New research from the American Immigration Council shows that immigrants in the mid-Michigan region play a crucial role as taxpayers, workers, consumers, and more. In 2022 alone, immigrants paid $150.3 million in federal taxes and held $407.4 million in spending power.
The new report, Contributions of New Americans in Mid-Michigan, was prepared in partnership with the Michigan Global Talent Coalition. The report focuses on mid-Michigan communities, including Arenac, Bay, Clare, Gladwin, Gratiot, Isabella, Mecosta, Midland, Osceola, and Saginaw counties.
In 2022, 12,700 immigrants lived in the region, accounting for 2.1 percent of the total population. Immigrant households earned $557.7 million and contributed $1.3 billion to the region’s gross domestic product (GDP), or 4.0 percent of total GDP for that year.
The report also features profiles of community members: Manuela Powidayko Alberici Souza, Director of the Department of Planning and Community Development in Mount Pleasant, and Pavel Konecny, President and CEO of Tri-Star Trust.
Read the press release here.
-
Immigration is crucial to mitigating population decline in the mid-Michigan region. Between 2017 and 2022, the region’s total population declined by 1.4 percent while the immigrant population grew by 2.3 percent.
-
Immigrants are helping the region meet its labor force demands. In 2022, immigrants in the region were 21.9 percent more likely to be of working age than their U.S.-born counterparts. Despite making up 2.1 percent of the mid-Michigan population, immigrants comprised 2.5 percent of the region’s working age population and 2.7 percent of its employed labor force.
-
Immigrants contribute to the region’s economy across the skills spectrum. In 2022, 30.4 percent of mid-Michigan’s immigrants held an advanced degree, and 46.4 percent possessed a bachelor’s degree or higher, while 17.1 percent had less than a high school education. This positions immigrants to support industries with and without degree requirements.
