Ohio, June 18, 2026 – New analysis from the American Immigration Council underscores the essential function immigrants play in Ohio’s labor drive, housing market, inhabitants progress, and financial system. The brand new report was ready in partnership with Ohio Enterprise for Immigration Options, a statewide 100+ member enterprise coalition powered by the American Immigration Council, and the Akron-Canton Advocacy Alliance. The report focuses on the Akron-Canton area of Ohio.
In response to persistent workforce gaps and the necessity for sustainable expertise pipelines, ACAA convened regional and nationwide leaders to look at how immigration is impacting the Akron-Canton financial system and its future progress. The report was launched as a part of that dialogue, that includes insights from U.S. Congressman Michael Rulli (OH-6), U.S. Congresswoman Emilia Sykes (OH-13), Patrick Shen of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and representatives from the American Immigration Council and Ohio Enterprise for Immigration Options. The dialog strengthened that immigration just isn’t an summary nationwide problem, however an area financial actuality—grounded in details and centered on serving to the area transfer ahead.
“The findings of this report display the worth and significance of immigrants’ financial contributions to the Akron and Canton areas of Ohio,” stated Juan Avilez, Coverage Affiliate of the State and Native Initiatives workforce on the American Immigration Council. “Particularly, it reveals that immigrants are supporting the area in massive methods – they contributed $5.0 billion to the area’s GDP and held $1.8 billion in spending energy – displaying why it’s necessary their contributions are acknowledged.”
“The findings out of Akron-Canton affirm what we’re seeing throughout Ohio: immigrants are important to the power of our communities and our financial system. Akron-Canton is one story amongst many,” stated Madison Lisotto Whalen, Esq., Ohio Enterprise for Immigration Answer Coalition. “From our manufacturing flooring to our hospitals, immigrants are serving to communities throughout the state keep vibrant, aggressive, and positioned for long-term progress.”
“The ACAA brings leaders collectively across the points that matter most to our enterprise neighborhood, and workforce is on the high of that listing. Employers persistently inform us their greatest problem is discovering, attracting, and retaining the expertise wanted to develop,” stated John Rizzo, Vice President of the Akron-Canton Advocacy Alliance. “This analysis paints a transparent image of the function immigrant populations play in our financial system and informs a extra data-driven strategy to strengthening our expertise pipeline. The ACAA will proceed to deliver ahead knowledge, convene leaders, and advocate for insurance policies that mirror the actual wants of our enterprise neighborhood and help long-term financial success.
Key Findings
- Immigrants within the Akron-Canton area contributed billions in taxes and shopper spending. In 2023, immigrant households earned $2.5 billion in earnings, with $446.0 million going to federal taxes and $227.5 billion going to state and native taxes, leaving them with $1.8 billion in spending energy that may be reinvested again into native communities. Strong shopper spending by immigrant households helps small companies and retains native financial corridors vibrant.
- Immigrant residents are serving to Akron-Canton meet its labor drive calls for and can assist meet future wants. In 2023, immigrants have been 21.6 p.c extra prone to be of working age than their U.S.-born counterparts, and made-up 8.7 p.c of staff in science, expertise, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Which means that immigrants within the Akron-Canton area performed an outsized function within the space’s labor drive and technological progress.
- Immigrants in Akron-Canton are supporting the preservation of American manufacturing. Immigrant staff accounted for six.0 p.c of the manufacturing business and 5.9 p.c of the transportation and warehousing industries in 2023. Immigrants dwelling within the area helped to create or protect round 2,700 manufacturing jobs that will have been eradicated or moved by 2023.
- Immigrant entrepreneurs have contributed to rising native economies. Immigrants have been 35.9 p.c extra prone to be an entrepreneur than their U.S.-born counterparts within the Akron-Canton area. In 2023, 3,800 immigrant entrepreneurs generated $166.9 million in enterprise earnings. Signifying the power of immigrants in constructing and supporting new, income producing companies.
- Immigrants are serving to stabilize inhabitants developments and can play a essential function within the Akron-Canton area’s future progress. Between 2018 and 2023, whereas the area’s total inhabitants remained flat, the immigrant inhabitants grew by 11.4%, rising from 52,500 to 58,400 residents. With out this progress, the area would have skilled inhabitants decline. As demographic challenges persist throughout many Midwest communities, this pattern underscores the significance of immigrants in sustaining inhabitants ranges, supporting neighborhood vitality, and positioning the area for long-term financial stability and progress.
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