In 2004, the foreign-born share of Louisville metropolitan area's population (4.5%) was 53,000, which was well below the national average (12%). However, the metropolitan area's immigrant population is quickly increasing, having experienced a 93% increase between 2000 and 2004.

Louisville's immigrants are diverse in their origins, with more immigrants coming from different parts of the world than is the national norm. In 2000, at least 77 languages were spoken in Louisville homes.

Louisville has a lower share of undocumented immigrants than both the national average and most other Southeastern communities.
Because of its significant federal refugee resettlement program, Louisville has a high share of refugees.

The majority of Louisville's immigrant groups are well educated. In 2000, foreign-born adults ages 25 and over were more likely to have a four-year college degree than native-born residents.

The poorest immigrants are Latin Americans and Africans; however, the median income for Asian and European immigrants exceeds the income of native-born Louisville residents.

Opposite of the national pattern, immigrant parents with school-age children in Louisville are better educated than native-born parents.

This information was gleaned from "A Profile of the Foreign-Born in the Louisville Metropolitan Area" (December 11, 2006) published by the nonpartisan Urban Institute. The authors of the report are Randolph Capps, Karina Fortuny, Wendy Zimmerman, Will Bullock, and Everett Henderson. Urban Institute publishes studies, reports, and books on timely topics worthy of public consideration. The views expressed are those of the authors and should not be attributed to the Urban Institute, its trustees, or its funders.