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Nearly 400,000 people in Oregon were born in other countries.
The biggest source of foreign-born Oregonians, according to census data, is Mexico. There's a problem, though: Nearly all of the 150,000 Mexican-born Oregonians moved here more than a decade ago. Since 2009, research by the Oregon Office of Economic Analysis shows, only a couple of thousand people have made the trek north. Most of the state's population growth in the past few years has come in the form of non-Hispanic whites.
But there's good news for one of the most homogenous states in the nation: Immigration from Asia, particularly China, is booming.
"Where new residents differ the most is the higher share of Asian migrants—twice as large as the current population in percentage terms," says Josh Lehner, a state economist. "The breakdown among Asians is about 34 percent Chinese, 11 percent Japanese, and 55 percent all other Asian countries or Pacific islands."
Lehner says nobody is quite sure what's caused the shift in immigration flows.
Some of the increase is due to people coming from Asia for educational and economic opportunities. And the changes also reflect a reduction in traditional pathways.
"Some of it has to do with slowdowns in immigration from other places, meaning it has to come from Asia and Africa," Lehner says, "because we are no longer seeing European or Latin America migration in big numbers."
1. Because we're not afraid of public displays of affection…
2. Because women are in charge…
3. Because our local theater scene tells true, inspiring Oregon stories…
4. Because Kevin Calabro and Lamar Hurd make even Blazer losses fun…
5. Because we're still No. 1 in semi-factual superlatives…
6. Because we have a sixth quadrant now…
7. Because the hottest rapper in the game is obsessed with us…
8. Because Oregon is gradually getting more diverse, and in unexpected ways…
9. Because we can work it out…
10. Because we helped jump-start the movement that's changing the tech
industry…
11. Because if you want to, you can dance to…
12. Because we're so sex positive, you can take a class on…
13. Because we're working to become a bike haven again…
14. Because after walking across Antarctica, I can still come back
to my favorite dive bar…
15. Because the Blazers' game-day posters are the coolest collectibles in sports…
16. Because our airport is Beervana…
17. Because our fake fast food beats the real thing…
18. Because the Big Pipe is keeping poop out of the river…
19. Because we're making an effort to diversify the cannabis industry…
20. Because we finally have a virtual reality playland…
21. Because we have nicer weather than Hawaii (no, really)…
22. Because Basic Rights Oregon is fighting for LGTBQ+ rights—and winning…
23. Because Portland State's gym just underwent an awesome makeover…
24. …and the courthouse is getting one, too.
25. Because our hotel bars are some of the best bars in the city…
26. Because you'll spend less time in jail here than the national average…
27. Because we make some of the best guitar pedals in the biz…
28. Because our Curry is better than that other Curry…