RANKING · 2020 CENSUS · 51 SHOWN OF 51

Highest Scotch-Irish population share, US states · 2020

US states ranked by the share of all residents who are Scotch-Irish ancestry (2020 American Community Survey). A concentration measure: Scotch-Irish residents as a percentage of total population. North Carolina leads at 2.3%. 51 states qualify in total. The top 25 average 1.4%, against an all-states median of 0.9%.

Scotch-Irish Americans: full group profile →

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SAME RANKING BYCities Counties Metros

YEAR2010 2020 2024

RANKPLACESTATEPOPSCOTCH-IRISH SHAREVS 2010

USUnited States331,449,2810.9%–

01North Carolina, NCNC10,730,4042.3%−1.3 pts

02South Carolina, SCSC5,296,2252.2%−1.1 pts

03Tennessee, TNTN7,066,3832.1%−1.1 pts

04West Virginia, WVWV1,778,3731.8%−1.1 pts

05Maine, MEME1,387,8171.5%−2.2 pts

06Montana, MTMT1,116,8751.5%−1.1 pts

07Virginia, VAVA8,705,1701.4%−1.1 pts

08Alabama, ALAL5,086,7681.4%−1.0 pts

09Mississippi, MSMS2,946,7791.4%−0.9 pts

10Wyoming, WYWY582,3971.4%−1.6 pts

11Kentucky, KYKY4,534,8241.3%−0.8 pts

12Alaska, AKAK735,7061.3%−1.1 pts

13Oregon, OROR4,254,2931.2%−1.3 pts

14New Hampshire, NHNH1,394,8681.2%−1.4 pts

15Vermont, VTVT647,1061.2%−1.5 pts

16Colorado, COCO5,862,1891.1%−1.1 pts

17Washington, WAWA7,816,1161.1%−1.3 pts

18Georgia, GAGA10,940,4071.1%−0.8 pts

19Pennsylvania, PAPA13,018,6391.1%−0.9 pts

20Arkansas, ARAR3,049,3911.1%−0.9 pts

21Missouri, MOMO6,191,8141.1%−0.9 pts

22Kansas, KSKS2,947,1971.0%−1.0 pts

23Oklahoma, OKOK4,028,6341.0%−0.8 pts

24Idaho, IDID1,934,2621.0%−1.1 pts

25Ohio, OHOH11,810,2930.9%−0.7 pts

26Texas, TXTX30,188,4240.9%−0.8 pts

27Utah, UTUT3,392,3310.8%−0.5 pts

28Indiana, ININ6,851,0730.8%−0.7 pts

29Arizona, AZAZ7,378,8380.8%−0.9 pts

30Nebraska, NENE1,978,7070.8%−0.8 pts

31Florida, FLFL22,416,0770.8%−0.8 pts

32New Mexico, NMNM2,120,2460.8%−0.8 pts

33Iowa, IAIA3,210,5070.8%−0.8 pts

34Louisiana, LALA4,611,9610.7%−0.6 pts

35Michigan, MIMI10,077,7610.7%−0.9 pts

36Maryland, MDMD6,206,0110.7%−0.8 pts

37Delaware, DEDE1,021,1910.7%−1.1 pts

38District of Columbia, DCDC681,2940.6%−0.4 pts

39Massachusetts, MAMA7,044,0560.6%−1.3 pts

40Nevada, NVNV3,184,6120.6%−0.8 pts

41South Dakota, SDSD907,4280.6%−0.6 pts

42Illinois, ILIL12,694,7980.5%−0.6 pts

43California, CACA39,287,3770.5%−0.7 pts

44North Dakota, NDND784,8410.5%−0.7 pts

45Connecticut, CTCT3,624,5080.5%−0.9 pts

46Rhode Island, RIRI1,101,8010.5%−0.9 pts

47Minnesota, MNMN5,739,4450.5%−0.5 pts

48Hawaii, HIHI1,445,2350.4%−0.5 pts

49Wisconsin, WIWI5,914,8720.4%−0.4 pts

50New Jersey, NJNJ9,343,8090.4%−0.6 pts

51New York, NYNY19,852,3660.3%−0.5 pts

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UPDATED 2026-08-08 · DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU DECENNIAL CENSUS

Frequently asked

Which state has the highest scotch-irish share?

North Carolina ranks #1 with 2.3% (2020 Decennial Census).

What are the top 5 states by scotch-irish share?

North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, Maine.

How many states are in this ranking?

51 states qualify after filtering for population minimums and data availability. The ranking covers 2020 Decennial Census data.

How is scotch-irish share measured?

Share of all residents who are Scotch-Irish ancestry (Ancestry, ACS detailed tables). Source: US Census Bureau, 2020 Decennial Census.