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The Record

Figures about Indian immigrants in America get forwarded constantly, usually with no source, no year and no statement of who was counted. Some are right. Several are years out of date. One of the most repeated is not published by anybody at all. Here is each one checked against the original document, so you can send something that holds up.

Nothing here was worked out by us. Every figure is quoted from its publisher.How

Every figure is one a named publisher published, quoted in their own words, with the year their data describes and the day we last opened the page. There is no arithmetic anywhere in this desk — no per-head divisions, no totals added across sources. That is deliberate: the most-shared claim in this whole subject is a multiplication somebody did and then wrote down as though a government had measured it.

Before you share that graphic

The claims doing the rounds, and what checking each one found.

  • Was true, has movedChecked 29 August 2026

    What is going round

    $156K median household income for Indian immigrant households. 63% homeowner rate for Indian immigrant households.

    A black-and-white graphic forwarded on WhatsApp and reposted on Instagram, carrying no source and no year.

    The real figure is higher. Households headed by an Indian immigrant had a median income of $176,200 in 2024.

    The Migration Policy Institute restates this figure once a year from the American Community Survey. Its 2024 edition, reporting 2023 data, said $166,200. Its 2026 edition, reporting 2024 data, says $176,200. $156K is older than both. Nothing about the graphic is dishonest — it simply never said which year it meant, so it never became wrong, it just stopped being right. Anyone forwarding it is understating the case by about twenty thousand dollars and cannot say where the number came from.

    What the source actually says

    “In 2023, households headed by an Indian immigrant had a median annual income of $166,200, compared to $78,700 for all immigrant-led and $77,600 for native-led households.”

    Migration Policy Institute · 2023 · Read it

    Or send the figure itself: $176,200 — median income, households headed by an Indian immigrant

  • Nobody publishes thisChecked 29 August 2026

    What is going round

    We're 1.5% of the population and we pay 6% of US income tax.

    A widely-quoted post on X, repeated in comment threads whenever immigration is in the news.

    No government body publishes income tax paid by ethnicity or national origin, because the IRS has never asked.

    Income tax forms have not carried a question about race or ethnicity since they were first used in 1913. The Treasury Department and the Congressional Budget Office have produced racial breakdowns of the tax system by statistical imputation — guessing at race from other data — and they did that precisely because the IRS does not collect it. So the 6 percent figure is not a statistic that somebody looked up. It is a multiplication somebody performed, written in the voice of a government report. It may even be roughly right. It cannot be cited, and in an argument that is the same as being wrong.

    Where we looked

  • Nobody publishes thisChecked 29 August 2026

    What is going round

    Indian Americans are less than 1% of the population but 9% of American doctors.

    Repeated in news write-ups and community posts, usually without naming where the 9 percent came from.

    The 9 percent traces to a doctors' association quoting its own estimate. The body that measures the physician workforce does not publish the breakdown at all.

    The Association of American Medical Colleges is the authority on who practises medicine in the United States, and it reports that 19.8 percent of active physicians identified as Asian in 2024. It does not divide that category by national origin, so it can neither confirm nor refute a figure for physicians of Indian origin specifically. Versions of the claim circulate at several different percentages, which is itself the tell — a measured number does not usually come in three sizes. It may well be about right. It is an advocacy organisation's estimate of its own constituency, and it should be described that way rather than as a federal statistic.

    Where we looked

  • Right number, wrong peopleChecked 29 August 2026

    What is going round

    Indian Americans own 60% of all the hotels in America.

    Community posts and business press, usually citing a study by a hotel owners' association.

    The figure counts the members of a trade association, and that association states it more cautiously than the claim does.

    The number comes from work commissioned by the Asian American Hotel Owners Association, and what it counts is what AAHOA members own. AAHOA's membership is predominantly of Indian origin, and it is neither all the Indian-American hoteliers nor only them. Swapping one group for the other is the commonest error in this whole subject: the figure survives the substitution intact and quietly stops describing the people it is now attached to. Worth noting too that AAHOA's own page says its members own "over half" — the harder-edged 60 percent is the version that travels. The honest sentence names the association, and it is still a remarkable sentence.

    What the source actually says

    “Its nearly 20,000 members collectively own over half of the hotels in the United States”

    Asian American Hotel Owners Association · as stated on AAHOA's About page · Read it

    Or send the figure itself: 3.2 million — people living here who were born in India

  • Was true, has movedChecked 29 August 2026

    What is going round

    Indians are the highest-earning ethnic group in the US, with a median income of $100,000 — almost double the national median.

    News aggregators and diaspora press, recycled for years with the dollar figure rarely updated.

    The dollar figure is many years old. Several different values circulate as the current median; the 2024 figure is $176,200.

    This one goes stale faster than anything else on the desk, because the sentence is built to be repeated and the number inside it is not. Several different values are in circulation as the current median. That is a good reason to attach a year every time this is quoted, and a good reason to be careful with the ranking half of the sentence too — a claim that one group earns more than every other needs every other group measured the same way, and it is the shape of sentence that gets screenshotted next to whichever group came last.

    What the source actually says

    “In 2023, households headed by an Indian immigrant had a median annual income of $166,200, compared to $78,700 for all immigrant-led and $77,600 for native-led households.”

    Migration Policy Institute · 2023 · Read it

    Or send the figure itself: $176,200 — median income, households headed by an Indian immigrant

What the sources say

Each of these is a sentence somebody published, with the year it describes attached. Send one of these.

Arriving

How many people, from where, and on what.

  • 3.2 million

    people living here who were born in India

    MPI counts 3.2 million Indian immigrants in the United States in 2024, the second largest foreign-born group after Mexicans.

    “Indian immigrants are the second largest foreign-born group in the United States, numbering about 3.2 million as of 2024.”
    Counted
    Indian immigrants
    Year of the data
    2024

    Indian Immigrants in the United States (Spotlight) · published 15 April 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

  • 6 percent

    of everyone in America who was born abroad

    Of the 50.2 million people living in the United States who were born elsewhere, MPI puts the share born in India at 6 percent.

    “Today, approximately 3.2 million Indian immigrants reside in the United States, comprising 6 percent of the total foreign-born population of 50.2 million people.”
    Counted
    Indian immigrants
    Year of the data
    2024

    Indian Immigrants in the United States (Spotlight) · published 15 April 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

  • 78 percent

    growth between 2010 and 2024

    The number of Indian immigrants grew 78 percent over fourteen years, which MPI reports as triple the rate for the foreign-born population as a whole.

    “The Indian immigrant population grew 78 percent between 2010 and 2024, triple the rate for the overall foreign-born population.”
    Counted
    Indian immigrants
    Year of the data
    2024

    Indian Immigrants in the United States (Spotlight) · published 15 April 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

  • 283,400

    H-1B petitions approved for Indian nationals in FY 2024

    Of 399,400 H-1B approvals in the 2024 fiscal year, USCIS records 283,400 — 71 percent — for nationals of India.

    “Indian nationals were by far the main recipients of approved H-1B petitions in FY 2024, with 71 percent (283,400) of all 399,400 approvals that year.”
    Counted
    Indian nationals
    Year of the data
    FY 2024

    Indian Immigrants in the United States (Spotlight) · published 15 April 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

  • 199,000

    unauthorised immigrants from India

    MPI estimates 199,000 people from India were in the United States without authorisation in mid-2023, making India the eleventh largest origin country.

    “The Migration Policy Institute (MPI) estimates that approximately 199,000 (or 1.5 percent) of the 13.7 million unauthorized immigrants in the United States as of mid-2023 were from India.”
    Counted
    Indian immigrants
    Year of the data
    mid-2023

    Indian Immigrants in the United States (Spotlight) · published 15 April 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

  • 5.8 million

    people born in India or reporting Indian ancestry

    Counting people born in India together with those reporting Indian ancestry or origin gives 5.8 million — nearly double the immigrant figure, and the number most often mistaken for it.

    “The Indian diaspora was comprised of approximately 5.8 million U.S. residents who were either born in India or reported Indian ancestry or origin, according to MPI tabulation of data from the U.S. Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey.”
    Counted
    The Indian diaspora
    Year of the data
    2024

    Indian Immigrants in the United States (Spotlight) · published 15 April 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

Studying

Universities, and who is in them.

  • 363,019

    students from India at US colleges in 2024/25

    India was the leading place of origin for international students in 2024/25, ahead of China, which the Institute of International Education counted at 265,919.

    “India remained the leading place of origin with 363,019 international students in the United States in 2024/25, reflecting a 10% increase from the prior year. China was the second leading place of origin with 265,919 students, reflecting a 4% decline.”
    Counted
    Students from India
    Year of the data
    2024/25

    Open Doors Report on International Educational Exchange · published 17 November 2025 · read here 29 August 2026

Working

Jobs, degrees, and what the visa routes select for.

  • $176,200

    median income, households headed by an Indian immigrant

    In 2024 the median annual income of a household headed by somebody born in India was $176,200. This is the figure most often quoted wrongly, and the one to check the year on.

    What this actually measures. This measures who the visa system admits, not how hard anybody works. The H-1B and student routes select for advanced degrees, and the salaries follow the degrees.

    “In 2024, households headed by an Indian immigrant had a median annual income of $176,200, compared to $82,400 for all immigrant-led households and $81,400 for those led by the U.S. born.”
    Same measure, all immigrants
    $82,400
    Same measure, the US born
    $81,400
    Counted
    Indian immigrants
    Year of the data
    2024

    Indian Immigrants in the United States (Spotlight) · published 15 April 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

  • 82 percent

    of Indian immigrants aged 25 and over hold a degree

    82 percent of Indian immigrants aged 25 and older held at least a bachelor's degree in 2024.

    What this actually measures. Most of these degrees were earned before arriving, or on the student visa that permitted the arrival. The figure describes an admission requirement as much as an achievement.

    “In 2024, 82 percent of Indian immigrants ages 25 and older reported having at least a bachelor's degree, compared to 36 percent of all foreign-born and 37 percent of U.S.-born adults.”
    Same measure, all immigrants
    36 percent
    Same measure, the US born
    37 percent
    Counted
    Indian immigrants
    Year of the data
    2024

    Indian Immigrants in the United States (Spotlight) · published 15 April 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

  • 50 percent

    hold a master's, professional or doctoral degree

    Half of Indian immigrants held an advanced degree — a master's, professional or doctoral qualification.

    What this actually measures. The H-1B route effectively requires a specialised degree, so a population admitted largely through it will hold advanced degrees by construction.

    “Indians are also much more likely to hold graduate or professional degrees: 50 percent of Indian immigrants held an advanced degree, versus 16 percent of the total foreign-born and 14 percent of the U.S.-born populations.”
    Same measure, all immigrants
    16 percent
    Same measure, the US born
    14 percent
    Counted
    Indian immigrants
    Year of the data
    2024

    Indian Immigrants in the United States (Spotlight) · published 15 April 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

  • 74 percent

    of those aged 16 and over are in the civilian labour force

    74 percent of Indian immigrants aged 16 and over were in the civilian labour force in 2024.

    “In 2024, 74 percent of Indian immigrants ages 16 and older were in the civilian labor force, compared to 63 percent of the U.S. born and 68 percent of all immigrants.”
    Same measure, all immigrants
    68 percent
    Same measure, the US born
    63 percent
    Counted
    Indian immigrants
    Year of the data
    2024

    Indian Immigrants in the United States (Spotlight) · published 15 April 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

  • 6 percent

    live below the poverty line

    6 percent of Indian immigrants were in poverty in 2024, which MPI reports as roughly half the rate for immigrants overall.

    What this actually measures. The same selection effect read from the other end, and not a claim that nobody here is struggling — a low rate across a large population still leaves a great many households below the line.

    “In 2024, Indian immigrants were roughly half as likely to be in poverty (6 percent) as immigrants overall (14 percent) or the U.S. born (12 percent).”
    Same measure, all immigrants
    14 percent
    Same measure, the US born
    12 percent
    Counted
    Indian immigrants
    Year of the data
    2024

    Indian Immigrants in the United States (Spotlight) · published 15 April 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

  • 4 percent

    have no health insurance

    4 percent of immigrants from India were uninsured in 2024, against 18 percent of the foreign-born population as a whole.

    “In 2024, just 4 percent of immigrants from India were uninsured, compared to 7 percent of the U.S. born and 18 percent of the overall foreign-born population.”
    Same measure, all immigrants
    18 percent
    Same measure, the US born
    7 percent
    Counted
    Indian immigrants
    Year of the data
    2024

    Indian Immigrants in the United States (Spotlight) · published 15 April 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

Building

Companies started here by people who arrived from somewhere else.

  • 96 companies

    US billion-dollar companies with a founder born in India

    India is the leading country of birth among the immigrant founders of America's billion-dollar startups, at 96 companies.

    “India, with 96 companies, is the leading country of origin for the immigrant founders of U.S. billion-dollar companies.”
    Counted
    Founders born in India
    Year of the data
    April 2026

    Immigrants and U.S. Billion-Dollar Companies (NFAP Policy Brief) · published 3 June 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

  • 455 of 775

    US billion-dollar startups with an immigrant founder

    Immigrants founded or co-founded most of America's privately held billion-dollar companies — 455 of the 775 NFAP counted.

    “Immigrants have founded or cofounded 59% (455 of 775) of America's privately held startup companies valued at $1 billion or more, according to a new National Foundation for American Policy (NFAP) analysis.”
    Counted
    Founders born in India
    Year of the data
    April 2026

    Immigrants and U.S. Billion-Dollar Companies (NFAP Policy Brief) · published 3 June 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

  • 183 of 775

    were founded by somebody who arrived as a student

    Almost a quarter of America's billion-dollar startups have a founder who first entered the country on a student visa.

    “Almost one-quarter (183 of 775, or 24%) of U.S. billion-dollar startup companies have a founder who first came to America as an international student.”
    Counted
    Founders born in India
    Year of the data
    April 2026

    Immigrants and U.S. Billion-Dollar Companies (NFAP Policy Brief) · published 3 June 2026 · read here 29 August 2026

History

Documented events, with the record that proves them.

  • 1917

    the year Congress barred immigration from India

    The Asiatic Barred Zone Act shut off immigration from India and most of Asia. The card below it is the year that ended.

    “The anti-immigrant undertow ran even stronger in 1917 when Congress approved the Asiatic Barred Zone Act, effectively blocking immigration from an entire section of the globe and excluding Asian Indians and most people from South Asia, East Asia, and Polynesia (the law at first exempted Filipinos because of their legal status as U.S. nationals).”
    Counted
    Indian nationals
    Year of the data
    1917

    Empire and Exclusion, 1898-1940 · published 16 May 2018 · read here 30 August 2026

  • 1965

    the year the national-origin bar was lifted

    President Johnson signed the Immigration and Nationality Act at the foot of the Statue of Liberty, ending the system that had kept the door shut. Almost every family on this site arrived through the door it opened.

    “On this date, in a ceremony at the base of the Statue of Liberty, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965.”
    Counted
    Indian nationals
    Year of the data
    1965

    Historical Highlights: Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 · published 3 October 1965 · read here 30 August 2026

  • 1956

    the year Dalip Singh Saund was elected to Congress

    Saund was born in Amritsar, took a doctorate in mathematics at Berkeley, and farmed lettuce in California's Imperial Valley under a law that barred people of Asian descent from owning or leasing land. He campaigned for the law that first let Indians naturalise, became a citizen, and was elected to the House.

    “In November 1956, D. S. Saund, who everyone simply called “Judge,” became the first person of Asian descent elected to serve as a United States Representative.”
    Counted
    Indian nationals
    Year of the data
    1956

    SAUND, Dalip Singh (Judge) · published 16 May 2018 · read here 29 August 2026

Who is being counted

These sound like the same group and are not. Most wrong numbers in this subject are right numbers attached to the wrong one of these.

Indian immigrantsAbout 3.2 million
People living in the United States who were born in India and did not hold US citizenship at birth. Includes naturalised citizens, green-card holders, people on H-1B, F-1, H-4 and other temporary visas, and people here without authorisation.Not the same as the Indian diaspora, which also counts US-born children and is nearly twice the size.
The Indian diasporaAbout 5.8 million
Everyone in the United States who was either born in India or reports Indian ancestry or origin. About 55 percent were born in India; the rest were born in the United States or elsewhere.Not the same as Indian immigrants. Using a diaspora headcount with an immigrant income figure produces a false sentence out of two true ones.
Asian Indian (Census category)About 4.6 million
The race and ethnicity category people tick on the American Community Survey. Counts US-born and foreign-born people together, and depends on what somebody wrote about themselves rather than on where they were born.Not the same as Indian immigrants. Census race categories and country of birth are answers to different questions and produce different totals.
Indian nationalsVaries by measure
Citizens of India, wherever they are living. This is the population immigration statistics count — H-1B approvals, visa issuances and green cards are recorded by country of citizenship.Not the same as Indian Americans. Somebody who has naturalised as a US citizen has left this population and stayed in the diaspora.
Founders born in IndiaCounted per study
People who were born in India, immigrated to the United States, and founded or co-founded a company here. Counted by the founder's country of birth, not by the company's ownership or where its staff are.Not a measure of Indian-owned companies or of Indian investment. It counts people, not capital.
Students from IndiaAbout 363,000
People from India enrolled at US colleges and universities, counted by the Institute of International Education from the institutions' own reporting.Not the same as Indian-American students, the great majority of whom are US citizens and are not counted here at all.

What this desk does not publish

There is no figure here for tax paid, consumer spending, charitable giving, volunteering, or jobs created by Indian Americans, and there is no count of Indian-origin teachers or nurses. Not because those would not be worth knowing — they are the most interesting things on the list — but because nobody collects them. The IRS has never asked about race or ethnicity on a tax form, and the rest are not broken out by origin by any federal or academic source we could find. A number will always be available for them from somewhere; it will have been estimated by whoever wanted to publish it.

Nothing here is a ranking, and no figure is compared against another country’s community. The only two baselines used are the ones the sources themselves publish beside their own numbers — all immigrants, and people born in the United States.

Something wrong, or a claim you have been sent that is not here? Tell us and we will go and read the source.