————-26. Fort Wayne: 1,614
27. Toledo: 638——————–27. Dayton: 1,573
28. Lincoln: 637——————–28. Akron: 1,312
29. Dayton: 522——————–29. Las Vegas: 1,206
30. Fort Wayne: 384————–30. Cleveland: 622
31. Akron: 197———————-31. Toledo: 416
32. Canton: 89———————32. Youngstown: 277
33. Youngstown: 50—————33. Canton: 95

Columbus has claimed the number 1 spot in its foreign-born African population, passing previous top city Minneapolis.

And finally, the total foreign-born population from the Americas in 2000 and 2018
2000—————————————————-2018

1. Chicago: 357,235————————–1. Chicago: 277,742
2. San Jose: 117,989————————2. San Jose: 119,455
3. Austin: 73,935———————-3. Austin: 97,933
4. Las Vegas: 63,277——————4. Las Vegas: 83,782
5. Sacramento: 28,927—————5. Jacksonville: 49,339
6. Providence: 27,649—————-6. Sacramento: 42,722
7. Milwaukee: 24,781——————7. Nashville: 39,633
8. Detroit: 21,527———————-8. Indianapolis: 37,287
9. Portland: 20,939——————-9. Providence: 32,650
10. Minneapolis: 19,648————-10. Milwaukee: 31,917
11. Indianapolis: 17,530————–11. Omaha: 26,012
12. Nashville: 17,125——————12. Wichita: 23,429
13. Omaha: 14,467——————–13. Detroit: 23,198
14. Wichita:: 13,988——————14. Columbus: 22,469
15. Grand Rapids: 13,477————15. Portland: 20,407
16. Kansas City: 12,948————–16. Minneapolis: 18,765
17. Jacksonville: 11,881—————17. Kansas City: 18,170
18. St.Paul: 9,804———————18. Virginia Beach: 12,667
19. Columbus: 8,596—————–19. Des Moines: 10,675
20. Des Moines: 6,201—————20. Grand Rapids: 10,395
21. Virginia Beach: 5,754————21. Madison: 9,349
22. Cleveland: 5,192—————–22. St. Paul: 9,070
23. Madison: 5,080——————23. Fort Wayne: 7,831
24. Fort Wayne: 4,930————–24. Lincoln: 6,280
25. Lincoln: 3,106——————–25. Pittsburgh: 5,898
26. St. Louis: 2,961——————-26. Cleveland: 5,810
27. Toledo: 2,942———————27. Cincinnati: 4,901
28. Pittsburgh: 2,463—————-28. Toledo: 4,347
29. Cincinnati: 2,432—————–29. St. Louis: 3,545
30. Dayton: 919———————-30. Dayton: 2,816
31. Akron: 891————————31. Akron: 2,366
32. Canton: 347———————-32. Canton: 2,257
33. Youngstown: 333—————33. Youngstown: 166

Columbus does the worst with this group, but even here it moved up 5 spots in the rankings.

The rest of the foreign-born population is made up of small groups of people from Oceania- or basically island nations.