Bolivia: Bolivian Population in the Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD Metropolitan Areas

Photo Credit: Canva
Photo Credit: Canva

Bolivian population in the Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD metropolitan areas: There are approximately 31,200 Bolivian immigrants* living in the Washington, DC and Baltimore metro areas. Forty-six percent of them are male and 54 percent are female. The largest numbers of Bolivian immigrants are found in Fairfax County, VA (15,000), Montgomery County, MD (4,400) and Arlington County, VA (4,000). Thirty-nine percent of Bolivian immigrants who live in Washington, DC and Baltimore metro areas are naturalized U.S. citizens compared to 50 percent of all other immigrants in the area. Fifty-five percent of Bolivian immigrants are proficient in English. 

Bolivian population in the United States: The number of foreign-born Bolivians in the United States increased slightly in recent decades but remains a small percent of the total immigrant population of the United States. For example, in 1950 there were an estimated 1,643 Bolivians in the country, and by 1970 this number increased to 5,900. In 1970, Bolivian immigrants constituted 0.1 percent of the total foreign-born population. This percentage remained stable in recent years while the immigrant population in the United States increased. In 2000, there were an estimated 61,452 Bolivian immigrants in the country. Today, Bolivian immigrants still constitute only 0.2 percent of the total foreign-born population of the United States.

Education, Income and Housing: In terms of educational attainment, 27 percent of foreign-born Bolivians over 25 years old have Bachelor's degree or higher. In comparison, 43 percent of all other immigrants and 47 percent of native-born U.S. citizens have a Bachelor's degree or higher.

The median earned income of Bolivian immigrants in the areas ($36,497) is lower than the median earned income of all other foreign born ($47,088) and native born U.S. citizens ($64,000).

Forty-nine percent of Bolivian immigrants are homeowners in comparison to 55 percent of all other foreign-born individuals and 65 percent of native-born U.S. citizens in the DC and Baltimore metro areas.

Employment and Occupation: The largest proportions of Bolivian immigrants in the DC and Baltimore metro areas are employed in construction occupations (18 percent), building and grounds cleaning and maintenance occupations (12 percent), and food preparation and serving occupations (11 percent). Four percent of Bolivian immigrants are employed in STEM occupations in comparison to 12 percent and 11 percent of all other foreign-born and native-born U.S. citizens, respectively.

Bolivian immigrants tend to be self-employed and unincorporated (9 percent), which is higher than all other foreign-born individuals (6 percent) and native-born U.S. citizens (4 percent). The median income for self-employed Bolivian immigrants is $30,379, which is lower than the median income of all other self-employed foreign-born individuals ($40,505) and native-born U.S. citizens ($61,000).  

 

* Please note that the terms “immigrant” and “foreign born” are used interchangeably throughout this fact sheet. Foreign born refers to individuals who are not a U.S. citizen at birth or who were born outside the U.S., Puerto Rico or other U.S. territories and whose parents are not U.S. citizens. The foreign born may include naturalized U.S. citizens, Legal Permanent  Residents, temporary residents, refugees and asylees, and others. Additionally, native born includes those who are U.S. citizens at birth, those born in the United States, Puerto Rico, or other U.S. territories, and those born abroad to a parent who is a U.S. citizen.