NRFC 

Quick Statistics 

National Responsible Fatherhood Clearinghouse  101 Lake Forest Boulevard, Suite 360  Gaithersburg, MD 20877 

 Toll-free: 1 (877) 4DAD411  Fax: (301) 948-4325  www.fatherhood.gov  March 2008 

 

Immigrant Fathers

Number (in Millions) of Immigrants Living in the United States by Gender, 1995-2006 

Year Males Females Total 

1995 12.0 12.5 24.5 

1996 12.0 12.5 24.5 

1997 12.9 12.8 25.7 

1998 13.1 13.2 26.3 

1999 13.1 13.3 26.4 

2000 15.1 14.8 29.9 

2001 16.1 15.7 31.8 

2002 16.4 16.1 32.5 

2003 16.8 16.7 33.5 

2004 17.2 17.0 34.2 

2005 17.4 17.1 34.5 

2006 18.0 17.5 35.5 

Source: Current Population Surveys, 1995-2006 

• The number of immigrants living in the United States has increased from 24.5 million in 

1995 to 35.5 million in 2006. 

• There were slightly higher numbers of immigrant males than females living in the United 

States in 2000-2006. 
 

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NRFC Quick Statistics 

Immigrant Fathers 

Father’s Age Distribution for U.S.-born Infants by Father’s Nativity*, 2001 

Less 

than 20 20-24 25-34 35-44 45+ 

Children with 

Foreign-Born 

Fathers 2% 16% 54% 26% 3% 

Children with 

Native-Born Fathers 4% 18% 53% 23% 2% 

Source: Child Trends analyses of ECLS-B, 9-month data 

*Note: Analyses are based on a sample of 6,881 fathers who reported nativity out of a total sample of 6,988 fathers 

 identified; 1.4% of fathers did not report on their nativity. Fathers included in this table are limited to biological, resident and 

non-resident fathers. 

• The age distribution of immigrant fathers is generally similar to native-born fathers. The 

majority of young children with an immigrant biological father as well as young children 

with a native-born biological father have a father who is aged 34 years or younger, 72 

percent and 75 percent respectively. 

Father’s Household Income Distribution for U.S.-born Infants 

by Father’s Nativity*, 2001 

Less 

than 

$10,000 

$10,001-

20,000 

$20,001-

35,000 

$35,001-

50,000 

$50,001-

75,000 

Over 

$75,000 

Children with 

Foreign-Born 

Fathers 9% 22% 34% 12% 9% 14% 

Children with 

Native-Born Fathers 8% 12% 21% 16% 18% 24% 

Source: Child Trends analyses of ECLS-B, 9-month data 

*Note: Analyses are based on a sample of 6,881 fathers who reported nativity out of a total sample of 6,988 fathers identified;

1.4% of fathers did not report on their nativity. Fathers included in this table are limited to biological and 

 non-biological, resident fathers. 

• Infants with immigrant fathers live in poorer households than infants with native fathers. 

In 2001, a large percentage (65 percent) of young children with immigrant fathers lived in 

households with incomes below $35,000 as compared to only 41 percent of children with 

native fathers. 
 

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NRFC Quick Statistics 

Immigrant Fathers 

Father’s Residential Status for U.S.-born Infants by Father’s Nativity*, 2001 

Resident Nonresident 

Both a Resident 

and a NonResident 

Children with 

Foreign-Born 

Fathers 

92% 6% 2% 

Children with 

Native-Born 

Fathers 

84% 11% 4% 

Source: Child Trends analyses of ECLS-B, 9-month data 

*Note: Analyses are based on a sample of 6,881 fathers who reported nativity out of a total sample of 6,988 fathers identified;

1.4% of fathers did not report on their nativity. Fathers included in this table are limited to biological and non-biological,

resident and non-resident fathers. 

• Immigrant fathers are only about half as likely to be non-resident fathers as native 

fathers with infant children (6 versus 11 percent). 

Father’s Marital and Cohabitation Status for U.S.-born Infants 

by Father’s Nativity*, 2001 

Married Cohabitating 

Neither Married or 

Cohabitating 

Children with 

Foreign-Born 

Fathers 

73% 20% 7% 

Children with 

Native-Born 

Fathers 

72% 13% 15% 

Source: Child Trends analyses of ECLS-B, 9-month data 

*Note: Analyses are based on a sample of 6,881 fathers who reported nativity out of a total sample of 

 6,988 fathers identified; 1.4% of fathers did not report on their nativity. Fathers included in this table are 

limited to biological, resident and non-resident fathers. 

• One in five immigrant biological fathers (20 percent) cohabit with the mother of their 

infant as compared to only 13 percent of native-born fathers. 

• The proportions of immigrant and native biological fathers that are married, however, are 

virtually the same (73 percent of foreign-born and 72 percent of native born). 
 

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NRFC Quick Statistics 

Immigrant Fathers 

Father’s Region of Origin for U.S.-born Infants with Immigrant Fathers*, 2001 

Africa & 

West 

Indies 

Europe, 

Canada, 

Australia Asia Mexico 

Other Latin 

America** 

Children with 

Foreign-Born 

Fathers 

7% 8% 17% 49% 18% 

Source: Child Trends analyses of ECLS-B, 9-month data 

*Note: Analyses are based on a sample of 6,881 fathers who reported nativity out of a total sample of 6,988 fathers 

 identified; 1.4% of fathers did not report on their nativity. Fathers included in this table are limited to biological 

and non-biological, resident and non-resident fathers. 

** Other Latin America includes Central America, South America and the Caribbean 

• About half of infant children with immigrant fathers (49 percent) have fathers who come 

from Mexico. 

• The rest of Latin America accounts for another 18 percent of foreign-born fathers, 

meaning that including Mexico, just over two thirds of children with immigrant fathers (67 

percent) have fathers from Latin America. 

• Close to one in five children with immigrant fathers (17 percent) have fathers from Asia. 

Father’s Educational Attainment Distribution for U.S.-born Infants 

by Father’s Nativity*, 2001 

Less than 

high 

school 

High 

school 

Vocationa

l/ Some 

College 

College or 

Higher 

Children with ForeignBorn Fathers 47% 16% 17% 21% 

Children with NativeBorn Fathers 17% 27% 29% 28% 

Source: Child Trends analyses of ECLS-B, 9-month data 

*Note: Analyses are based on a sample of 6,881 fathers who reported nativity out of a total sample of 6,988 fathers 

identified; 1.4% of fathers did not report on their nativity. Fathers included in this table are limited to biological 

and non-biological, resident and non-resident fathers. 

• Immigrant fathers are about three times as likely as native-born fathers to lack a high 

school education. Almost half (47 percent) of infants with immigrant fathers have fathers 

without high school educations; for infants with native fathers this proportion is just 17 

percent. 

• Native-born fathers are only slightly more likely than immigrant fathers to have a college 

degree or higher. For infants with native-born fathers, 28 percent have a father with a 

college degree or higher as compared with 21 percent of children with foreign-born 

fathers.