New Report Shows Immigrants in Mecklenburg County Paid $2.6 Billion in Taxes and Held $7 Billion in Spending Power in 2024

Mecklenburg County, NC, September 18, 2026 – A new report, Immigrants in Mecklenburg County released today by the American Immigration Council —in partnership with the City of Charlotte , the Charlotte International Cabinet , and International House —underscores the crucial role immigrants play in the region’s labor force, business creation, and consumer spending power. Although immigrants made up 17.0 percent of the county’s total population, they represented 20.2 percent of its working age population, 20.1 percent of its employed labor force, and 26.7 percent of its workers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields in 2024. Immigrants in Mecklenburg County were 52.9 percent more likely to be an entrepreneur than their U.S.-born counterparts and immigrant entrepreneurs generated over $659.8 million in business income. The new report was awarded as a 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. Immigrants contribute to the high quality of life we enjoy in Mecklenburg County, facilitating economic growth, infusing talent and innovation, and revitalizing neighborhoods. As captured in this report, their contributions as entrepreneurs, workers, and innovators, combined with the cultural richness they bring to the county, make them an indispensable part of the county’s present and future prosperity,” said Juan Avilez , policy associate of state and local initiatives at the American Immigration Council . “Much of what makes a community welcoming happens where no one is watching — in planning meetings, data reviews, and quiet conversations between people trying to get it right. 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 American Immigration Council works to create a more welcoming and fair immigration system. Record Backlogs, Visa Shortages, and Increasing Scrutiny Are Straining the Employment-Based Immigration System WASHINGTON, D.C.,… New co-branded platform equips state and local leaders with practical tools for responding when federal… Washington, DC — Most Americans feel safe and comfortable in their communities, but only about… Our Map the Impact tool has comprehensive coverage of more than 100 data points about immigrants and their contributions in all 50 states and the country overall. Newsom’s declaration for California’s Immigrant Heritage Month to a Forbes article and PBS’ Two Cents series that targets millennials and Gen Z.