U.S. Department of Commerce

Economics and Statistics Administration

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

census.gov

Homeownership Among the 

Foreign-Born Population: 2011

American Community Survey Briefs

Issued January 2013

ACSBR/11-15

By Edward N. Trevelyan, Yesenia D. Acosta, 

and Patricia De La Cruz

Homeownership is a goal shared by many residents of 

the United States, both native and foreign born, citizen 

and noncitizen. For immigrants in particular, making 

the transition from renter to homeowner represents a 

significant investment in the United States. With nearly 

1 in 7 U.S. households headed by someone who is 

foreign born, decisions made by immigrants and their 

families to purchase a home can have a measurable 

impact on the U.S. housing market. The nation’s urban 

geography is increasingly shaped by these foreign-born 

households, bringing unique identities to cities and 

neighborhoods. 

Using data from the 2011 American Community Survey 

(ACS), this report examines homeownership and renter 

status among foreign-born households. After discussing the distribution of all households in the United 

States by tenure, nativity, and citizenship, the report 

considers housing tenure by place of birth and year of 

entry for foreign-born households.1 Finally, the report 

describes the geographic distribution of foreign-born 

homeowners living in the United States. 

The foreign-born population includes anyone who 

was not a U.S. citizen at birth. By comparison, anyone 

who was a U.S. citizen at birth is native born. In this 

report, households are categorized as native or foreign 

born based on the nativity status of the householder.2

1 Housing tenure refers to whether a housing unit is owner or renter 

occupied. Owner occupied includes housing units owned with a mortgage or loan or owned “free and clear” (without a mortgage). In this 

report, people living in owner-occupied housing units comprise owned 

households (or owner-occupied households). People living in renteroccupied housing units comprise rented households (or renter-occupied 

households). 2 In this report, the terms native and native born are used

interchangeably.

Usually, the householder is the person, or one of the 

people, in whose name the home is owned, being 

bought, or rented. A foreign-born household is a household in which the householder is foreign born (regardless of the other occupants’ nativity). 

Nativity and Citizenship

Nativity status: Refers to whether a person is 

native born or foreign born. 

Native born: Anyone who was a U.S. citizen at 

birth. This includes people born in the United States, 

Puerto Rico, a U.S. Island Area (U.S. Virgin Islands, 

Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth 

of the Northern Mariana Islands), or abroad of a 

U.S. citizen parent or parents.

Foreign born: Anyone who was not a U.S. citizen at 

birth, including those who have become U.S. citizens 

through naturalization.

U.S. citizen: Respondents who indicated that

they were born in the United States, Puerto Rico,

a U.S. Island Area, or abroad of a U.S. citizen parent

or parents are considered U.S. citizens at birth. The 

foreign born who indicated that they were U.S. citizens through naturalization are also considered

U.S. citizens.

Not a U.S. citizen: Respondents who indicated that 

they were not born in the United States, were not 

children of a U.S. citizen parent or parents, and had 

not become U.S. citizens through naturalization.
2 U.S. Census Bureau

Number and Tenure of 

Households by Nativity and 

Citizenship Status 

According to the ACS, the majority of all households were native 

households. Of the 115.0 million 

households in the United States, 

98.8 million (86 percent) were 

native-born households, while 16.2 

million (14 percent) were foreignborn households (Table 1). Among 

the 74.3 million owner-occupied 

households, 89 percent were native 

and 11 percent were foreign born. 

By comparison, among the 40.7 

million renter-occupied households, 

81 percent were native and 19 percent were foreign born.

About two-thirds (65 percent) of 

all households were owner occupied, and the remaining were 

renter occupied (Figure 1).3 Nativeborn households were more likely 

than foreign-born households to 

be owner occupied: about twothirds of native-born households 

were owner occupied, compared 

with over half of foreign-born 

households. 

Homeownership rates were comparable for native-born households 

and foreign-born households with 

a householder who was a naturalized U.S. citizen. About two-thirds 

of both native households and 

naturalized U.S. citizen households 

were owner occupied. However, 

there were notable differences 

in homeownership rates among 

foreign-born households by citizenship status. While 66 percent of 

naturalized U.S. citizen households 

were owner occupied, 34 percent 

of noncitizen households were 

owner occupied. 

Naturalized U.S. citizen households 

were also more likely than noncitizen households to have paid 

3 The “Rented” category includes those 

who pay rent and those (a much smaller 

group) who do not pay rent.

Household and Housing Concepts

Household: Includes all the people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, an apartment, a mobile home, a group of rooms, or 

a single room that is occupied (or, if vacant, intended for occupancy) as 

separate living quarters. The occupants may be a single family, one person living alone, two or more families living together, or any other group 

of related or unrelated people who share living arrangements. 

Householder: One person in each household is designated as the 

householder. In most cases, this is the person, or one of the people, in 

whose name the home is owned, being bought, or rented. If there is no 

such person in the household, any adult household member 15 years old 

and over could be designated as the householder.

Foreign-born household: A household in which the designated householder is foreign born (regardless of the other occupants’ nativity). 

Native-born household: A household in which the designated householder is native born (regardless of the other occupants’ nativity). 

Housing tenure: Housing tenure refers to whether a housing unit 

is owner or renter occupied. Owner occupied includes housing units 

owned with a mortgage or loan or owned “free and clear” (without a 

mortgage).

Table 1. 

Housing Tenure by Nativity and Citizenship Status: 2011

(Households are classified by the nativity and citizenship status of the householder. Numbers in thousands. Data based on sample. For information 

on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/acs/www/)

Nativity and citizenship

Total households Owned Rented

Number

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1 Percent

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1 Number

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1 Percent

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1 Number

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1 Percent

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1

 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . 114,991 180 100 .0 (X) 74,264 230 100 .0 (X) 40,727 101 100 .0 (X)

Native . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98,840 176 86 .0 0 .1 65,943 211 88 .8 0 .1 32,897 95 80 .8 0 .1

Foreign born . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,151 58 14 .0 0 .1 8,321 47 11 .2 0 .1 7,830 45 19 .2 0 .1

 Naturalized citizen . . . . . . 8,717 44 7 .6 – 5,780 40 7 .8 – 2,937 29 7 .2 0 .1

 Noncitizen . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,435 47 6 .5 – 2,541 28 3 .4 – 4,893 40 12 .0 0 .1

– Rounds to zero .

(X) Not applicable .

1

 Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability A margin of error is a measure of an estimate’s variability The larger the margin of error . .

is in relation to the size of the estimate, the less reliable the estimate . When added to and subtracted from the estimate, the margin of error forms the 90 percent 

confidence interval .

Source: U S Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey . . .
U.S. Census Bureau 3

off their home mortgage, thereby 

attaining the ownership status of 

“free and clear.” About 29 percent 

of naturalized U.S. citizen-owned 

households were owned free and 

clear compared with 25 percent 

of noncitizen-owned households. 

In general, however, foreign-born 

owned households were less likely 

than native-born owned households 

to be owned free and clear (28 percent compared with 34 percent). 

Housing Tenure of ForeignBorn Households by Place of 

Birth and Period of Entry 

Of the 16.2 million foreign-born 

households, half had a foreign-born 

householder from Latin America 

and the Caribbean, with an additional 28 percent from Asia, 15 percent from Europe, 5 percent from 

Africa, and 3 percent from other 

regions (Table 2).4 While foreignborn households with a householder from Latin America and the 

Caribbean represented 50 percent 

of all households, they represented 

57 percent of all rented households. 

4 The term Latin America and the

Caribbean includes countries in Central and 

South America and the Caribbean. Central 

America includes Belize, Costa Rica, El

Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico,

Nicaragua, and Panama. South America 

includes Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, 

Colombia, Ecuador, Falkland Islands, French 

Guiana, Guyana, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, 

Uruguay, and Venezuela. Caribbean includes 

Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba,

Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, 

Cayman Islands, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican 

Republic, Grenada, the former country of

Guadeloupe (including St. Barthélemy and 

Saint-Martin), Haiti, Jamaica, Martinique, 

Montserrat, the former country of the

Netherlands Antilles (including Bonaire,

Curaçao, Saba, Sint Eustatius, and Sint 

Maarten), St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia,

St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and 

Tobago, and Turks and Caicos Islands. Note 

that people born in Puerto Rico and the

U.S. Virgin Islands are native born to the 

United States and are not included in the list 

of countries in the Caribbean.

By comparison, foreign-born households with a householder from 

Europe represented 15 percent of 

all households but 10 percent of all 

rented households.

There was considerable variation 

in homeownership rates among 

the various region-of-birth households. For example, 66 percent of 

the foreign-born households with 

a householder from Europe were 

owner occupied, compared with 40 

percent of foreign-born households 

with a householder born in Africa 

(Figure 2). In general, foreign-born 

households from Europe, Asia, 

and other regions exhibited higher 

homeownership rates than those 

from Africa and Latin America and 

the Caribbean. Among households 

from Latin American subregions 

(including Central and South

America and the Caribbean), homeownership ranged between 44 

percent and 48 percent. 

Figure 1. 

Percentage Distribution of Housing Tenure by Nativity and Citizenship Status: 2011

(Households are classified by the nativity and citizenship of the householder. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality 

protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/acs/www/)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey. 

Rented Owned

 Noncitizen

 Naturalized citizen

 Foreign born

 Native

Total 35

52

67

65

66

34

48

33

66

34

Percentage of

owned homes that 

were owned free 

and clear

34

34

28

29

25
4 U.S. Census Bureau

Table 2. 

Housing Tenure for Foreign-Born Households by World Region of Birth: 2011 

(Households are classified by the nativity status and world region of birth of the householder. Numbers in thousands. Data based on sample. For 

information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/acs/www/)

World region of birth

Total foreign-born households Owned Rented

Number

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1 Percent

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1 Number

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1 Percent

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1 Number

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1 Percent

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1

 Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,151 58 100.0 (X) 8,321 47 100.0 (X) 7,830 45 100.0 (X)

Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 730 13 4.5 0.1 291 9 3.5 0.1 439 10 5.6 0.1

Asia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,480 26 27.7 0.1 2,520 20 30.3 0.2 1,961 19 25.0 0.2

Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,348 24 14.5 0.1 1,555 19 18.7 0.2 793 15 10.1 0.2

Other regions2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477 12 3.0 0.1 319 10 3.8 0.1 158 6 2.0 0.1

Latin America and the Caribbean . 8,116 40 50.2 0.2 3,636 29 43.7 0.2 4,480 36 57.2 0.3

Central America . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,400 34 33.4 0.2 2,358 23 28.3 0.2 3,042 29 38.9 0.3

 Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4,275 31 26.5 0.2 1,924 21 23.1 0.2 2,350 25 30.0 0.3

 Other Central America3 . . . . . 1,126 20 7.0 0.1 434 12 5.2 0.1 692 15 8.8 0.2

South America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,078 20 6.7 0.1 517 12 6.2 0.1 562 14 7.2 0.2

Caribbean . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,637 20 10.1 0.1 762 14 9.2 0.1 875 16 11.2 0.2

(X) Not applicable. 1

 Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. A margin of error is a measure of an estimate’s variability. The larger the margin of error 

is in relation to the size of the estimate, the less reliable the estimate. When added to and subtracted from the estimate, the margin of error forms the 90 percent 

confidence interval. 2

 Other regions includes Oceania and Northern America. 3

 Other Central America includes the countries of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey.

Figure 2. 

Percentage Distribution of Housing Tenure for Foreign-Born Households by 

World Region of Birth: 2011

(Households are classified by the nativity status and world region of birth of the householder. Data based on sample. For information on 

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/acs/www/)

1 Other regions includes Oceania and Northern America.

2 Other Central America includes the countries of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey.

Rented Owned

Caribbean

South America

Other

Central America2

Mexico

Central America

Latin America and

the Caribbean

Other regions1

Europe

Asia

Africa

Foreign born 48

45

40

52

61

55

44

39

47

Percentage of

owned homes that 

were owned free 

and clear

28

14

24

40

37

60

34

33

56

55

52

53

48

56

66

67

45

44

25

27

30

15

17

21
U.S. Census Bureau 5

There was also considerable variation among the various region-ofbirth groups in the percentage of 

owned homes that were owned 

free and clear. Overall, 28 percent 

of all foreign-born owned households had paid off their mortgage. 

Foreign-born owned households 

with a householder from Europe 

were the most likely to be owned 

free and clear (40 percent), while 

foreign-born owned households 

with a householder from Africa 

were the least likely to be owned 

free and clear (14 percent).

Of the 20 country-of-birth groups 

with the largest number of foreignborn households in the United 

States, several countries from 

Europe along with Canada had 

the highest homeownership rates. 

Over 70 percent of foreign-born 

households with a householder 

from Canada (71 percent), Germany 

(72 percent), Italy (79 percent), and 

the United Kingdom (73 percent) 

were owner occupied (Figure 3).5 By 

comparison, less than one-third of 

the foreign-born households with a 

householder born in the Dominican 

Republic (25 percent), Guatemala 

5 The percentages of owner-occupied 

foreign-born households with a householder from Canada (71 percent), the United 

Kingdom (73 percent), and Germany (72 

percent) are not statistically different from 

one another.

Figure 3. 

Percentage Distribution of Housing Tenure for Foreign-Born Households by 

Country of Birth: 2011

(Households are classified by the nativity status and country of birth of the householder. Data based on sample. For information on 

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/acs/www/)

1 Includes respondents who reported their country of birth as China, Hong Kong, Macau, Paracel Islands, or Taiwan. 2 Includes respondents who reported their country of birth as Korea, North Korea, or South Korea.

Note: Homeownership rates shown for the 20 country-of-birth groups with the largest number of households in the United States.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey.

Percentage of

owned homes that 

were owned free 

and clear

28

35

18

51

12

16

17

35

39

13

15

30

21

15

55

20

18

19

29

34

35

Rented Owned 

Vietnam

United Kingdom

Poland

Philippines

Mexico

Korea2

Jamaica

Italy

Iran

India

Honduras

Haiti

Guatemala

Germany

El Salvador

Dominican Republic

Cuba

Colombia

China1

Canada

Foreign born

63

27 73

32 68

37

34 66

79

55 45

48

56

52

44

21

45

31

46

69

54

56

55

44

28 72

43

25

70 30

57

75

48

29

40

52

60

49

44 56

51

71
6 U.S. Census Bureau

(30 percent), and Honduras (31 

percent), were owner occupied.6

Italy and Germany were also among 

the country-of-birth groups with 

the highest percentage of owned 

homes that were owned free and 

clear. About half of foreign-born 

households that were owned and 

had householders from Italy and 

Germany owned their homes free 

and clear (55 percent and 51 percent, respectively). By comparison, 

less than one-sixth of foreign-born 

households that were owned and 

6 The percentage of owner-occupied 

foreign-born households with a householder 

from Guatemala (30 percent) is not statistically different than the percentage from

Honduras (31 percent).

had a householder from El Salvador 

(12 percent), Haiti (13 percent), 

Jamaica (15 percent), and the

Philippines (15 percent) owned 

their homes free and clear.7

Time in the United States is positively associated with homeownership, regardless of the origins 

of the foreign-born household. 

In fact, time in the United States 

tends to have an equalizing effect, 

reducing differences in the rates of 

7 The percentages of owned homes with 

householders from the Philippines, Jamaica, 

and Haiti that were owned free and clear are 

not statistically different from one another. 

The percentages of owned homes with 

householders from Haiti and El Salvador that 

were owned free and clear are not statistically 

different from one another.

homeownership among the world 

region-of-birth groups.8 Among

foreign-born households with 

a householder who entered the 

country in 2000 or later, one-fourth 

lived in owner-occupied households, with homeownership rates 

among the region-of-birth groups 

ranging from about 20 percent to 

47 percent (Figure 4). Among foreign-born households with a householder who arrived before 1980, 

almost three-fourths (73 percent) 

lived in owner-occupied households. The rate of homeownership 

8 Callis, Robert R., “Moving to America—

Moving to Homeownership: 1994–2002,”

U.S. Census Bureau, Current Housing Reports, 

H121/03-1, September 2003, pp. 2, 4.

Figure 4. 

Homeownership Rate of Foreign-Born Households by Period of Entry and World 

Region of Birth: 2011

(Households are classified by nativity status, period of entry, and world region of birth of the householder. Rate in percent. 

Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, 

see www.census.gov/acs/www/)

1 Other regions includes Oceania and Northern America.

2 Other Central America includes the countries of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Panama.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey.

Caribbean

South America

Other

Central America2

Mexico

Central America

Latin America and

the Caribbean

Other regions1

Europe

Asia

Africa

Foreign born 73

64

68

57

69

67

67

76

79

78

73

60

48

58

51

56

55

54

67

69

67

63

48

39

46

37

38

38

39

70

60

60

43

25

25

27

14

19

18

21

47

36

27

20

Before 1980 1980 to 1989 1990 to 1999 2000 or later
U.S. Census Bureau 7

not only increased for all regionof-birth groups to a range of about 

67 percent to 79 percent, but the 

differences among the groups

narrowed notably. 

Geographic Distribution of 

Foreign-Born Owner-Occupied 

Households

Just ten metropolitan statistical 

areas accounted for about half of 

the nation’s foreign-born households, including Boston, Chicago, 

Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, 

Miami, New York, Riverside (CA), 

San Francisco, and Washington,

DC (Table 3). New York and Los

Angeles each had over 1 million 

foreign-born households. 

States with the largest number of 

foreign-born households included 

California (4.0 million), Florida (1.5 

million), New York (1.8 million), and 

Texas (1.7 million) (Table 4). These 

were also the four states with the 

largest foreign-born populations.9

There was considerable variation 

in the rate of homeownership by 

foreign-born households across the 

United States. For example, among 

states with at least 10,000 foreignborn households, about 60 percent 

were owner occupied in Alaska, 

Maine, Michigan, New Hampshire, 

and New Mexico. By comparison, 

less than 40 percent of all foreignborn households were owner occupied in the District of Columbia and 

New York.

This variation can be seen among 

metropolitan statistical areas as 

9 In 2011, 40.4 million foreign born lived 

in the United States, including 10.2 million in 

California, 4.3 million in New York, 4.2 million in Texas, 3.7 million in Florida, and 18.0 

million in all other states.

well (Figure 5). For example, metropolitan areas in California where 

foreign-born households were less 

likely to own their homes were 

mostly concentrated along the 

central and southern coastal part of 

the state, including the Santa Cruz, 

Salinas, San Luis Obispo, Santa

Barbara, Los Angeles, and San 

Diego metropolitan areas (all 

below 50 percent). Foreign-born 

households were more likely to 

be owner occupied in the large 

“Inland Empire” metropolitan area 

of Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario 

(63 percent).

Of metropolitan areas with at least 

1,000 foreign-born households, 

nearly two-thirds were located 

in the South and West regions of 

the country. About 45 percent 

of the metropolitan areas in the 

Northeast, especially in New York 

and Pennsylvania, exceeded the 

national homeownership average 

for foreign-born households of

52 percent. Included among these 

were Allentown, PA (66 percent); 

Lancaster, PA (65 percent);

Philadelphia, PA (58 percent); 

Poughkeepsie, NY (59 percent); 

Rochester, NY (64 percent); and 

Syracuse, NY (58 percent).10 By contrast, about 19 percent of the metropolitan areas in the Midwest had 

homeownership rates for foreignborn households that exceeded the 

national average. 

The majority of all owner-occupied 

households (81 percent) were 

located in metropolitan areas. 

However, a higher proportion 

of owner-occupied foreign-born 

households than owner-occupied 

native households were in metropolitan areas. In 2011, 95 percent 

of owner-occupied foreign-born 

households were in metropolitan 

areas, compared with 80 percent 

of native-born households (Figure 

6). Owner-occupied foreign-born 

households with both naturalized 

citizen and noncitizen householders exhibited the same high rate of 

metropolitan residency. 

10 Each of the estimates of homeownership rates for the metropolitan areas mentioned here is not statistically different from 

at least one of the other metropolitan areas.

What Is the American Community Survey?

The American Community Survey (ACS) is a nationwide survey 

designed to provide communities with reliable and timely demographic, 

social, economic, and housing data for the nation, states, congressional districts, counties, places, and other localities every year. It has an 

annual sample size of about 3.3 million addresses across the United 

States and Puerto Rico and includes both housing units and group 

quarters (e.g., nursing facilities and prisons). The ACS is conducted 

in every county throughout the nation, and every municipio in Puerto 

Rico, where it is called the Puerto Rico Community Survey. Beginning 

in 2006, ACS data for 2005 were released for geographic areas with 

populations of 65,000 and greater. For information on the ACS sample 

design and other topics, visit <www.census.gov/acs/www>.
8 U.S. Census Bureau

Table 3. 

Homeownership Rate of Foreign-Born Households by Metropolitan Statistical Area: 2011

(Fifty largest metropolitan statistical areas, by number of foreign-born households. Households are classified by the nativity status of the householder. Numbers in thousands. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/acs/www/)

Area

Total foreignborn households Owned Rented

Number

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1 Number

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1

Percent

of

total

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1 Number

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1

Percent

of

total

Margin 

of 

error 

(±)1

 United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16,151 58 8,321 47 51.5 0.2 7,830 45 48.5 0.2 

New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island,

NY-NJ-PA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2,307 16 924 12 40.0 0.5 1,383 16 60.0 0.5 

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Santa Ana, CA . . . . . . . . 1,722 14 747 12 43.4 0.6 975 13 56.6 0.6 

Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL . . . . . 881 12 506 9 57.5 0.9 374 10 42.5 0.9 

Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL-IN-WI . . . . . . . . . . . . . 692 9 421 10 60.8 1.2 272 9 39.2 1.2 

Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540 12 301 10 55.8 1.4 239 9 44.2 1.4 

San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA . . . . . . . . . . . 528 10 261 7 49.4 1.3 267 9 50.6 1.3 

Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV . 478 9 268 8 56.1 1.5 210 9 43.9 1.5 

Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 459 10 242 7 52.7 1.3 217 8 47.3 1.3 

Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA . . . . . . . . . . 350 9 220 8 62.9 1.6 130 7 37.1 1.6 

Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH . . . . . . . . . . . . 336 8 151 5 45.0 1.3 185 6 55.0 1.3 

San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA . . . . . . . . . . . 279 7 126 5 45.2 1.5 153 6 54.8 1.5 

Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA . . . . . . . . . . . . 276 9 147 8 53.2 2.2 129 7 46.8 2.2 

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA . . . . . . . . . . 272 5 138 4 50.8 1.4 134 5 49.2 1.4 

Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, AZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247 8 135 6 54.7 1.9 112 6 45.3 1.9 

Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 245 7 126 5 51.3 1.7 119 5 48.7 1.7 

Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD . 242 6 140 5 58.1 1.5 101 5 41.9 1.5 

Las Vegas-Paradise, NV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 167 7 86 5 51.6 2.2 81 5 48.4 2.2 

Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155 5 103 4 66.8 1.7 51 3 33.2 1.7 

Tampa-St Petersburg-Clearwater, FL . . . . . . . . . . . 153 7 95 5 62.0 2.3 58 5 38.0 2.3 

Sacramento--Arden-Arcade--Roseville, CA . . . . . . .. 151 5 79 4 52.6 2.3 71 5 47.4 2.3 

Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 7 86 5 58.5 2.8 61 5 41.5 2.8 

Minneapolis-St Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI . . . . . . . 129 5 57 3 44.2 1.8 72 4 55.8 1.8 

Denver-Aurora-Broomfield, CO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 123 5 60 3 48.6 2.4 63 5 51.4 2.4 

Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA . . . . . . . . . . 111 4 57 3 51.2 2.4 54 3 48.8 2.4 

San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 105 6 61 5 58.1 3.6 44 5 41.9 3.6 

Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 6 51 5 49.1 3.3 52 4 50.9 3.3 

Baltimore-Towson, MD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 4 57 4 55.4 2.9 46 4 44.6 2.9 

Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA . . . . . . 96 5 51 3 53.0 2.6 45 3 47.0 2.6 

McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 5 64 4 67.2 2.7 31 3 32.8 2.7 

El Paso, TX . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 5 56 4 60.4 2.7 37 3 39.6 2.7 

Fresno, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 3 38 3 49.0 2.9 39 3 51.0 2.9 

Charlotte-Gastonia-Rock Hill, NC-SC . . . . . . . . . . . 76 4 40 4 52.0 4.0 37 3 48.0 4.0 

Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 3 40 3 54.8 3.0 33 3 45.2 3.0 

Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT . . . . . . . . 70 3 41 3 57.6 3.3 30 3 42.4 3.3 

Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA . . . . . . . . . . . 65 3 38 3 57.7 2.9 28 2 42.3 2.9 

Bakersfield-Delano, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 3 35 2 54.2 3.4 29 3 45.8 3.4 

Honolulu, HI . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 3 32 2 50.4 3.1 31 3 49.6 3.1 

Stockton, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60 4 31 3 51.9 3.9 29 3 48.1 3.9 

Tucson, AZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 3 30 3 53.0 3.8 27 3 47.0 3.8 

Columbus, OH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 4 23 2 41.6 3.6 32 3 58.4 3.6 

Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 3 34 2 62.1 2.9 21 2 37.9 2.9 

Kansas City, MO-KS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 3 28 2 51.6 3.3 26 3 48.4 3.3 

Raleigh-Cary, NC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52 4 31 4 59.1 5.5 21 3 40.9 5.5 

St Louis, MO-IL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 3 31 3 61.2 3.2 20 2 38.8 3.2 

Salt Lake City, UT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 3 26 2 51.8 3.7 25 3 48.2 3.7 

Jacksonville, FL . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47 3 30 3 63.4 5.0 17 3 36.6 5.0 

Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN . . 46 3 21 2 44.6 4.0 26 2 55.4 4.0 

Salinas, CA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46 3 18 2 38.9 3.2 28 2 61.1 3.2 

Milwaukee-Waukesha-West Allis, WI . . . . . . . . . . . 45 2 23 2 51.6 3.3 22 2 48.4 3.3 

Indianapolis-Carmel, IN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45 3 21 3 47.4 4.8 23 3 52.6 4.8 

1

 Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. A margin of error is a measure of an estimate’s variability. The larger the margin of error 

is in relation to the size of the estimate, the less reliable the estimate. When added to and subtracted from the estimate, the margin of error forms the 90 percent 

confidence interval.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey.
U.S. Census Bureau 9

Table 4. 

Homeownership Rate of Foreign-Born Households by State: 2011

(Households are classified by the nativity status of the householder. Numbers in thousands. Data based on sample. For information on

confidentiality protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/acs/www/)

Area

Total foreignborn households Owned Rented

Number

Margin of 

error (±)1 Number

Margin of 

error (±)1

Percent 

of total

Margin of 

error (±)1 Number

Margin of 

error (±)1

Percent 

of total

Margin of 

error (±)1

 United States . . . . . . . . . . 16,151 58 8,321 47 51.5 0.2 7,830 45 48.5 0.2 

Alabama . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 3 33 2 53.7 3.2 28 2 46.3 3.2 

Alaska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 2 10 1 62.4 5.6 6 1 37.6 5.6 

Arizona . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358 10 202 7 56.3 1.5 156 7 43.7 1.5 

Arkansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 3 27 3 52.9 4.4 24 3 47.1 4.4 

California . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,954 25 1,893 18 47.9 0.4 2,061 21 52.1 0.4 

Colorado . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194 6 100 5 51.7 2.0 94 5 48.3 2.0 

Connecticut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 204 6 115 4 56.3 1.8 89 5 43.7 1.8 

Delaware . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 3 16 2 54.7 4.8 13 2 45.4 4.8 

District of Columbia . . . . . . . . . . . 39 3 13 1 32.8 3.1 26 2 67.2 3.1 

Florida . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,513 18 901 14 59.5 0.7 612 14 40.5 0.7 

Georgia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364 10 193 8 52.9 1.7 171 7 47.1 1.7 

Hawaii . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 4 44 3 53.0 2.5 39 3 47.0 2.5 

Idaho . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 3 22 3 59.9 4.8 15 2 40.1 4.8 

Illinois . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 732 10 439 10 59.9 1.1 293 9 40.1 1.1 

Indiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120 5 64 4 53.0 2.2 56 3 47.0 2.2 

Iowa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 3 26 2 48.2 3.3 28 2 51.8 3.3 

Kansas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76 3 41 3 54.7 2.8 34 2 45.3 2.8 

Kentucky . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53 3 28 3 52.8 3.9 25 3 47.2 3.9 

Louisiana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69 4 35 3 50.2 3.4 34 3 49.8 3.4 

Maine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 2 11 1 60.3 4.0 7 1 39.7 4.0 

Maryland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318 6 182 6 57.3 1.6 136 6 42.7 1.6 

Massachusetts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 433 10 203 7 46.7 1.1 231 7 53.3 1.1 

Michigan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246 6 154 5 62.6 1.5 92 5 37.4 1.5 

Minnesota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154 5 70 3 45.1 1.7 85 4 54.9 1.7 

Mississippi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 3 12 2 51.5 5.6 11 2 48.5 5.6 

Missouri . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95 5 50 3 52.7 2.1 45 3 47.3 2.1 

Montana . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) 

Nebraska . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 3 22 2 46.6 3.4 26 2 53.4 3.4 

Nevada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 205 7 106 5 51.4 1.9 100 5 48.6 1.9 

New Hampshire . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 3 21 2 62.1 4.4 13 2 37.9 4.4 

New Jersey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 770 10 393 8 51.0 0.9 377 10 49.0 0.9 

New Mexico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 5 53 4 62.5 3.1 32 3 37.5 3.1 

New York . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,813 13 692 10 38.2 0.6 1,121 16 61.8 0.6 

North Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 278 8 146 8 52.6 2.1 132 6 47.4 2.1 

North Dakota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) 

Ohio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195 6 106 5 54.4 1.9 89 5 45.6 1.9 

Oklahoma . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78 3 40 2 52.0 2.6 37 3 48.0 2.6 

Oregon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146 5 72 4 49.8 2.1 73 4 50.2 2.1 

Pennsylvania . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308 7 177 6 57.3 1.4 132 6 42.7 1.4 

Rhode Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 3 30 3 50.1 3.5 30 3 49.9 3.5 

South Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 5 50 4 56.7 3.1 38 3 43.3 3.1 

South Dakota . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) 

Tennessee . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112 5 53 4 47.6 2.6 59 4 52.4 2.6 

Texas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,682 22 963 17 57.3 0.7 719 16 42.7 0.7 

Utah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90 4 49 3 54.5 2.6 41 3 45.5 2.6 

Vermont . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) 

Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 342 8 195 7 57.0 1.6 147 7 43.0 1.6 

Washington . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370 9 191 6 51.6 1.3 179 7 48.4 1.3 

West Virginia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) 

Wisconsin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 107 5 57 3 53.5 2.4 50 3 46.5 2.4 

Wyoming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) (B) 

Puerto Rico . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49 3 28 2 57.5 3.2 21 2 42.5 3.2 

(B) Number of foreign-born households in state less than 10,000. 1

 Data are based on a sample and are subject to sampling variability. A margin of error is a measure of an estimate’s variability. The larger the margin of error 

is in relation to the size of the estimate, the less reliable the estimate. When added to and subtracted from the estimate, the margin of error forms the 90 percent 

confidence interval.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey.
10 U.S. Census Bureau Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey. 0 500Miles 0 100 Miles 0 100 Miles Percent51.5 to 59.9 45.0 to 51.4 Less than 45.0 Note: Metropolitan Statistical Areas defined by the Office of Management and Budget as of December 2009. 60.0 or more Fi Homeownership Rate of Foreign-Born Households by Metropolitan Statistical Area: 2011 gure 5. Fewer than 1,000 foreign-born households 0 50 Miles (Households are classified by the nativity status of the householder) U.S. percent is 51.5
U.S. Census Bureau 11

Source and Accuracy

The data presented in this report 

are based on the ACS sample 

interviewed in 2011. The estimates 

based on this sample approximate 

the actual values and represent the 

entire household and group quarters population. Sampling error is 

the difference between an estimate 

based on a sample and the corresponding value that would be 

obtained if the estimate were based 

on the entire population (as from a 

census). Measures of the sampling 

errors are provided in the form of 

margins of error for all estimates 

included in this report. All comparative statements in this report 

have undergone statistical testing, 

and comparisons are significant at 

the 90 percent level unless otherwise noted. In addition to sampling 

error, nonsampling error may be 

introduced during any of the operations used to collect and process 

survey data such as editing, reviewing, or keying data from questionnaires. For more information on 

sampling and estimation methods, 

confidentiality protection, and 

sampling and nonsampling errors, 

please see the 2011 ACS Accuracy 

of the Data document located at 

<www.census.gov/acs

/www/Downloads/data_

documentation/Accuracy/ACS

_Accuracy_of_Data_2011.pdf>.

Figure 6. 

Percentage Distribution of Owner-Occupied Households by Metropolitan Status, 

Nativity and Citizenship: 2011

(Households are classified by the nativity and citizenship of the householder. Data based on sample. For information on confidentiality

protection, sampling error, nonsampling error, and definitions, see www.census.gov/acs/www/)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011 American Community Survey. 

In metropolitan area Not in metropolitan area

 Noncitizen

 Naturalized citizen

 Foreign born

 Native

Total 81

5

20

19

93

96

95

80

7

4