Refugees by country of asylum in United States
United States: Refugees by country of asylum was 435,333 people in 2024. ▼ Falling
Latest (2024)
435,333 people
Change on year
up 6.4%
World rank
18th
of 183 countries
All-time high
843,434 people
in 2006
All-time low
262,006 people
in 2012
Years of data
74
1951–2024
Refugees by country of asylum in United States, 1951–2024
Source: UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
United States recorded 435,333 people for refugees by country of asylum in 2024.
That represents a change of up 6.4% on the previous year and up 62.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugees by country of asylum in United States peaked at 843,434 people in 2006 and was at its lowest, 262,006 people, in 2012.
United States ranks 18th of 183 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 74 years of available data.
Refugees by country of asylum in United States, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 350,000 people | — |
| 1952 | 500,000 people | +42.9% |
| 1953 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 510,000 people | +2.0% |
| 1966 | 500,000 people | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 480,000 people | -4.0% |
| 1968 | 498,000 people | +3.8% |
| 1969 | 500,000 people | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 500,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 530,000 people | +6.0% |
| 1972 | 530,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 530,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 530,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 530,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 500,000 people | -5.7% |
| 1977 | 684,700 people | +36.9% |
| 1978 | 734,000 people | +7.2% |
| 1979 | 734,000 people | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 403,684 people | -45.0% |
| 1981 | 537,375 people | +33.1% |
| 1982 | 620,257 people | +15.4% |
| 1983 | 655,532 people | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 626,909 people | -4.4% |
| 1985 | 492,806 people | -21.4% |
| 1986 | 398,633 people | -19.1% |
| 1987 | 365,726 people | -8.3% |
| 1988 | 377,769 people | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 411,496 people | +8.9% |
| 1990 | 464,887 people | +13.0% |
| 1991 | 513,885 people | +10.5% |
| 1992 | 579,938 people | +12.9% |
| 1993 | 623,056 people | +7.4% |
| 1994 | 631,046 people | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 623,279 people | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 607,005 people | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 563,813 people | -7.1% |
| 1998 | 533,951 people | -5.3% |
| 1999 | 521,134 people | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 508,209 people | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 515,851 people | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 485,173 people | -5.9% |
| 2003 | 452,536 people | -6.7% |
| 2004 | 420,788 people | -7.0% |
| 2005 | 379,330 people | -9.9% |
| 2006 | 843,434 people | +122.3% |
| 2007 | 281,154 people | -66.7% |
| 2008 | 279,468 people | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 275,393 people | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 264,505 people | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 264,752 people | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 262,006 people | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 263,653 people | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 267,214 people | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 273,198 people | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 272,963 people | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 287,135 people | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 313,242 people | +9.1% |
| 2019 | 341,715 people | +9.1% |
| 2020 | 340,846 people | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 339,179 people | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 363,059 people | +7.0% |
| 2023 | 409,202 people | +12.7% |
| 2024 | 435,333 people | +6.4% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 435,333 people is above the median for high income countries, which is 10,077 people, 43.2× the median. (67 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugees by country of asylum in United States changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | +122.3% | 379,330 people | 843,434 people |
| 2007 | -66.7% | 843,434 people | 281,154 people |
| 1980 | -45.0% | 734,000 people | 403,684 people |
| 1952 | +42.9% | 350,000 people | 500,000 people |
| 1977 | +36.9% | 500,000 people | 684,700 people |
| 1981 | +33.1% | 403,684 people | 537,375 people |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 483,333 people | 350,000 people | 500,000 people | 9 |
| 1960s | 498,800 people | 480,000 people | 510,000 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 580,270 people | 500,000 people | 734,000 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 489,019 people | 365,726 people | 655,532 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 566,199 people | 464,887 people | 631,046 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 444,134 people | 275,393 people | 843,434 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 281,038 people | 262,006 people | 341,715 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 377,524 people | 339,179 people | 435,333 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near United States
- 15 Democratic Republic of Congo 517,404 people compare
- 16 United Kingdom 515,677 people compare
- 17 South Sudan 514,794 people compare
- 19 Spain 429,333 people compare
- 20 Cameroon 427,706 people compare
- 21 Czechia 391,133 people compare
More reference data data for United States
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 19.34 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 24.55 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 20.7 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 119.42 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 64.85 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 52.14 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 133.45 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 589.96 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 112.69 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugees by country of asylum in United States?
- Refugees by country of asylum in United States was 435,333 people in 2024, according to UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugees by country of asylum recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 843,434 people in 2006.
- What is the lowest refugees by country of asylum recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 262,006 people in 2012.
- How does United States rank for refugees by country of asylum?
- United States ranks 18th out of 183 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugees by country of asylum rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 62.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Refugees by country of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
People who fled their country of origin and are in need of international protection. Refugees are those who have already been granted asylum status in the country they moved to. This includes all refugees who live in this country, not just those who arrived that year.