New Report Shows Immigrants in Baltimore County Paid Over $1.0 Billion in Taxes and Exceeded $2.8 Billion in Spending Power in 2019

Immigrants in Baltimore County made up 21.2 percent of business owners, generated $204.4 million in business income, and helped create and preserve over 4,800 jobs

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD, June 2, 2023—A new report, New Americans in Baltimore County, released today by the American Immigration Council—in partnership with Baltimore County’s Office of Community Engagement, underscores the crucial role immigrants play in the region’s labor force, business creation, and consumer spending power.

Between 2014 and 2019 the population of Baltimore County increased by 1.2 percent and the immigrant population grew by 14.2 percent. 127.5 percent of total population growth in the county was attributable to immigrants. This means that population growth would have been negative without immigrants moving to the county. In 2019 alone, immigrants in the county held $2.8 billion in spending power, paid $677.2 million in federal taxes, and paid $396.5 million in state and local taxes. Despite making up 12.5 percent of the county’s overall population in 2019, immigrants represented 19.6 percent of STEM workers, 19.5 percent of hospitality workers, and 19.0 percent of health care and social assistance workers.

The new report was awarded to Baltimore County’s Office of Community Engagement as part of the Gateways for Growth Challenge, a competitive opportunity for localities to receive research support and/or technical assistance from the American Immigration Council and Welcoming America to improve immigrant inclusion in their communities. Baltimore County will present the report at the Baltimore Immigration Summit. The Summit is a one-day event that brings together academics, policymakers, service providers, activists, community leaders, and others working with and for New Americans. The report will be leveraged in the county’s efforts to draft a multi-sector immigrant inclusion and integration strategy.

Baltimore County’s greatest strength is its diversity, and we value the countless contributions our immigrant neighbors continue to make to our communities and local economy,” said Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski. “This administration has an unwavering commitment to offering welcoming and safe spaces for everyone, equitable leadership and making our rapidly growing County better – together.”

“Immigrants make vital contributions to the economy, the workforce, and the fabric of life across Baltimore County,” said Mo Kantner, senior director, policy and research at the American Immigration Council. “The county’s efforts to welcome immigrants and uplift their diverse skills, talents, and contributions is crucial to ensuring the community welcomes and supports all newcomers and ensures that the region can continue to reap the benefits.”

“Through programs like Gateways for Growth, we’ve seen the widespread benefits to entire communities when immigrants are able to contribute fully, particularly as entrepreneurs, workers in key industries, neighbors, and community leaders. Baltimore County is just one example of how immigrant inclusion is part of the recipe for sustainable population and economic growth,” said Molly Hilligoss, Network Director of Welcoming America.

The new research report, New Americans in Baltimore County, finds:

• Immigrants are helping the county meet its labor force demands. Immigrants made up 12.5 percent of the county’s population but accounted for 15.4 percent of its employed labor force.
• Immigrants support the federal safety net. Immigrants contributed $397.1 million to Social Security and $105.8 million to Medicare in Baltimore County in 2019.
• Immigrants are helping Baltimore County meet its rising labor needs in key industries. While making up 12.5 percent of the county’s overall population in 2019, immigrants represented 19.6 percent of STEM workers, 19.5 percent of hospitality workers, 19.2 percent of construction workers, and 19.0 percent of healthcare and social assistance workers.
• Immigrants play a significant role in the county as entrepreneurs. Immigrants represented 21.2 percent of business owners in Baltimore County in 2019. About 7,400 immigrant entrepreneurs generated $204.4 million in business income for the county.
• Immigrants in Baltimore County help create or preserve local manufacturing jobs. Immigrants strengthened the local job market by allowing companies to keep jobs on U.S. soil, helping preserve or create 4,800 local manufacturing jobs that would have otherwise vanished or moved elsewhere by 2019.

Read the full research brief here.

###

About the American Immigration Council

The American Immigration Council works to strengthen America by shaping how America thinks about and acts towards immigrants and immigration and by working toward a more fair and just immigration system that opens its doors to those in need of protection and unleashes the energy and skills that immigrants bring. The Council brings together problem solvers and employs four coordinated approaches to advance change—litigation, research, legislative and administrative advocacy, and communications. In January 2022, the Council and New American Economy merged to combine a broad suite of advocacy tools to better expand and protect the rights of immigrants, more fully ensure immigrants’ ability to succeed economically, and help make the communities they settle in more welcoming. Follow the latest Council news and information on ImmigrationImpact.com and Twitter @immcouncil.

About Welcoming America

Welcoming America is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that leads a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs. We believe that all people, including immigrants, are valued contributors and vital to the success of our communities and shared future. Through the Welcoming Network, we work to change systems and culture by providing communities the roadmap they need to create welcoming policies and share new approaches to inclusion to create an environment where everyone can truly thrive. Learn more at welcomingamerica.org.