Who relocates to Texas
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Nearly one-fifth of Texas residents are from foreign countries, per the latest U.S. Census Bureau figures.
Why it matters: Relocation to Texas — and Dallas-Fort Worth — has shaped the diversity of the state and the region.
The latest: More than 600,000 people relocated to Texas from another state last year, and more than 272,000 moved in from another country, according to the Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey.
- More than 87,000 people moved to the Dallas-area last year from another country, and more than 172,000 people relocated to the region from another state.
The big picture: Texas' foreign-born population growth has mirrored what's happening nationally.
- In 2023, 14.3% of the U.S. population was foreign born, up from 13.1% a decade prior.
Zoom out: Nearly 5.5 million people born outside the U.S. called Texas home in 2023, the latest year for which data is available.
- That's 17.9% of the state's 30.5 million people.
- In 2013, 4.4 million Texans (16.5% of the population at the time) were born abroad.
Zoom in: There are 1.6 million foreign-born residents in the Dallas-Fort Worth metro area.
- More than 680,000 of the foreign-born D-FW residents are naturalized U.S. citizens.
Between the lines: Not all noncitizens are undocumented. They can also be lawful permanent residents, students, workers on temporary visas, or refugees.
By the numbers: 40% of foreign-born Texans entered the U.S. before 2000, and 38% entered the country after 2010.
- Nearly 41% of foreign-born D-FW residents entered the country after 2010. About 37% moved in before 2000.
- More than 32% of foreign-born people in D-FW are from Asia, compared with 24% statewide.
Fun fact: About one-sixth of the people who moved to Texas from another state last year were from California.
The bottom line: Even if you weren't born in Texas, you probably got here as fast as you could.