Demographics and Diversity
Foreign-Born Population

Increasing


Foreign-Born Population

What does this measure?

The percentage of the population in a region that is foreign-born, which includes anyone who is not a U.S. citizen at birth. People who become U.S. citizens through naturalization are considered foreign-born.

Why is this important?

Foreign-born Americans and their descendants have historically been a main driver of population growth, and that role will only increase in the future. According to the Pew Research Center, new immigrants and their children and grandchildren accounted for 55% of the U.S. population increase from 193 million in 1965 to 324 million in 2015. Pew projects the population will grow to 441 million in 2065 and that 88% of the increase is linked to future immigrants and their descendants. This measure also is a reflection of the composition of a community, which can offer insight into its levels of diversity.

How is our region doing?

In 2018-22, 19% of the population in MetroWest and 18% in Massachusetts was foreign-born, slightly higher than the national rate of 14%. The percentage in both MetroWest and the state increased by 3 percentage points from 2008-12, while the nation increased by 1 point.

Within the MetroWest region, Lexington has the highest percentage of foreign-born residents, 33%, above Boston (28%). It is closely followed by Framingham at 31%, Marlborough and Westborough, both at 29%, and Acton, at 28%. Lexington and Marlborough both had the greatest increase in rate since 2008-12, increasing 10 percentage points, followed by Westborough, at 7 points. Framingham had the largest absolute number of foreign-born residents, at 22,100, followed by Waltham at 16,500.

Notes about the data

The multiyear figures are from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The bureau combined 5 years of responses to the survey to provide estimates for smaller geographic areas and increase the precision of its estimates. However, because the information came from a survey, the samples responding to the survey were not always large enough to produce reliable results, especially in small geographic areas. CGR has noted on data tables the estimates with relatively large margins of error. Estimates with three asterisks have the largest margins, plus or minus 50% or more of the estimate. Two asterisks mean plus or minus 35%-50%, and one asterisk means plus or minus 20%-35%. For all estimates, the confidence level is 90%, meaning there is 90% probability the true value (if the whole population were surveyed) would be within the margin of error (or confidence interval). The survey provides data on characteristics of the population that used to be collected only during the decennial census. Data for this indicator are released annually in December.

Foreign-Born Population
2008-122013-172018-22
United States13%13%14%
Massachusetts15%16%18%
Region16%17%19%
Middlesex County19%20%22%
Norfolk County15%17%19%
Worcester County11%12%13%
Acton town, Middlesex County22%26%28%
Ashland town, Middlesex County14%*18%22%
Bedford town, Middlesex County13%16%26%*
Bellingham town, Norfolk County7%*7%*8%**
Boxborough town, Middlesex County20%20%26%*
Carlisle town, Middlesex County14%*16%*11%*
Concord town, Middlesex County9%10%11%
Dedham town, Norfolk County12%15%14%
Dover town, Norfolk County9%*15%*15%
Framingham city, Middlesex County26%27%31%
Franklin town, Norfolk County7%8%9%*
Groton town, Middlesex County5%*7%*9%*
Harvard town, Worcester County9%*9%*11%*
Holliston town, Middlesex County6%*9%*10%*
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County7%*8%*17%
Hudson town, Middlesex County15%17%18%
Lexington town, Middlesex County23%26%33%
Lincoln town, Middlesex County11%*15%*12%*
Littleton town, Middlesex County10%*9%*9%*
Marlborough city, Middlesex County19%24%29%
Maynard town, Middlesex County9%**10%**9%*
Medfield town, Norfolk County6%*6%*9%*
Medway town, Norfolk County7%*6%*8%*
Milford town, Worcester County18%15%26%
Millis town, Norfolk County10%**8%**11%**
Natick town, Middlesex County13%18%20%
Needham town, Norfolk County12%14%16%
Sherborn town, Middlesex County10%**9%*11%**
Southborough town, Worcester County13%15%21%
Stow town, Middlesex County6%*8%*9%**
Sudbury town, Middlesex County10%13%12%*
Walpole town, Norfolk County9%*9%10%*
Waltham city, Middlesex County28%28%26%
Wayland town, Middlesex County13%14%16%
Wellesley town, Norfolk County14%15%17%
Westborough town, Worcester County22%26%29%
Westford town, Middlesex County11%14%20%
Weston town, Middlesex County15%17%20%
Westwood town, Norfolk County10%*13%13%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




Number of Foreign-Born People
2008-122013-172018-22
United States39,784,30543,028,12745,281,071
Massachusetts971,4651,097,2291,227,846
Region477,072539,790615,266
Middlesex County285,907324,190360,997
Norfolk County102,245119,384139,144
Worcester County88,92096,216115,125
Acton town, Middlesex County4,8806,1406,765
Ashland town, Middlesex County2,247*3,1424,081
Bedford town, Middlesex County1,7402,2803,747*
Bellingham town, Norfolk County1,097*1,202*1,347**
Boxborough town, Middlesex County1,0251,1161,404*
Carlisle town, Middlesex County687*803*596*
Concord town, Middlesex County1,5901,8892,069
Dedham town, Norfolk County2,8623,7423,557
Dover town, Norfolk County497*904*900
Framingham city, Middlesex County17,73519,12122,101
Franklin town, Norfolk County2,1922,5502,883*
Groton town, Middlesex County566*802*1,069*
Harvard town, Worcester County597*611*747*
Holliston town, Middlesex County837*1,286*1,467*
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County1,061*1,406*3,102
Hudson town, Middlesex County2,8783,3303,496
Lexington town, Middlesex County7,1108,63411,257
Lincoln town, Middlesex County698*1,004*845*
Littleton town, Middlesex County906*832*912*
Marlborough city, Middlesex County7,2789,53812,059
Maynard town, Middlesex County931**1,064**933*
Medfield town, Norfolk County734*728*1,096*
Medway town, Norfolk County931*833*996*
Milford town, Worcester County5,1744,4177,822
Millis town, Norfolk County793**646**931**
Natick town, Middlesex County4,3086,4007,447
Needham town, Norfolk County3,5924,2565,040
Sherborn town, Middlesex County400**375*467**
Southborough town, Worcester County1,2971,5512,156
Stow town, Middlesex County409*582*660**
Sudbury town, Middlesex County1,7442,3522,221*
Walpole town, Norfolk County2,094*2,3272,560*
Waltham city, Middlesex County16,73317,77216,546
Wayland town, Middlesex County1,6781,9182,266
Wellesley town, Norfolk County3,8624,4095,198
Westborough town, Worcester County3,9674,8816,235
Westford town, Middlesex County2,4743,3374,990
Weston town, Middlesex County1,7162,0512,363
Westwood town, Norfolk County1,426*2,0002,121

Source: U.S. Census Bureau
Notes: Multiyear results are from rolling American Community Survey. * Margin of error between 20% & 35% of estimate; ** margin of error between 35% & 50%; *** margin of error greater than 50%.




INDICATORS REGIONAL TREND
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty Maintaining
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families Increasing
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Disengaged Youth Decreasing
Reports of Domestic Violence Increasing
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Households With Internet Access Increasing
Voter Participation Rate Decreasing
Average Charitable Contribution Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Opioid Overdose Mortality Rate Increasing
Crimes Against People Decreasing
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Total Population Increasing
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Foreign-Born Population Increasing
Language Diversity Increasing
Population by Age Not Applicable
Change in Population by Age/Gender Not Applicable
Seniors Living Alone Decreasing
People with Disabilities Maintaining
Change in Total Jobs by Sector Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate Maintaining
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Average Salary by Sector Not Applicable
High-Tech Jobs Decreasing
Female to Male Earnings Ratio Maintaining
Prekindergarten Participation Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
School Spending Per Student Maintaining
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
Chronically Absent Students Increasing
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty Maintaining
People Living in Poverty, by Education Level Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Households Receiving Temporary Assistance Maintaining
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income Maintaining
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Living Wage Not Applicable
80/20 Income Ratio Maintaining
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates Maintaining
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership Increasing
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homelessness Increasing
Early Prenatal Care by Mother's Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Children Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Single-Parent Families by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Incarceration Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Change in Population by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Business Ownership by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Share of Workers who are Professionals, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Unemployment Rate by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 3 English, by Student Group Not Applicable
Student Performance on Grade 8 Math by Student Group Not Applicable
High School Cohort Graduation Rate by Student Group Not Applicable
College Admission Rate, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Education Levels of Adults, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
People Living in Poverty, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Participation in Food Assistance by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Median Household Income, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Access to Financial Services, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Homeownership Rates, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Homeownership, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable
Cost of Rent, by Race/Ethnicity Not Applicable


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