Welcoming Growth

Metro adds more than 30,000 foreign-born residents from 2022-2023, according to newly released data from U.S. Census 

Key Takeaways 

• 23.2% year-over-year increase in foreign-born population 

• Growth marks largest one-year increase in region’s immigrant population on record 

• Region’s Latino/Hispanic population saw a notable increase, ranking St. Louis 4th among the 30 largest metros for percentage growth  

• For the first time in recent years, the metro’s Black population increases 

• “We must double down on our efforts to ensure this growth is sustained,” says David Kemper 

ST. LOUIS – Newly released data from the U.S. Census Bureau shows that efforts to increase the St. Louis metro’s immigrant population are succeeding, as the 15-county bi-state St. Louis metropolitan area recorded the highest percentage increase in foreign-born population among the 30 largest metro areas in the United States from 2022-2023. 

“These numbers show that the focused and intentional work taking place to make our metro a destination for immigrants is paying major dividends,” said Jason Hall, CEO of Greater St. Louis, Inc. “Winning this decade means getting our population increasing and shifting the trajectory of our metro into growth mode, and this data shows that the hard work led for years by partners like the International Institute of St. Louis and the Mosaic Project is paying off. But so much work is still to be done, and we must strengthen our support for them to make sure that this growth is sustained for years to come.” 

What the Data Show 

The data was released as part of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, which provides vital information about the country and its people. Saint Louis University demographer and sociology professor Ness Sandoval noted that this one-year increase labels the St. Louis region as a growing metropolitan area. “We're in the league of Charlotte, Nashville and Orlando,” he said. 

Among the key findings in the ACS data: 

From 2022-2023, the St. Louis metropolitan area saw a 23.2% increase in its foreign-born population, largest one-year increase in region’s immigrant population on record 

That increase – from 129, 604 in 2022 to 159,710 in 2023 – puts St. Louis at the top of the rankings for growth in foreign-born population among the nation’s 30 largest metro areas 

The region’s Latino/Hispanic population saw a notable increase, nearly 14,000 year-over-year, ranking St. Louis 4th among the 30 largest metros for percentage growth  

For the first time in recent years, the metro’s Black population increased 

“Global talent makes a positive local economic impact on workforce and neighborhood vitality when we see increases like this coming to the St. Louis region from international students, transferred business leaders, families being reunited, and increased refugees,” said Betsy Cohen, Executive Director of the St. Louis Mosaic Project, which was launched in 2012 to transform St. Louis into the fastest growing major metropolitan area for immigration by 2025. 

Regional Collaboration Driving Growth 

The mission of Greater St. Louis, Inc. is to get the St. Louis metro growing, inclusively, and doing so includes supporting the work organizations including the International Institute, Mosaic Project, the City of St. Louis’ Office of New Americans, and others are leading to bring more immigrants to the region. Additionally, key business leaders – including Jerry Schlichter, David Kemper, and others – have been at the forefront of this work in the metro for years. 

“Attracting smart, ambitious people from all over the world to St. Louis is vital for our long-term prosperity,” said Kemper, Executive Chairman of Commerce Bancshares Inc. and Greater St. Louis, Inc. board member.  “While we should celebrate these numbers and the growth we have seen, we must also double down on our efforts to ensure this growth is sustained.” 

Tracking Progress 

To help the St. Louis metro visualize its progress toward newly set inclusive economic growth targets, GSL launched a new initiative and online resource last year, STL 2030 Progress. STL 2030 Progress is the regional effort called for in the STL 2030 Jobs Plan to measure the metro’s progress on inclusive growth – including population growth – and was developed by GSL in collaboration with representatives from all 15 counties in the St. Louis metropolitan area.