New data shows the number of immigrant entrepreneurs in the Twin Cities grew by 19 percent in just one year

New York – Today New American Economy (NAE), a bipartisan research and advocacy organization focused on immigration, released new data highlighting the significant contributions immigrants make to the Twin Cities’ community and economy. The data shows that immigrants in the Twin Cities are driving growth in the local economy — the area’s immigrant entrepreneur population grew by more than 19 percent in just one year. Immigrants are also major consumers who help power the metro area’s businesses. In 2017, immigrants in the Twin Cities held nearly $10.2 billion in spending power, a $1.5 billion increase from 2016.

The research is part of NAE’s Map the Impact, an interactive map that quantifies immigrant contributions at the national, state, metro area, and congressional district levels, and across industries. 

Key findings for the Twin Cities metro area include: 

• Immigrants pay billions in taxes and hold significant spending power. In 2017, immigrants in the Twin Cities paid nearly $3.8 billion in taxes and held nearly $10.2 billion in spending power, helping to fuel local business.
• Immigrants help fill workforce gaps. In 2017, more than 83 percent of immigrants in the Twin Cities were of working age, compared to 63.3 percent of U.S.-born residents, and they subsequently helped to fill employment gaps across industries.
• Immigrants are driving the Twin Cities’ economy. In 2017, there were 20,413 immigrant entrepreneurs in the Twin Cities, a 19 percent increase from 2016. 
• Major industries in the Twin Cities depend on immigrant workers. Despite making up just 11.2 percent of the area’s population, immigrants in the Twin Cities made up 18.5 percent of health care and social assistance jobs, 15.3 percent of tourism, hospitality, and recreation jobs, and 15.1 percent of manufacturing workers in 2017.
• Immigrants are major contributors to the Twin Cities housing market. In 2017, there were 79,439 immigrant homeowners in the Twin Cities, a nearly 11% increase from 2016.  

“Immigrants have played a vital role in the Twin Cities metro area’s seven straight years of job growth and contribute to many of its major industries,” said Kate Brick, Director of State and Local Initiatives at New American Economy. “Immigrants will continue to play an outsize role in this growth as they start new businesses and support the local economy through consumer spending.” 

Map the Impact shows NAE analysis of the latest data from the 2017 American Communities Survey. You can find the new version of the Map at maptheimpact.org.