Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in United States
United States: Refugee population by country or territory of asylum was 457,647 in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
457,647
Change on year
up 5.1%
World rank
19th
of 183 countries
All-time high
843,434
in 2006
All-time low
262,006
in 2012
Years of data
75
1951–2025
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in United States, 1951–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
United States recorded 457,647 for refugee population by country or territory of asylum in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 5.1% on the previous year and up 67.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugee population by country or territory of asylum in United States peaked at 843,434 in 2006 and was at its lowest, 262,006, in 2012.
That places United States 19th out of 183 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 75 years of available data.
Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in United States, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 350,000 | — |
| 1952 | 500,000 | +42.9% |
| 1953 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1956 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1958 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1959 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1961 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1962 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1963 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 510,000 | +2.0% |
| 1966 | 500,000 | -2.0% |
| 1967 | 480,000 | -4.0% |
| 1968 | 498,000 | +3.8% |
| 1969 | 500,000 | +0.4% |
| 1970 | 500,000 | +0.0% |
| 1971 | 530,000 | +6.0% |
| 1972 | 530,000 | +0.0% |
| 1973 | 530,000 | +0.0% |
| 1974 | 530,000 | +0.0% |
| 1975 | 530,000 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 500,000 | -5.7% |
| 1977 | 684,700 | +36.9% |
| 1978 | 734,000 | +7.2% |
| 1979 | 734,000 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 403,684 | -45.0% |
| 1981 | 537,375 | +33.1% |
| 1982 | 620,257 | +15.4% |
| 1983 | 655,532 | +5.7% |
| 1984 | 626,909 | -4.4% |
| 1985 | 492,806 | -21.4% |
| 1986 | 398,633 | -19.1% |
| 1987 | 365,726 | -8.3% |
| 1988 | 377,769 | +3.3% |
| 1989 | 411,496 | +8.9% |
| 1990 | 464,887 | +13.0% |
| 1991 | 513,885 | +10.5% |
| 1992 | 579,938 | +12.9% |
| 1993 | 623,056 | +7.4% |
| 1994 | 631,046 | +1.3% |
| 1995 | 623,279 | -1.2% |
| 1996 | 607,005 | -2.6% |
| 1997 | 563,813 | -7.1% |
| 1998 | 533,951 | -5.3% |
| 1999 | 521,134 | -2.4% |
| 2000 | 508,209 | -2.5% |
| 2001 | 515,851 | +1.5% |
| 2002 | 485,173 | -5.9% |
| 2003 | 452,536 | -6.7% |
| 2004 | 420,788 | -7.0% |
| 2005 | 379,330 | -9.9% |
| 2006 | 843,434 | +122.3% |
| 2007 | 281,154 | -66.7% |
| 2008 | 279,468 | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 275,393 | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 264,505 | -4.0% |
| 2011 | 264,752 | +0.1% |
| 2012 | 262,006 | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 263,653 | +0.6% |
| 2014 | 267,214 | +1.4% |
| 2015 | 273,198 | +2.2% |
| 2016 | 272,963 | -0.1% |
| 2017 | 287,135 | +5.2% |
| 2018 | 313,242 | +9.1% |
| 2019 | 341,715 | +9.1% |
| 2020 | 340,846 | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 339,179 | -0.5% |
| 2022 | 363,059 | +7.0% |
| 2023 | 409,202 | +12.7% |
| 2024 | 435,333 | +6.4% |
| 2025 | 457,647 | +5.1% |
United States compared with similar countries
- United States's 457,647 is above the median for high income countries, which is 11,811, 38.7× the median. (67 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugee population by country or territory 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 | 843,434 |
| 2007 | -66.7% | 843,434 | 281,154 |
| 1980 | -45.0% | 734,000 | 403,684 |
| 1952 | +42.9% | 350,000 | 500,000 |
| 1977 | +36.9% | 500,000 | 684,700 |
| 1981 | +33.1% | 403,684 | 537,375 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 483,333 | 350,000 | 500,000 | 9 |
| 1960s | 498,800 | 480,000 | 510,000 | 10 |
| 1970s | 580,270 | 500,000 | 734,000 | 10 |
| 1980s | 489,019 | 365,726 | 655,532 | 10 |
| 1990s | 566,199 | 464,887 | 631,046 | 10 |
| 2000s | 444,134 | 275,393 | 843,434 | 10 |
| 2010s | 281,038 | 262,006 | 341,715 | 10 |
| 2020s | 390,878 | 339,179 | 457,647 | 6 |
Countries ranked near United States
More population data for United States
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.1369 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -2.8 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.1369 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.0241 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 375,392 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 0.4762 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.1565 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate 0.129 (2100)
- Population density 46.05 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 19.91 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugee population by country or territory of asylum in United States?
- Refugee population by country or territory of asylum in United States was 457,647 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest refugee population by country or territory of asylum recorded in United States?
- The highest recorded value was 843,434 in 2006.
- What is the lowest refugee population by country or territory of asylum recorded in United States?
- The lowest recorded value was 262,006 in 2012.
- How does United States rank for refugee population by country or territory of asylum?
- United States ranks 19th out of 183 countries with data for 2025.
- Is refugee population by country or territory of asylum rising or falling in United States?
- Over the last ten years it is up 67.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United States data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Refugee population by country or territory of asylum. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).