November 7, 2002

After Decline, Number of Foreign Born on Upswing in N.D.

Almost all persons in North Dakota are native to the United States (98.1 percent), but the number of residents born outside of the United States is increasing, according to the recent Population Bulletin released from the North Dakota State Data Center at North Dakota State University.

While the number of foreign-born persons in the state represent less than 2 percent of the state’s total population, they increased 29 percent between 1990 and 2000. "This dramatic rise reflects the significant influx of refugees to North Dakota during the past decade. An estimated 4,300 refugees relocated to North Dakota between 1990 and 2000," says Richard Rathge, director of the North Dakota State Data Center.

Overall, the number of foreign-born residents has decreased 34 percent since 1970. In 1970 there were 18,799 foreign-born residents in North Dakota. That number dropped to 14,818 in 1980 and further declined to 9,388 in 1990 before rebounding to 12,114 in 2000. "The sizeable drop in foreign-born population over the past three decades is largely due to the fact that many of the first generation immigrants to our state have died," said Rathge.

Of the foreign-born population in North Dakota, 52.3 percent entered the United States within the last 10 years. This proportion was only 31 percent a decade earlier. Approximately 57 percent of the foreign-born population in the state were not U.S. naturalized citizens in 2000.

The majority of foreign-born persons in North Dakota (68.3 percent) reside in Cass, Grand Forks, Ward and Burleigh counties.

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Sources: Richard Rathge, (701) 231-8621, richard.rathge@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu

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