Where do the most Arab Americans live?
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About 2.26 million Americans report Arab ancestry, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey. California has the most, with 344,369, but the place where Arab Americans make up the largest share of the population is southeast Michigan.
The Census Bureau's Arab ancestry category includes people who report Lebanese, Syrian, Egyptian, Palestinian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Moroccan, and other Arab ancestries.
| Rank | State | Arab residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 344,369 |
| 2 | Michigan | 218,643 |
| 3 | New York | 196,462 |
| 4 | Texas | 178,004 |
| 5 | Florida | 151,491 |
| 6 | New Jersey | 117,452 |
| 7 | Illinois | 99,348 |
| 8 | Ohio | 89,373 |
Michigan ranks second in raw numbers, but Arab Americans make up 2.2 percent of its population, the highest share of any state on the list. The Detroit metro has 183,673 residents of Arab ancestry, 4.2 percent of the metro, and Wayne County alone has 120,640.
Dearborn is nearly half Arab American
Dearborn, Michigan, has 49,786 residents of Arab ancestry, 46.4 percent of the city. Nearby Hamtramck is at 36.8 percent and Dearborn Heights at 34.0 percent. Among places with at least 10,000 residents, the highest share outside Michigan is in Chicago Ridge, Illinois, at 20.5 percent.
| Rank | Metro area | Arab residents |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | 248,287 |
| 2 | Detroit, MI | 183,673 |
| 3 | Los Angeles, CA | 124,473 |
| 4 | Chicago, IL | 92,152 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | 86,674 |
| 6 | Houston, TX | 64,776 |
| 7 | Dallas, TX | 62,658 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | 57,183 |
By raw numbers, New York City has the most Arab American residents of any city, 117,498, followed by Dearborn, Los Angeles (32,939), Chicago (23,899), and Houston (21,985).
Arab Americans are more likely to hold a college degree than average Americans overall. In the 2024 survey, 55.1 percent of those 25 and older had a bachelor's degree or higher, compared with 36.8 percent nationally. Their median household income was $87,068, above the national $81,604, though their poverty rate, 17.4 percent, was also higher than the national 12.1 percent.
Full lists are on the largest Arab population by state, by metro, and by city pages, and the Arab Americans profile has more detail.
Sources
Population counts are from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B04006 (people reporting ancestry), using the combined Arab category, compiled on the CensusEasy Arab ancestry rankings. People may report more than one ancestry. Education, income, and poverty figures are from the 2024 ACS 1-year Selected Population Profile (table S0201) for Arab (all groups). National comparisons are 2024 ACS 1-year estimates for the United States.
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How many Arab Americans are there?
About 2.26 million people reported Arab ancestry in the Census Bureau's 2020-2024 American Community Survey. The category includes Lebanese, Syrian, Egyptian, Palestinian, Iraqi, Jordanian, Moroccan, and other Arab ancestries.
Which state has the most Arab Americans?
California, with 344,369 residents of Arab ancestry, followed by Michigan with 218,643 and New York with 196,462. Michigan has the highest share among those states, at 2.2 percent of its population.
Which city has the highest percentage of Arab Americans?
Dearborn, Michigan, where 46.4 percent of residents, or 49,786 people, report Arab ancestry. Hamtramck, Michigan, is next at 36.8 percent, followed by Dearborn Heights at 34.0 percent. New York City has the largest number, 117,498.
