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 2016-20, 18% of the population in MetroWest and 17% in Massachusetts was foreign-born, slightly higher than the national rate of 14%. The percentage in both MetroWest and the state increased by 5 percentage points from 2000, while the nation increased by 3 points.

Within the MetroWest region, Lexington has the highest percentage of foreign-born residents, 29%, comparable to Boston. It is closely followed by Framingham and Westborough both at 28%, Acton at 27%, and Marlborough at 24%. Westborough had the greatest increase in rate since 2000, increasing 14 percentage points, followed by Acton, Lexington and Bedford, all at 13 points. Framingham had the largest absolute number of foreign-born residents, at 20,700, followed by Waltham at 16,700.

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
20002006-102011-152016-20
United States11%13%13%14%
Massachusetts12%15%15%17%
Region13%16%17%18%
Middlesex County15%18%20%21%
Norfolk County12%15%16%19%
Worcester County8%11%12%12%
Acton town, Middlesex County14%21%25%27%
Ashland town, Middlesex County10%15%16%21%
Bedford town, Middlesex County10%12%16%22%
Bellingham town, Norfolk County3%6%*6%*6%*
Boxborough town, Middlesex County13%18%*22%23%*
Carlisle town, Middlesex County12%13%*13%*12%*
Concord town, Middlesex County8%8%*9%12%
Dedham town, Norfolk County9%11%16%12%
Dover town, Norfolk County8%8%*13%*14%*
Framingham city, Middlesex County21%26%27%28%
Franklin town, Norfolk County9%*6%8%*
Groton town, Middlesex County4%6%*8%*6%*
Harvard town, Worcester County13%10%*11%*9%**
Holliston town, Middlesex County5%7%*8%*10%*
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County6%5%*7%*13%*
Hudson town, Middlesex County15%14%16%16%
Lexington town, Middlesex County16%22%26%29%
Lincoln town, Middlesex County7%10%*15%11%*
Littleton town, Middlesex County5%7%**9%*9%*
Marlborough city, Middlesex County16%17%24%24%
Maynard town, Middlesex County6%7%*12%**12%*
Medfield town, Norfolk County5%6%*5%**8%*
Medway town, Norfolk County5%7%*6%*7%*
Milford town, Worcester County11%18%16%21%
Millis town, Norfolk County6%6%**11%**11%**
Natick town, Middlesex County10%14%14%20%
Needham town, Norfolk County10%12%13%14%
Sherborn town, Middlesex County6%9%**8%*10%**
Southborough town, Worcester County9%10%*16%*18%
Stow town, Middlesex County8%5%**7%**11%**
Sudbury town, Middlesex County9%10%10%12%
Walpole town, Norfolk County6%7%*9%10%*
Waltham city, Middlesex County20%27%26%27%
Wayland town, Middlesex County9%12%17%15%
Wellesley town, Norfolk County11%16%14%17%
Westborough town, Worcester County14%22%23%28%
Westford town, Middlesex County6%10%13%18%
Weston town, Middlesex County13%13%15%19%
Westwood town, Norfolk County9%9%*12%15%*

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
20002006-102011-152016-20
United States31,107,88938,675,01241,717,42044,125,628
Massachusetts772,983942,2551,038,1271,158,909
Region359,260456,731512,600573,862
Middlesex County223,465272,296308,711341,278
Norfolk County76,73299,554109,968130,352
Worcester County59,06384,88193,921102,232
Acton town, Middlesex County2,9154,4345,7456,349
Ashland town, Middlesex County1,4332,3592,7833,784
Bedford town, Middlesex County1,2161,6272,1913,150
Bellingham town, Norfolk County4921,010*984*1,106*
Boxborough town, Middlesex County614904*1,1131,291*
Carlisle town, Middlesex County568615*673*603*
Concord town, Middlesex County1,3991,350*1,7742,193
Dedham town, Norfolk County2,1992,7903,9133,099
Dover town, Norfolk County463466*780*878*
Framingham city, Middlesex County14,15017,47118,67220,680
Franklin town, Norfolk County2,699*1,9692,857*
Groton town, Middlesex County368570*888*664*
Harvard town, Worcester County748626*692*626**
Holliston town, Middlesex County731902*1,084*1,412*
Hopkinton town, Middlesex County864790*1,119*2,428*
Hudson town, Middlesex County2,6792,5843,1963,179
Lexington town, Middlesex County5,0016,7038,4799,733
Lincoln town, Middlesex County552625*1,076745*
Littleton town, Middlesex County421614**822*942*
Marlborough city, Middlesex County5,8576,5249,5949,505
Maynard town, Middlesex County596714*1,215**1,307*
Medfield town, Norfolk County654771*600**1,007*
Medway town, Norfolk County589887*828*901*
Milford town, Worcester County3,0185,0764,4306,103
Millis town, Norfolk County447457**857**918**
Natick town, Middlesex County3,1684,6784,9537,173
Needham town, Norfolk County2,7653,3703,8854,295
Sherborn town, Middlesex County249368**337*413**
Southborough town, Worcester County7781,009*1,627*1,828
Stow town, Middlesex County451307**519**785**
Sudbury town, Middlesex County1,4651,6701,9032,306
Walpole town, Norfolk County1,2601,714*2,3042,644*
Waltham city, Middlesex County11,97515,89816,35016,665
Wayland town, Middlesex County1,1611,5132,2602,091
Wellesley town, Norfolk County2,8904,4344,1495,021
Westborough town, Worcester County2,5444,0704,3585,322
Westford town, Middlesex County1,3122,1222,9224,370
Weston town, Middlesex County1,4491,5061,8362,339
Westwood town, Norfolk County1,2561,359*1,8042,368*

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 Maintaining
Arts, Entertainment and Recreation Establishments Increasing
Households Without Vehicles Maintaining
Means of Transportation to Work Not Applicable
Households With Internet Access Not Applicable
Voter Participation Rate Increasing
Average Charitable Contribution Maintaining
People Without Health Insurance Decreasing
Drug Poisoning 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 Increasing
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 Maintaining
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 Increasing
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 Increasing
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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