A Profile of Low-Income Immigrants in the United States

The United States’ immigrant population is highly diverse in its origins, characteristics, and life experiences after arrival. Research has shown that immigrants see strong upward mobility overall, both over time and over successive generations. But the challenges of starting over in a new country, particularly for those with limited educational attainment and English proficiency, can leave some immigrants with relatively low incomes and their households facing economic hardship. Although low-income immigrants are a minority of all immigrants in the country, they are of particular interest to policymakers and service providers seeking to help individuals and families get on a path to upward economic mobility.

This fact sheet presents data on the origins, states of residence, demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, and employment outcomes of low-income immigrants in the United States. It results from MPI analysis of data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey and Current Population Survey, and from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies.