OHIO — Immigrants have contributed billions to Ohio’s economy over the last several years despite the Buckeye State’s foreign-born population making up just a small portion of residents, according to a recent national study.

What You Need To Know

  • The study found immigrants in Ohio contribute billions to the state's economy each year

  • Researchers state immigrants have been pivotal in filling job gaps as America's working-age population ages into retirement

  • Overall, the researchers state immigrants are vital for the success of the Great Lakes region

The study was done by Upwardly Global and the American Immigration Council. It looked at data from 2022 across several states and regions, including Ohio.

In that year, Ohio’s U.S.-born and foreign-born populations both increased, the study found. Almost 5% of Ohio’s population were immigrants, which is around 581,000 people.

Ohio was grouped into the Great Lakes region of the study, which also composed of Michigan, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Upstate New York.

Here are other key findings of the study:

Income and Taxes

The immigrant households in Ohio in 2022 paid $7 billion in taxes — $2.4 billion in state and local tax contributions, the study stated. The spending power of those foreign-born households amounted to $18.6 billion, which allows them to help stimulate local economies.

For the Great Lakes, immigrant households generated more than $236 billion in income and also paid $23.9 billion in state and local taxes in 2022. The study also stated immigrants paid $41.8 billion in federal taxes. Researchers said these funds were crucial for supporting schools, hospitals, police forces and assisting essential social programs like Medicare.

 

 

Gender and Age

Immigrants in the Great Lakes region were more likely to be of a working age (16-64) and more likely to have a larger population of women.

The study states the Great Lakes’ immigrant population is increasing faster than the national rate — 12.4% compared to 9.5% over the past 12 years.

Researchers said the working age immigrant population is pivotal, as the country is facing workforce shortages because of an aging population.

 

Homeownership

In 2022, immigrants made up 7.5% of the Great Lakes region’s homeowners. The study specifically highlighted Cincinnati as one of the region’s cities where immigrants, on average, or more likely to be financially eligible to buy distressed properties.

The study also put a spotlight on Asian Americans. In Ohio, Michigan, Illinois and Pennsylvania, Asian Americans owned homes that were close to or above the national average in 2022, which was 63%.

Labor Market

The Great Lakes region has made a labor force recovery after years of decline, the study stated. The region added 3 million workers between 2010 and 2022, in which immigrants contributed more than one-fifth of the growth.

The study broke down immigrant contributions in several fields, including STEM, agriculture, child care and education.

In rural areas, immigrants had a role in creating jobs for others. Data shows that between 2010 to 2018, each foreign-born resident has provided 1.2 jobs in rural counties.

 

"Immigrants aren’t coming to the U.S. because they see a particular job,” explains John Austin, director of the Michigan Economic Center, in the study. “They’re coming because this is still the land of opportunity, so they’ve been wildly beneficial to all industry sectors, from the tech community and health care industry to the roofers, farmers and the hospitality industry that struggle to find enough domestic workers.”

In particular, Ohio was highlighted in the child care and education field, as well as health care.

Researchers mentioned the contribution of immigrants in education, which made up 22.3% of postsecondary teachers in 2022. The study then stated that the foreign-born educators help bring in international students, create groundbreaking research and help universities expand their offerings.

As for international students they contributed $1.2 billion to Ohio’s economy and supported more than 10,000 jobs.

As for health care, the researchers believe thousands of immigrants in Ohio and other states with health care degrees are going underutilized. Officials expect the shortage of doctors to reach 86,000 by 2036, mainly because of America’s largest generation, the Baby Boomers, retiring.

Immigrants have been trying to fill the gaps, the study states, as immigrants working as registered nurses increased by more than 49% between 2010 and 2022. They also made up more than 12% of home health aids and more than 16% of personal care aids.

While the study concludes that immigrants have been vital assets to Ohio and the Great Lakes’ economies, they face challenges. The obstacles include language barriers and international degrees not being recognized by the U.S., which prevents them from being fully involved in their region’s economic and social life.

Overall, researchers state immigrants are helping revitalize neighborhoods, rebuild local economic downfalls and bring backgrounds that can help spark innovation and growth.

“These states, as well as Ohio, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, are investing in immigrants because they are thinking about the future as much as the present. To continue growing and innovating, the Great Lakes region needs the energy and talents of these newcomers,” the researchers state in the study.