What’s Shaping Texas’ International Migration Trends?

Migration patterns changed sharply across Texas metros between 2019 and 2024. In 2020, pandemic-related shutdowns effectively halted international migration, but it was followed by a surge in domestic migration to Texas that was most pronounced between 2020 and 2023. By 2024, international migration comprised the largest source of population growth in Texas.¹

The share of foreign-born residents in Texas metros increased between 2019 and 2024, reflecting a period of pandemic-related disruption followed by a strong rebound as international mobility resumed. While the magnitude of change varies by metro, the overall pattern highlights Texas’ continued role as a demographic and economic magnet, both internationally and domestically. Metros are classified either as border metros or by total population size.

When the yellow dot is on the right for a metro, it signifies that the  foreign-born population share grew in that metro in 2024. This is evident in metros like Sherman, Austin, and Victoria, among others. Conversely, in metros such as Abilene, Midland, Longview, Amarillo, El Paso, Laredo, and McAllen, where the orange dot is to the left, foreign-born population growth declined.

Statewide Context

At the statewide level, the foreign-born percentage of Texas’ population rose from about 17.1 percent in 2019 to roughly 18.4 percent in 2024, marking a clear recovery from pandemic-era migration constraints. While the increase may appear modest in percentage-point terms, it represents a substantial number of residents in a state as large and fast-growing as Texas.

Between 2019 and 2024, the number of foreign-born Texas residents grew from five million to 5.8 million. Texas’ strong domestic in-migration further reinforces these trends as many newcomers relocating from other states are themselves foreign-born.

Pandemic Disruption and Delayed Migration (2020-21)

The early pandemic years marked an abrupt pause in international migration. Border closures and travel bans sharply curtailed new arrivals. While Texas maintained strong domestic in-migration during this period, foreign-born population growth slowed noticeably, muting gains in overall foreign-born shares relative to pre-pandemic trends.

Reopening and Surge (2022–24)

As travel restrictions eased, international migration rebounded quickly. By 2024, most Texas metros exceeded their 2019 foreign-born shares. Large metros continue to dominate in absolute terms. In 2024, Texas’ Big Four metros absorbed 78 percent of the state’s foreign-born population. About 4.5 million of the 5.8 million foreign-born residents in Texas live in one of the Big Four metros.

• Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands remains the state’s largest immigrant hub, with foreign-born share of 25.4 percent.
• Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington (20.3 percent) and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos (18.5 percent) both show clear increases and exceed the statewide average.
• San Antonio-New Braunfels is the only major Texas metro with a foreign-born share less than the state average but posted a noticeable increase to 13.3 percent.

Border metros stand out even more distinctly. McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, Laredo, Brownsville-Harlingen, and El Paso all post foreign-born shares well above the state average, reflecting long-standing demographic and economic ties to cross-border migration for work and family connection.

Mid-sized and Smaller Metros

These metros experienced only modest changes or relative stability. Notable exceptions were Odessa and Sherman-Denison with a strong increase. However, in Midland, Longview, and Abilene the foreign-born share declined in 2024.

Economic Pull and Role of Advanced Manufacturing and AI

Economic activity provides important context for these trends. Texas’ expanding footprint in semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and AI-related industries has strengthened demand for both high-skilled and supporting workers. This increase in labor demand could be a driving force behind pockets of surging foreign-born migration throughout the state. For example, major investments, including Samsung’s facility in Taylor, continued growth in the Austin tech ecosystem, and Texas Instruments’ expansion in Sherman-Denison are likely contributing to rising foreign-born shares in those metropolitan areas.

The map uses a diverging color scale, with orange indicating negative growth (down to −14.1 percent) and blue indicating positive growth (up to 45.3 percent). Color intensity reflects the magnitude of growth.

Sherman-Denison’s foreign-born count has grown by 45 percent since 2019, while Austin’s foreign-born count grew by 35 percent. Economic opportunities in these and other areas throughout the state reinforce Texas’ appeal as both a destination for international migrants and a relocation target for foreign-born residents already living elsewhere in the U.S.

Tighter Controls and Open Questions for 2025

As 2025 and 2026 unfold with tighter federal immigration controls, the trajectory of foreign-born population growth in Texas becomes less certain. Will Texas’ growing economy continue to pull international workers despite policy impacts?

What is clear from the 2019-24 data is that foreign-born residents remain a central component of Texas’ demographic and economic story. How this balance evolves next will depend on the interplay between national immigration policy, global mobility, and Texas’ continued role as a magnet for jobs, investment, and innovation.

Views expressed on The 338 are those of the authors and do not imply endorsement by the Texas Real Estate Research Center, Division of Research, or Texas A&M University.

1. This is according to author estimates using data from the U.S. Census Bureau. ↩︎