New research from New American Economy shows that immigrants held 19.9 percent of all spending power in Arlington. The report, New Americans in Arlington, was prepared in partnership with the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce. 

In addition to their financial contributions, which included paying $299.1 million in federal taxes and $176.7 million in state and local taxes, the report highlights how immigrants fill crucial workforce gaps. Although the foreign-born population made up 20.5 percent of the city’s overall population, they represented 26.4 percent of its working-age population. 

Arlington immigrants also helped strengthen the local job market by helping to preserve or create 3,800 local manufacturing jobs that would have otherwise vanished or moved elsewhere by 2019.

Key Findings: 

• Immigrants are driving population growth. Between 2014 and 2019, the population in the city increased by 6.5 percent, and the immigrant population increased by 11.2 percent. Growth in the foreign-born population accounted for 33.6 percent of the overall population growth during that period.
• Immigrants are filling critical workforce gaps. Although foreign-born residents made up 20.5 percent of the city’s overall population, they represented 22.7 percent of its STEM workers in 2019.
• Immigrants are helping the city meet its growing labor needs. Immigrants had an outsize impact on key industries vital to the economic stability of Arlington. Despite making up 20.5 percent of the overall population, immigrants accounted for 45.9 percent of construction workers, 32 percent of manufacturing workers, and 27.7 percent of hospitality workers.

The report is based on NAE’s analysis of microdata from 5-year samples of the American Community Survey from 2014 and 2019 and figures refer to the City of Arlington. Click here to read the full report, New Americans in Arlington.

To read the press release, click here.