Daily Digit: The U.S. has the highest ratio of immigrants to expats in the world
Daily Digit is the story behind the numbers that make our world work. Today we’re looking at how the U.S. stacks up against the rest of the world when it comes to immigration. Right now, there are about 49.8 million people living in the U.S. who were born in other countries — meaning immigrants make up roughly 15% of the population. Meanwhile, just over 3 million American citizens are living abroad. Compared with other nations, the U.S. has the highest ratio of immigrants to expats at 15 to 1 — only Australia comes close at 13 to 1, although their population is much smaller to begin with. While it likely comes as no surprise, this means there are many more people who want to live in the U.S. than want to leave.
