Massachusetts has been a destination for immigrants since the earliest colonial settlements. Many arrive in the Commonwealth on work or student visas with specialized skills, attracted by and ready to contribute to the region’s innovative economy. Others are displaced by political and environmental crises and arrive here with an eagerness to build a new life.
The significant economic contributions of immigrants to the Massachusetts economy has been well documented. A Boston Indicators and Immigration Research Initiative study found that immigrants in Metro Boston contribute $103 billion every year to the region's economy, outpacing their share of the population. Though they make up 21% of all residents, immigrants represent 25% of workers and 28% of business owners. Despite this, the unique needs of immigrant households are often mischaracterized and poorly understood. Developing a clear understanding the diverse characteristics of immigrant households is essential for planning for future housing needs of the entire community.
Over half a million Massachusetts households—one fifth of the total—are headed by someone who was born outside the United States. Foreign-born householders tend to be younger than native-born householders; ACS data indicates that only 19% of foreign-born householders are age 65+ compared to 28% of native-born householders. Recent immigrants and their households tend to be even younger. 51% of recent immigrant householders are 18-34, and only 3% are 65+.
32% of foreign-born householders are white, non-Hispanic (compared to 85% of native-born householders). 26% of foreign-born householders are Asian, non-Hispanic. 22% of foreign-born householders are Hispanic or Latino. 15% of foreign-born householders are Black, non-Hispanic
36% of foreign-born householders are from Latin America (including the Caribbean), 30% are from Asia, and 22% are from Europe. Almost two thirds of foreign-born heads of households have been in the country for more than 20 years.
Four-fifths of foreign-born householders speak English: 19% speak only English; 61% speak English and another language; and 19% do not speak English well (14%) or do not speak it at all (5%.) . Fully half of recent immigrant household members have a bachelor’s degree, including 26% that have a graduate, professional or doctoral degree—a higher share than native-born residents (47%). Only one in six adult immigrants lacks a high-school diploma.
Foreign-born households are more likely to live in a family unit than are native-born households. Half (51%) of foreign-born households are married couple households, compared to 46% for native-born married couples. 72% of foreign-born households are family households compared to 61% for native-born households.
Whether recent or well-established, foreign-born householders tend to have larger households than native-born householders. 51% of foreign-born households are three or more people as compared to only 35% of native householders. Foreign-born householders are also more likely to have children in the household compared to native-born householders: 39% of foreign-born householders have children in the household compared to only 26% of native-born householders.
Foreign-born householders tend to have lower incomes than native-born householders, but the difference is not drastic. Just under half (48%) of foreign-born householders have a household income below $75,000, compared to 42% of native-born householders. 31% of foreign-born households have an income above $125,000, compared to 36% of native-born households.
Net international immigration recently peaked at 90,200 individuals from July 2023 to June 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau estimates released in 2024. The recent increase in immigration marks the highest level of immigration to Massachusetts since at least 1990. Between 2011 and 2019, annual immigration averaged 39,000 individuals per year. During the first Trump administration and the pandemic, immigration declined sharply, with a low of 16,477 in 2021. Since then immigration has steadily increased through mid-2024. Due to rapid changes in federal immigration policy, it is very likely that the number of international immigrant households will drop significantly in 2025.