Cities in North Carolina by foreign-born share of the population

Morrisville, NC had the highest foreign-born share of the population of 93 cities in 2022, at 35%. Lewisville, NC had the lowest, at 2.6%. The median was 7.2% and the figure for North Carolina was 8.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Median7.293 cities
North Carolina8.3History

Top 40 cities, 2022

Morrisville, NC: 35 %Morrisville, NC35Cary, NC: 22.8 %Cary, NC22.8Charlotte, NC: 17.4 %Charlotte, NC17.4Zebulon, NC: 17.2 %Zebulon, NC17.2Monroe, NC: 16.7 %Monroe, NC16.7Chapel Hill, NC: 16 %Chapel Hill, NC16Apex, NC: 15.8 %Apex, NC15.8Pineville, NC: 15.6 %Pineville, NC15.6Durham, NC: 14.8 %Durham, NC14.8Weddington, NC: 14.6 %Weddington, NC14.6Carrboro, NC: 14.4 %Carrboro, NC14.4Sanford, NC: 14.3 %Sanford, NC14.3Waxhaw, NC: 13.4 %Waxhaw, NC13.4Harrisburg, NC: 13.3 %Harrisburg, NC13.3Raleigh, NC: 13 %Raleigh, NC13High Point, NC: 12.7 %High Point, NC12.7Matthews, NC: 12.6 %Matthews, NC12.6Greensboro, NC: 12.3 %Greensboro, NC12.3Asheboro, NC: 12.3 %Asheboro, NC12.3Indian Trail, NC: 12 %Indian Trail, NC12Burlington, NC: 11.7 %Burlington, NC11.7Concord, NC: 11.2 %Concord, NC11.2Lexington, NC: 10.9 %Lexington, NC10.9Mint Hill, NC: 10.6 %Mint Hill, NC10.6Winston-Salem, NC: 10.4 %Winston-Salem, NC10.4Morganton, NC: 9.9 %Morganton, NC9.9Graham, NC: 9.9 %Graham, NC9.9Holly Springs, NC: 9.8 %Holly Springs, NC9.8Statesville, NC: 9.7 %Statesville, NC9.7Stallings, NC: 9.6 %Stallings, NC9.6Knightdale, NC: 9.5 %Knightdale, NC9.5Mooresville, NC: 9.5 %Mooresville, NC9.5Huntersville, NC: 9.4 %Huntersville, NC9.4Clemmons, NC: 9.3 %Clemmons, NC9.3Clayton, NC: 9.2 %Clayton, NC9.2Smithfield, NC: 9 %Smithfield, NC9Newton, NC: 9 %Newton, NC9Hickory, NC: 8.9 %Hickory, NC8.9Thomasville, NC: 8.8 %Thomasville, NC8.8Cornelius, NC: 8.7 %Cornelius, NC8.7Morrisville, NC: 35 %Morrisville, NC35Cary, NC: 22.8 %Cary, NC22.8Charlotte, NC: 17.4 %Charlotte, NC17.4Zebulon, NC: 17.2 %Zebulon, NC17.2Monroe, NC: 16.7 %Monroe, NC16.7Chapel Hill, NC: 16 %Chapel Hill, NC16Apex, NC: 15.8 %Apex, NC15.8Pineville, NC: 15.6 %Pineville, NC15.6Durham, NC: 14.8 %Durham, NC14.8Weddington, NC: 14.6 %Weddington, NC14.6Carrboro, NC: 14.4 %Carrboro, NC14.4Sanford, NC: 14.3 %Sanford, NC14.3Waxhaw, NC: 13.4 %Waxhaw, NC13.4Harrisburg, NC: 13.3 %Harrisburg, NC13.3Raleigh, NC: 13 %Raleigh, NC13High Point, NC: 12.7 %High Point, NC12.7Matthews, NC: 12.6 %Matthews, NC12.6Greensboro, NC: 12.3 %Greensboro, NC12.3Asheboro, NC: 12.3 %Asheboro, NC12.3Indian Trail, NC: 12 %Indian Trail, NC12Burlington, NC: 11.7 %Burlington, NC11.7Concord, NC: 11.2 %Concord, NC11.2Lexington, NC: 10.9 %Lexington, NC10.9Mint Hill, NC: 10.6 %Mint Hill, NC10.6Winston-Salem, NC: 10.4 %Winston-Salem, NC10.4Morganton, NC: 9.9 %Morganton, NC9.9Graham, NC: 9.9 %Graham, NC9.9Holly Springs, NC: 9.8 %Holly Springs, NC9.8Statesville, NC: 9.7 %Statesville, NC9.7Stallings, NC: 9.6 %Stallings, NC9.6Knightdale, NC: 9.5 %Knightdale, NC9.5Mooresville, NC: 9.5 %Mooresville, NC9.5Huntersville, NC: 9.4 %Huntersville, NC9.4Clemmons, NC: 9.3 %Clemmons, NC9.3Clayton, NC: 9.2 %Clayton, NC9.2Smithfield, NC: 9 %Smithfield, NC9Newton, NC: 9 %Newton, NC9Hickory, NC: 8.9 %Hickory, NC8.9Thomasville, NC: 8.8 %Thomasville, NC8.8Cornelius, NC: 8.7 %Cornelius, NC8.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCities2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Morrisville, NC35-0.2 pts
2Cary, NC22.8+0.4 pts
3Charlotte, NC17.4+0.1 pts
4Zebulon, NC17.2+0.4 pts
5Monroe, NC16.7+1.3 pts
6Chapel Hill, NC16+0.2 pts
7Apex, NC15.8+4.6 pts
8Pineville, NC15.6-0.3 pts
9Durham, NC14.8+0.3 pts
10Weddington, NC14.6+1.8 pts
11Carrboro, NC14.4+0.4 pts
12Sanford, NC14.3+2.4 pts
13Waxhaw, NC13.4+1.2 pts
14Harrisburg, NC13.3+2 pts
15Raleigh, NC130 pts
16High Point, NC12.7-0.4 pts
17Matthews, NC12.6+1.3 pts
18Greensboro, NC12.3+0.2 pts
19Asheboro, NC12.3-0.1 pts
20Indian Trail, NC12+0.3 pts
21Burlington, NC11.7-0.3 pts
22Concord, NC11.2-0.4 pts
23Lexington, NC10.9+1.1 pts
24Mint Hill, NC10.6+1.8 pts
25Winston-Salem, NC10.4+0.2 pts
26Morganton, NC9.9-0.3 pts
27Graham, NC9.9+1 pts
28Holly Springs, NC9.8+1.8 pts
29Statesville, NC9.7+1.8 pts
30Stallings, NC9.6+0.7 pts
31Knightdale, NC9.5-0.6 pts
32Mooresville, NC9.5-0.5 pts
33Huntersville, NC9.40 pts
34Clemmons, NC9.3+0.7 pts
35Clayton, NC9.2+0.1 pts
36Smithfield, NC9+2.3 pts
37Newton, NC9+3.5 pts
38Hickory, NC8.9-0.6 pts
39Thomasville, NC8.8-1.4 pts
40Cornelius, NC8.7-0.4 pts
41Lincolnton, NC7.9-1.8 pts
42Fayetteville, NC7.9+0.1 pts
43Garner, NC7.8+0.4 pts
44Asheville, NC7.6-0.1 pts
45Mebane, NC7.5-1.2 pts
46Summerfield, NC7.2+1.8 pts
47Lumberton, NC7.2-0.4 pts
48Wake Forest, NC7.1+0.2 pts
49Wendell, NC7-1.4 pts
50Kannapolis, NC6.90 pts
51Hope Mills, NC6.8+0.8 pts
52Gastonia, NC6.6+0.5 pts
53Spring Lake, NC6.5+0.8 pts
54Henderson, NC6.4+1.2 pts
55Fuquay-Varina, NC6.4-0.9 pts
56Rolesville, NC6.4+1.5 pts
57Archdale, NC6.3+1.5 pts
58Kernersville, NC6.3-0.1 pts
59Wilson, NC6.2-0.6 pts
60Winterville, NC6+1.9 pts
61Mount Holly, NC6-0.4 pts
62Davidson, NC5.8+0.2 pts
63Salisbury, NC5.6+1.2 pts
64Jacksonville, NC5.6+0.3 pts
65Lenoir, NC5.4-0.3 pts
66New Bern, NC5.4-2 pts
67Aberdeen, NC5.3+2.7 pts
68Southern Pines, NC5.2-0.3 pts
69Pinehurst, NC5.1-0.2 pts
70Wilmington, NC5+0.3 pts
71Belmont, NC5-0.6 pts
72Albemarle, NC4.9-0.3 pts
73Hendersonville, NC4.8-0.4 pts
74Greenville, NC4.7+0.7 pts
75Goldsboro, NC4.5+0.4 pts
76Havelock, NC4.3-0 pts
77Leland, NC4.2-0 pts
78Mount Airy, NC4.1-1.6 pts
79Elon, NC4-0.9 pts
80Waynesville, NC3.8+0.4 pts
81Roanoke Rapids, NC3.7+0.8 pts
82Reidsville, NC3.6+0.4 pts
82Tarboro, NC3.6-0.2 pts
84Kinston, NC3.5+0.3 pts
84Morehead City, NC3.5+0.6 pts
86Shelby, NC3.3-0 pts
87Boone, NC3.3+0.2 pts
88Laurinburg, NC3.3-1.4 pts
89Elizabeth City, NC3.2+0.1 pts
90Eden, NC3.2-0.3 pts
91Rocky Mount, NC30 pts
92Kings Mountain, NC3+0.9 pts
93Lewisville, NC2.6-0.8 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People born outside the country where they live, as a percentage of the total population.

More on how it is measured
  • United States: people who were not US citizens at birth, including naturalized citizens, lawful permanent residents, temporary migrants and unauthorized immigrants; American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.
  • EU countries: residents on 1 January whose country of birth is not the reporting country (Eurostat).
  • England and Wales: usual residents born outside the United Kingdom, Census 2021.

Based on place of birth, not nationality: a naturalized citizen counts as foreign born. In the United States people born in Puerto Rico, the US island areas or abroad to American parents count as native; in the EU everyone born outside the reporting country counts as foreign born, including people born in another EU country or abroad to national parents. Not comparable with foreign_population_share, which counts foreign nationals in Spain and the EU.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the cities are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b05002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more) (Cities in North Carolina by foreign-born share of the population, 2022) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b05002.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina by foreign-born share of the population, 2022. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b05002.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/foreign-born-population/north-carolina-cities?period=2022. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Cities in North Carolina by foreign-born share of the population, 2022. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b05002.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/foreign-born-population/north-carolina-cities?period=2022.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more), Cities in North Carolina by foreign-born share of the population, 2022 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b05002.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/foreign-born-population/north-carolina-cities?period=2022 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_cities_in_north_carolina_2022,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina by foreign-born share of the population, 2022}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b05002.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/foreign-born-population/north-carolina-cities?period=2022. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b05002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more): Cities in North Carolina by foreign-born share of the population, 2022
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b05002.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/foreign-born-population/north-carolina-cities?period=2022
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/foreign-born-population/north-carolina-cities?period=2022.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2022/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2022-b05002.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  - 
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Rank Cities in North Carolina by foreign-born share of the population using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which city has the highest foreign-born share of the population?

Morrisville, NC, with 35% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which city has the lowest foreign-born share of the population?

Lewisville, NC, with 2.6% in 2022.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B05002: foreign-born population as a percentage of the total population, calculated with stored inputs, US cities (incorporated places of 10,000 or more). Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Foreign-born population share: other rankings

Cities in North Carolina: more rankings