A new research report, New Americans in Houston, released today by the American Immigration Council, underscores the crucial role immigrants play in the Houston area’s economy. The report was prepared in partnership with Texans for Economic Growth, a statewide 145+ member business coalition powered by the American Immigration Council, the Texas Association of Business, the American Leadership Forum, the Center for Houston’s Future, and Leadership Houston.
For more information, see our press release.
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Immigrants in Houston contributed billions in taxes and consumer spending. In 2021, immigrant households earned $66.5 billion in income, with $11.1 billion going to federal taxes and $5.2 billion going to state and local taxes, leaving them with $50.2 billion in spending power that can be reinvested in local communities.
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Immigrants are helping the metro area meet its labor force demands and will help meet future needs. In 2021, immigrants made up 24.0 percent of the metro area’s population, yet accounted for 30.1 percent of the working age population and 31.0 percent of its employed labor force. This means immigrants played an outsized role in the region’s labor force.
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New Americans are working in fast-growing industries. New Americans represented 24.0 percent of Houston’s population, but comprised 35.5 percent of STEM workers, 44.1 percent of agriculture workers, and 50.3 percent of construction workers in 2021, contributing a wide array of skills in fast-growing industries.
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International students support jobs in Houston. In 2021, International students supported 3,800 local jobs and contributed $425.0 million to the U.S. economy. In 2021, there were 16,206 international students enrolled in colleges and universities in the Houston metro area.
