Comptroller’s Report Shows New York Has Second Highest Immigrant Population in Country

ALBANY – Immigrants in New York State comprise 22 percent, or 4.4 million, of the state’s population. That’s according to a new report from Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s office, which says the percentage of immigrants is well above the national average of 13 percent.  In fact, as of 2014, the number of immigrants in New York was surpassed only by California at nearly 10.3 million.

According to DiNapoli’s report, Immigrants have helped stabilize populations in some upstate cities and driven growth in other areas such as New York City and Long Island.

More than 92 percent of all New York’s immigrants reside in New York City, Long Island and the Hudson Valley, according to the report.

For those immigrating to New York state from 2010 to 2015, nearly 75 percent of the 631,000 immigrants settled in New York City. Another 73,000 made their homes in upstate cities, primarily Buffalo, Rochester and Syracuse.