Immigrants in Northeast Indiana contributed $3.7 million to the region’s GDP.
Wabash County, IN, October 22nd 2026—A new report, Immigrants in Northeast Indiana, released on September 18th by the American Immigration Council—in partnership with Community Connections: A Wabash County Diversity Coalition underscores the crucial role immigrants play in the region’s labor force, business creation, and consumer spending power.
Although immigrants made up 4.9 percent of the region’s total population, they represented 6.2 percent of its employed labor force and 8.0 percent of its workers in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields in 2024.
The new report was awarded to Community Connections: A Wabash County Diversity Coalition as part of the Gateways for Growth Challenge, a competitive opportunity for localities to receive research support and technical assistance from the American Immigration Council and Welcoming America to improve immigrant inclusion in their communities.
The report and strategic welcoming plan for Wabash County will launch on Thursday, November 5th at the N Manchester Public Library from 4-6pm in the Blocher Community room. The event will showcase the new plan with a time for questions, it will also include food and drinks by local New American entrepreneurs, a song performance by students in our local DLI program, and testimonials from both kids in the DLI program as well as newcomers to our community about their experiences here.
“Each of the statistics in this report represents a child, a family, a friend, and a member of our community that helps make Wabash County the vibrant community that it is. Gateways for Growth and the Strategic Welcoming plan helps us to understand our area through data and illustrates how EVERYONE here contributes to our communities. With this plan, it is our responsibility to listen to what makes people feel welcome, to remove barriers to belonging, and to be a bridge between our community members and the resources they need to thrive and put down roots. As we work to grow Wabash County and reverse population decline, we want every person here to feel that they belong and have a place in the future of Wabash County.”
“Immigrants are an integral part of Northeast Indiana’s communities, contributing their talents, skills, and experiences in ways that strengthen the region every day. As this report demonstrates, immigrants help drive economic growth as entrepreneurs, workers, and community leaders while also enriching the social and cultural fabric. Their contributions are helping build a more vibrant, connected, and prosperous future in Northeast Indiana,” said Micaela McConnell, policy manager of state and local initiatives at the American Immigration Council.
“Communities like Wabash County are showing what welcoming looks like when it’s grounded in data and driven by the people who live there — neighbors and local leaders who want to understand what residents need and build a place where everyone can put down roots. The Gateways for Growth Challenge was designed to support communities ready to do that work, and we’re proud to be part of it,” said Briana Broberg, Director of the Welcoming Network at Welcoming America.
The new research report, Immigrants in Northeast Indiana, finds:
- Immigrants are helping the region meet its labor force demands. In 2024, immigrants were 37.8 percent more likely to be of working age than their U.S.-born counterparts.
- Immigrants support the federal safety net. Immigrants contributed $291.4 million to federal taxes and $161.7 million to state and local taxes in Northeast Indiana in 2024.
- Immigrants are helping the area meet its rising labor needs in key industries. While making up 4.9 percent of the region’s total population in 2024, immigrants represented 10.6 percent of transportation and warehousing workers, 8.2 percent of manufacturing workers, 7.2 percent of hospitality workers, and 6.9 percent of construction workers.
- Immigrants can build deep roots in the region. As of 2024, 83.0 percent of immigrants in Northeast Indiana had resided in the United States for more than five years.
Read the full research brief at the Council’s website.
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About Community Connections: A Wabash County Diversity Coalition
Community Connections: A Wabash County Diversity Coalition helps connect newcomers with resources in Wabash County to help them thrive. Our mission is to inspire a safe and nurturing environment by building relationships, educating, and celebrating the uniqueness of every person. With a commitment to growth, we are broadcasting this as a welcoming community where industry is growing, education is a high priority, and new housing is going up. The invitation is out to come to Wabash County, put down roots here, and enrich the quality of life in the county.
About the American Immigration Council
The American Immigration Council works to strengthen America by shaping how America thinks about and acts towards immigrants and immigration and by working toward a more fair and just immigration system that opens its doors to those in need of protection and unleashes the energy and skills that immigrants bring. The Council brings together problem solvers and employs four coordinated approaches to advance change—litigation, research, legislative and administrative advocacy, and communications. Follow us on Bluesky@immcouncil.org and on Instagram @immcouncil.
About Welcoming America
Welcoming America is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that leads a movement of inclusive communities becoming more prosperous by ensuring everyone belongs. Through the Welcoming Network, we work to change systems and culture by providing communities with the roadmap they need to create welcoming policies and share new approaches to inclusion to create an environment where everyone can truly thrive. Learn more at www.welcomingamerica.org.
The post New Report Shows Immigrants in Northeast Indiana Paid $453.1 Million in Taxes and Held $1.3 Billion in Spending Power in 2024 appeared first on American Immigration Council.
from American Immigration Council https://ift.tt/MHp2j9g
via Dear ImmigrantDear Immigrant
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