St. Louis metro leads nation in foreign-born population growth

ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis metropolitan area has recorded the highest percentage increase in foreign-born population among the 30 largest U.S. metro areas from 2022-2023, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data . The region saw a 23.2% year-over-year increase, adding over 30,000 foreign-born residents and growing from 129,604 to 159,710.

This marks the largest one-year increase in the region’s immigrant population on record . The Latino/Hispanic population also grew significantly, ranking St. Louis 4th among major metros for percentage growth in this demographic. For the first time in recent years, the metro’s Black population increased as well.

“Our City’s strength is in our diversity and the communities that we create when we open our arms to New Americans,” states St. Louis Mayor Tishaura O. Jones.

“New Americans are the path to a more vibrant economy, bolstering our population and our ability to compete with other growing regions across the U.S.” writes St. Louis County Executive Sam Page.

“Winning this decade means getting our population increasing and shifting the trajectory of our metro into growth mode,” states Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc.

The data suggests that efforts to boost the region’s immigrant population are succeeding, though local leaders stress the need to sustain this growth through continued initiatives. The non-profit group, the International Institute of St. Louis, unveiled the plan in September to bring in immigrants from Venezuela, Cuba, Nicaragua, and Haiti to the city.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2.