Cost Of Illegal Immigration By State

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant
Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant
1.HawaiiHawaii$9,178
2.MassachusettsMassachusetts$7,396
3.CaliforniaCalifornia$7,074
4.New YorkNew York$6,846
5.AlaskaAlaska$6,192
6.MarylandMaryland$6,123
7.OregonOregon$6,030
8.VermontVermont$5,743
9.ConnecticutConnecticut$5,694
10.New HampshireNew Hampshire$5,659
11.MaineMaine$5,650
12.WashingtonWashington$5,630
13.New JerseyNew Jersey$5,625
14.Rhode IslandRhode Island$5,487
15.ArizonaArizona$5,230
16.DelawareDelaware$5,201
17.MontanaMontana$5,196
18.ColoradoColorado$5,191
19.FloridaFlorida$5,040
20.VirginiaVirginia$5,038
21.UtahUtah$5,033
22.NevadaNevada$5,028
23.IdahoIdaho$4,880
24.PennsylvaniaPennsylvania$4,845
25.North DakotaNorth Dakota$4,806
26.North CarolinaNorth Carolina$4,781
27.South CarolinaSouth Carolina$4,752
28.South DakotaSouth Dakota$4,742
29.MinnesotaMinnesota$4,692
30.IllinoisIllinois$4,636
31.WisconsinWisconsin$4,633
32.New MexicoNew Mexico$4,628
33.LouisianaLouisiana$4,613
34.KentuckyKentucky$4,579
35.MichiganMichigan$4,525
36.WyomingWyoming$4,520
37.NebraskaNebraska$4,495
38.ArkansasArkansas$4,475
39.TexasTexas$4,466
40.TennesseeTennessee$4,456
41.IndianaIndiana$4,451
42.MissouriMissouri$4,446
43.West VirginiaWest Virginia$4,431
44.OhioOhio$4,411
45.GeorgiaGeorgia$4,386
46.IowaIowa$4,352
47.KansasKansas$4,308
48.AlabamaAlabama$4,298
49.OklahomaOklahoma$4,278
50.MississippiMississippi$4,169

Introduction

Considering that the United States is home to the third largest population in the world—with a significant portion comprised of immigrants—it's no surprise that immigrant populations and associated costs are a topic of ongoing discussion and scrutiny. Particularly in the context of unauthorized immigration, the financial implications can vary considerably by state. Moreover, with a significant increase of unauthorized entries in the US, rising by 1.13 million between 2020 and 2022, it becomes imperative to analyze this data across all states.

  • The cost of unauthorized immigration varies significantly by state. For instance, the taxpayer cost per immigrant in Hawaii—the highest in the nation—is more than double that in Mississippi, which has the lowest costs.
  • Many states that share a border with Mexico—such as California, Texas, and Arizona—have some of the highest costs associated with unauthorized immigration. Yet, New Mexico, despite being a border state, ranks 32nd.
  • At $7,074, California has the third-highest taxpayer costs per immigrant in the U.S. Yet, when taking total costs into account, California’s overall expenses due to unauthorized immigration are colossal, amounting to a staggering $21.76 billion annually. That represents approximately 8% of the estimated total cost of unauthorized immigration to the U.S., which was reported to be around $250 billion in 2018.
  • Despite not being typical entry points, states such as New York, New Jersey, and Florida also bear some of the highest costs associated with unauthorized immigration.
  • Interestingly, Illinois stands as the fifth-highest state in terms of costs, despite not being an obvious destination for unauthorized immigrants.

By Region

Alabama

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Alabama

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,298

#48

Alaska

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Alaska

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$6,192

#5

Arizona

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Arizona

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,230

#15

Arkansas

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Arkansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,475

#38

California

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California

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$7,074

#3

Colorado

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Colorado

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,191

#18

Connecticut

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Connecticut

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,694

#9

Delaware

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Delaware

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,201

#16

Florida

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Florida

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,040

#19

Georgia

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Georgia

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,386

#45

Hawaii

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Hawaii

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$9,178

#1

Idaho

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Idaho

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,880

#23

Illinois

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Illinois

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,636

#30

Indiana

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Indiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,451

#41

Iowa

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Iowa

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,352

#46

Kansas

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Kansas

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,308

#47

Kentucky

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Kentucky

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,579

#34

Louisiana

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Louisiana

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,613

#33

Maine

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Maine

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,650

#11

Maryland

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Maryland

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$6,123

#6

Massachusetts

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Massachusetts

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$7,396

#2

Michigan

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Michigan

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,525

#35

Minnesota

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Minnesota

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,692

#29

Mississippi

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Mississippi

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,169

#50

Missouri

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Missouri

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,446

#42

Montana

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Montana

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,196

#17

Nebraska

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Nebraska

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,495

#37

Nevada

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Nevada

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,028

#22

New Hampshire

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New Hampshire

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,659

#10

New Jersey

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New Jersey

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,625

#13

New Mexico

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New Mexico

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,628

#32

New York

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New York

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$6,846

#4

North Carolina

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North Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,781

#26

North Dakota

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North Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,806

#25

Ohio

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Ohio

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,411

#44

Oklahoma

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Oklahoma

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,278

#49

Oregon

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Oregon

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$6,030

#7

Pennsylvania

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Pennsylvania

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,845

#24

Rhode Island

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Rhode Island

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,487

#14

South Carolina

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South Carolina

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,752

#27

South Dakota

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South Dakota

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,742

#28

Tennessee

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Tennessee

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,456

#40

Texas

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Texas

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,466

#39

Utah

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Utah

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,033

#21

Vermont

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Vermont

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,743

#8

Virginia

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Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,038

#20

Washington

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Washington

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$5,630

#12

West Virginia

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West Virginia

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,431

#43

Wisconsin

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Wisconsin

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,633

#31

Wyoming

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Wyoming

Metric

Value

Rank

Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant

$4,520

#36

Table

Region ↕Taxpayer Cost Per Immigrant ↕
Alabama iconAlabama$4,298
Alaska iconAlaska$6,192
Arizona iconArizona$5,230
Arkansas iconArkansas$4,475
California iconCalifornia$7,074
Colorado iconColorado$5,191
Connecticut iconConnecticut$5,694
Delaware iconDelaware$5,201
Florida iconFlorida$5,040
Georgia iconGeorgia$4,386
Hawaii iconHawaii$9,178
Idaho iconIdaho$4,880
Illinois iconIllinois$4,636
Indiana iconIndiana$4,451
Iowa iconIowa$4,352
Kansas iconKansas$4,308
Kentucky iconKentucky$4,579
Louisiana iconLouisiana$4,613
Maine iconMaine$5,650
Maryland iconMaryland$6,123
Massachusetts iconMassachusetts$7,396
Michigan iconMichigan$4,525
Minnesota iconMinnesota$4,692
Mississippi iconMississippi$4,169
Missouri iconMissouri$4,446
Montana iconMontana$5,196
Nebraska iconNebraska$4,495
Nevada iconNevada$5,028
New Hampshire iconNew Hampshire$5,659
New Jersey iconNew Jersey$5,625
New Mexico iconNew Mexico$4,628
New York iconNew York$6,846
North Carolina iconNorth Carolina$4,781
North Dakota iconNorth Dakota$4,806
Ohio iconOhio$4,411
Oklahoma iconOklahoma$4,278
Oregon iconOregon$6,030
Pennsylvania iconPennsylvania$4,845
Rhode Island iconRhode Island$5,487
South Carolina iconSouth Carolina$4,752
South Dakota iconSouth Dakota$4,742
Tennessee iconTennessee$4,456
Texas iconTexas$4,466
Utah iconUtah$5,033
Vermont iconVermont$5,743
Virginia iconVirginia$5,038
Washington iconWashington$5,630
West Virginia iconWest Virginia$4,431
Wisconsin iconWisconsin$4,633
Wyoming iconWyoming$4,520
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Additional Miscellaneous Datasets

Countries That Don't Use The Metric System

Countries That Don't Use The Metric System

Countries That Drive On The Right

Countries That Drive On The Right

Countries That Recognize Taiwan

Countries That Recognize Taiwan

Countries That Still Have Slavery

Countries That Still Have Slavery

Countries That Use Fahrenheit

Countries That Use Fahrenheit

Countries With Most Miss Universe

Countries With Most Miss Universe