New Americans in Washington D.C.

The Political and Economic Power of Immigrants, Latinos, and Asians in our Nation's Capital (Updated January 2012)

Immigrants and their children are growing shares of Washington, D.C.’s population and electorate.

The foreign-born share of Washington, D.C.’s population rose from 9.7% in 1990, to 12.9% in 2000, to 13.5% in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Washington, D.C. was home to 81,734 immigrants in 2010.

39.7% of immigrants (or 32,412 people) in Washington, D.C. were naturalized U.S. citizens in 2010—meaning that they are eligible to vote.

10.5% (or 33,990) of registered voters in Washington, D.C. were “New Americans”—naturalized citizens or the U.S.-born children of immigrants who were raised during the current era of immigration from Latin America and Asia which began in 1965—according to an analysis of 2008 Census Bureau data by Rob Paral & Associates.

1 in 8 Washingtonians are Latino or Asian.

The Latino share of Washington, D.C.’s population grew from 5.4% in 1990, to 7.9% in 2000, to 9.1% (or 55,005 people) in 2010. The Asian share of the population grew from 1.8% in 1990, to 2.7% in 2000, to 3.6% (or 21,760 people) in 2010, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Latinos accounted for 3.6% (or 11,000) of Washington, D.C. voters in the 2008 elections, and Asians 1.6% (5,000) according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

In Washington, D.C., 86.6% children with immigrant parents were U.S. citizens in 2009, according to data from The Urban Institute.
In 2009, 90.3% of children in Latino families in Washington, D.C. were U.S. citizens.

Latino and Asian entrepreneurs and consumers add billions of dollars and tens of thousands of jobs to Washington, D.C.’s economy.

The 2010 purchasing power of Latinos in Washington, D.C. totaled $2 billion—an increase of 321.9% since 1990. Asian buying power totaled $1.1 billion—an increase of 408.4% since 1990, according to the Selig Center for Economic Growth at the University of Georgia.

Washington, D.C.’s 3,428 Latino-owned businesses had sales and receipts of $975 million and employed 7,201 people in 2007, the last year for which data is available. The District’s 3,278 Asian-owned businesses had sales and receipts of $1.8 billion and employed 11,998 people in 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Survey of Business Owners.

Immigrants are essential to Washington, D.C.’s economy as workers and taxpayers.

Immigrants comprised 17.9% of the District’s workforce in 2010 (or 59,476 workers), according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Immigrants accounted for 20% of total economic output in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area as of 2007 according to a study by the Fiscal Policy Institute.”

Immigrant households in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area contributed $9.8 billion in taxes in 2000, according to the Urban Institute.

Unauthorized immigrants are integral to Washington, D.C.’s economy as workers and taxpayers.

Unauthorized immigrants comprised roughly 6.1% of the District’s workforce (or 20,000 workers) in 2010, according to a report by the Pew Hispanic Center.

If all unauthorized immigrants were removed from Washington, D.C., the District would lose $1.1 billion in economic activity, $490.5 million in gross product, and approximately 5,400 jobs, even accounting for adequate market adjustment time, according to a report by the Perryman Group.

Unauthorized immigrants in Washington, D.C. paid $26.4 million in state and local taxes in 2010, according to data from the Institute for Taxation and Economic Policy, which includes:

$5.7 million in state income taxes.

$2.2 million in property taxes.

$18.5 million in sales taxes.

Immigrants are integral to Washington, D.C.’s economy as students.

Washington, D.C.’s 8,563 foreign students contributed $300.9 million to the District’s economy in tuition, fees, and living expenses for the 2009-2010 academic year, according to NAFSA: Association of International Educators.

Naturalized citizens excel educationally.

In Washington, D.C., 53.4% of foreign-born persons who were naturalized U.S. citizens in 2009 had a bachelor’s or higher degree, compared to 44.2% of noncitizens. At the same time, only 12.4% of naturalized citizens lacked a high-school diploma, compared to 31.4% of noncitizens.

The number of immigrants in Washington, D.C. with a college degree increased by 25.2% between 2000 and 2009, according to data from the Migration Policy Institute.