Nearly 10% in U.S. Are Foreign-Born

Recent U.S. Census data shows that about 24.5 million people (or almost 10% of the total population) living in the United States are foreign-born.

* The majority of immigrants settle in five states: California, New York, Florida, Texas and Arizona.

* The typical immigrant has more children and slightly less education than the average native-born American.

* Although immigrants are just as likely to hold or seek jobs as the native-born, they more often work in blue-collar jobs and live in poverty.

* Some ethnic groups--particularly those from India, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Iran, Portugal, Japan, the United Kingdom, Guyana and Greece--are likely to have incomes as high as or higher than native-born Americans.

* Indians and Koreans are more likely than native-born Americans to hold professional occupations.

* Immigrants from the former Soviet Union, Laos, Cambodia, the Dominican Republic and Mexico have median incomes below those of all immigrants.

* Median income: immigrants, $17,403; native-born Americans, $17,835.

* Immigrants typically pay higher median rents and mortgages than native-born Americans. Experts say this is because they are likely to be more recent entrants to the housing market.

* Immigrant blacks and Latinos are more likely to buy homes than native-born blacks and Latinos.