Over 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 biggest sources of immigrants to Alabama using data from the “U.S. Census Bureau. Countries are ranked by the highest number of residents according to 2020 5-year estimates. Keep reading to find out more about the immigrant community in your home state.

1 / 50Elena Simona Craciun // Shutterstock
#50. Nicaragua
Alabama
– Number of residents: 347
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 244,405
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
– #35 most common country of origin

2 / 50Prin Adulyatham // Shutterstock
#49. Egypt
Alabama
– Number of residents: 364
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 202,049
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
– #40 most common country of origin
3 / 50Canva
#48. Italy
Alabama
– Number of residents: 398
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 326,407
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
– #30 most common country of origin

4 / 50Marianna Ianovska // Shutterstock
#47. Chile
Alabama
– Number of residents: 419
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
National
– Number of residents: 100,875
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
– #62 most common country of origin

5 / 50jvphoto.ca // Shutterstock
#46. Dominican Republic
Alabama
– Number of residents: 436
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 1,125,208
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.6%
– #8 most common country of origin
6 / 50Canva
#45. Zimbabwe
Alabama
– Number of residents: 441
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 25,070
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
– #115 most common country of origin
7 / 50Canva
#44. Ecuador
Alabama
– Number of residents: 458
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 440,337
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
– #19 most common country of origin

8 / 50Canva
#43. Hong Kong
Alabama
– Number of residents: 459
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 232,202
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
– #38 most common country of origin

9 / 50Artush // Shutterstock
#42. Ethiopia
Alabama
– Number of residents: 463
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 260,577
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
– #33 most common country of origin

10 / 50diplomedia // Shutterstock
#41. Lebanon
Alabama
– Number of residents: 473
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 127,239
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
– #52 most common country of origin

11 / 50aleksander hunta // Shutterstock
#40. Cambodia
Alabama
– Number of residents: 504
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 149,486
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
– #47 most common country of origin
12 / 50Taras Vyshnya // Shutterstock
#39. Australia
Alabama
– Number of residents: 525
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 96,235
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
– #65 most common country of origin
13 / 50BlueIcePics // Shutterstock
#38. Trinidad and Tobago
Alabama
– Number of residents: 531
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 233,024
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
– #37 most common country of origin
14 / 50Anson Fernandez Dionisio // Shutterstock
#37. Kuwait
Alabama
– Number of residents: 532
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
National
– Number of residents: 33,602
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.1%
– #105 most common country of origin

15 / 50Nathapon Triratanachat // Shutterstock
#36. Laos
Alabama
– Number of residents: 590
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
– Number of residents: 179,004
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
– #44 most common country of origin
16 / 50Olena Tur // Shutterstock
#35. Turkey
Alabama
– Number of residents: 618
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
– Number of residents: 126,351
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
– #53 most common country of origin

17 / 50Augustin Lazaroiu // Shutterstock
#34. Romania
Alabama
– Number of residents: 640
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
– Number of residents: 163,817
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
– #46 most common country of origin

18 / 50HandmadePictures // Shutterstock
#33. South Africa
Alabama
– Number of residents: 647
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
National
– Number of residents: 108,650
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
– #58 most common country of origin
19 / 50ESB Professional // Shutterstock
#32. Portugal
Alabama
– Number of residents: 768
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
– Number of residents: 172,739
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
– #45 most common country of origin

20 / 50Christian Vinces // Shutterstock
#31. Peru
Alabama
– Number of residents: 856
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
– Number of residents: 451,666
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
– #18 most common country of origin

21 / 50Vixit // Shutterstock
#30. Nepal
Alabama
– Number of residents: 891
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
– Number of residents: 142,749
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
– #50 most common country of origin

22 / 50Tupungato // Shutterstock
#29. France
Alabama
– Number of residents: 921
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
National
– Number of residents: 181,242
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.4%
– #42 most common country of origin

23 / 50Denys Yelmanov // Shutterstock
#28. Bangladesh
Alabama
– Number of residents: 929
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
– Number of residents: 240,365
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.5%
– #36 most common country of origin

24 / 50Ruslan Lytvyn // Shutterstock
#27. Ukraine
Alabama
– Number of residents: 998
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
– Number of residents: 358,823
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
– #27 most common country of origin

25 / 50Andrew V Marcus // Shutterstock
#26. Iran
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,027
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
National
– Number of residents: 389,383
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
– #23 most common country of origin

26 / 50Viacheslav Lopatin // Shutterstock
#25. Russia
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,123
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
– Number of residents: 397,214
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
– #21 most common country of origin

27 / 50SL-Photography // Shutterstock
#24. Panama
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,132
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
– Number of residents: 101,520
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.2%
– #61 most common country of origin
28 / 50Canva
#23. Haiti
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,161
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
– Number of residents: 667,432
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
– #14 most common country of origin
29 / 50Canva
#22. Kenya
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,176
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
– Number of residents: 145,272
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.3%
– #49 most common country of origin

30 / 50Catarina Belova // Shutterstock
#21. Brazil
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,214
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
– Number of residents: 474,723
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.1%
– #17 most common country of origin

31 / 50Canva
#20. Taiwan
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,226
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.7%
National
– Number of residents: 378,942
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
– #25 most common country of origin
32 / 50Canva
#19. Venezuela
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,523
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
– Number of residents: 394,365
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
– #22 most common country of origin

33 / 50byvalet // Shutterstock
#18. Jamaica
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,561
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
– Number of residents: 760,486
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.7%
– #13 most common country of origin

34 / 50Jack Bkk // Shutterstock
#17. Thailand
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,571
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
– Number of residents: 256,436
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.6%
– #34 most common country of origin

35 / 50Alexander Canas Arango // Shutterstock
#16. Colombia
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,572
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
National
– Number of residents: 792,579
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.8%
– #12 most common country of origin
36 / 50Canva
#15. Nigeria
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,690
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
– Number of residents: 366,534
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
– #26 most common country of origin

37 / 50Saqib Rizvi // Shutterstock
#14. Pakistan
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,761
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.0%
National
– Number of residents: 385,873
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.9%
– #24 most common country of origin
38 / 50Canva
#13. Japan
Alabama
– Number of residents: 1,979
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
National
– Number of residents: 346,149
– Percent of foreign born residents: 0.8%
– #28 most common country of origin
39 / 50Canva
#12. Cuba
Alabama
– Number of residents: 2,037
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
National
– Number of residents: 1,314,570
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.0%
– #7 most common country of origin

40 / 50Kellys Portillo/APHOTOGRAFIA //Getty Images
#11. El Salvador
Alabama
– Number of residents: 2,650
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.6%
National
– Number of residents: 1,370,579
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
– #5 most common country of origin

41 / 50Canva
#10. Canada
Alabama
– Number of residents: 3,436
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.0%
National
– Number of residents: 817,885
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.9%
– #11 most common country of origin

42 / 50Marek Poplawski // Shutterstock
#9. Honduras
Alabama
– Number of residents: 3,716
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
National
– Number of residents: 649,209
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.5%
– #15 most common country of origin

43 / 50Joseph Oropel // Shutterstock
#8. Philippines
Alabama
– Number of residents: 5,398
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.2%
National
– Number of residents: 1,967,140
– Percent of foreign born residents: 4.5%
– #4 most common country of origin
44 / 50Canva
#7. Vietnam
Alabama
– Number of residents: 5,762
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.4%
National
– Number of residents: 1,354,391
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.1%
– #6 most common country of origin
45 / 50Canva
#6. Germany
Alabama
– Number of residents: 6,174
– Percent of foreign born residents: 3.7%
National
– Number of residents: 549,073
– Percent of foreign born residents: 1.2%
– #16 most common country of origin

46 / 50Sean Pavone // Shutterstock
#5. China
Alabama
– Number of residents: 8,206
– Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
National
– Number of residents: 2,184,189
– Percent of foreign born residents: 4.9%
– #3 most common country of origin
47 / 50Kampon // Shutterstock
#4. South Korea
Alabama
– Number of residents: 9,423
– Percent of foreign born residents: 5.6%
National
– Number of residents: 1,048,588
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.4%
– #9 most common country of origin

48 / 50Kriangkrai Thitimakorn // Shutterstock
#3. India
Alabama
– Number of residents: 9,914
– Percent of foreign born residents: 5.9%
National
– Number of residents: 2,618,558
– Percent of foreign born residents: 5.9%
– #2 most common country of origin

49 / 50Kobby Dagan // Shutterstock
#2. Guatemala
Alabama
– Number of residents: 12,917
– Percent of foreign born residents: 7.7%
National
– Number of residents: 964,528
– Percent of foreign born residents: 2.2%
– #10 most common country of origin

50 / 50Aleksandar Todorovic // Shutterstock
#1. Mexico
Alabama
– Number of residents: 46,927
– Percent of foreign born residents: 27.9%
National
– Number of residents: 10,924,662
– Percent of foreign born residents: 24.8%
– #1 most common country of origin
This article has been re-published in accordance with a CC BY-NC 4.0 License.