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New research reveals that Kentucky’s foreign-born population is younger and has a higher concentration of working-age residents than many of America’s traditional immigrant gateway states.
Kentucky has emerged as one of the best-positioned states in America for immigrant workforce readiness, according to a new study examining the age profile of foreign-born populations across all 50 states.
Research by The Mendoza Law Firm awarded Kentucky an Immigrant Worker Dependency Score of 83.0 out of 100, placing it sixth nationally.
The state’s strong performance is driven by two key findings: 80.1% of its foreign-born residents are between the ages of 18 and 64, while its median immigrant age is just 40.5.
Together, these figures place Kentucky ahead of six of its seven bordering states and major immigrant destinations including California, New York, Florida and Texas.
Kentucky’s Immigrant Population Is Younger Than the National Average
Kentucky’s median immigrant age of 40.5 is 3.7 years younger than the national average of 44.2. Its proportion of foreign-born residents aged 18 to 64 is also 2.5 percentage points above the nationwide average of 77.6%.
The resulting dependency score of 83.0 is 12.7 points higher than the national average of 70.3.
| Metric | Kentucky | National average |
|---|---|---|
| Median immigrant age | 40.5 | 44.2 |
| Foreign-born residents aged 18–64 | 80.1% | 77.6% |
| Immigrant Worker Dependency Score | 83.0 | 70.3 |
Kentucky has the seventh-youngest immigrant population in the country and ranks within the top 12% of states for overall immigrant workforce readiness.
The findings do not measure employment rates or the number of foreign-born workers in each state. Instead, they show how strongly each state’s immigrant population is concentrated within the conventional working-age bracket and indicate its potential workforce longevity.
Kentucky Leads Six of Its Seven Bordering States
Among Kentucky’s bordering states, only Tennessee achieves a higher score.
Tennessee ranks fifth nationally with a score of 84.5, putting it just 1.5 points ahead of Kentucky. Indiana follows in 10th place with 81.2, while Missouri and Ohio rank 13th and 18th respectively.
| National rank | State | Median immigrant age | Working-age share | Dependency score |
| 5 | Tennessee | 39.9 | 79.6% | 84.5 |
| 6 | Kentucky | 40.5 | 80.1% | 83.0 |
| 10 | Indiana | 41.0 | 79.7% | 81.2 |
| 13 | Missouri | 41.5 | 78.4% | 78.9 |
| 18 | Ohio | 42.3 | 77.5% | 75.9 |
| 30 | Virginia | 45.3 | 78.2% | 67.2 |
| 31 | West Virginia | 44.6 | 74.3% | 67.0 |
| 43 | Illinois | 48.1 | 75.8% | 57.2 |
The greatest differences can be seen between Kentucky and the Appalachian states of Virginia and West Virginia.
Kentucky ranks 24 positions above Virginia and 25 positions above West Virginia. Its score is 15.8 points higher than Virginia’s and 16 points higher than West Virginia’s.
Kentucky’s immigrant population is also 4.8 years younger than Virginia’s and 4.1 years younger than West Virginia’s.
Kentucky Outperforms Traditional Immigrant Gateway States
Although Kentucky is not normally grouped with America’s largest immigrant destinations, its demographic profile outperforms every traditional gateway state included in the study.
Kentucky leads Texas by 13.5 points and California by 32.6 points. It also ranks considerably higher than Illinois, Florida and New York.
| National rank | State | Median immigrant age | Working-age share | Dependency score |
| 6 | Kentucky | 40.5 | 80.1% | 83.0 |
| 28 | Texas | 44.7 | 79.0% | 69.5 |
| 43 | Illinois | 48.1 | 75.8% | 57.2 |
| 47 | Florida | 49.3 | 71.6% | 51.1 |
| 48 | New York | 49.6 | 72.7% | 50.8 |
| 49 | California | 50.1 | 74.6% | 50.4 |
One of the most significant contrasts is between Kentucky and California.
California’s immigrant population has a median age of 50.1, compared with 40.5 in Kentucky. This creates a difference of 9.6 years between the two states.
Kentucky also has a larger proportion of foreign-born residents within the 18-to-64 age range: 80.1%, compared with 74.6% in California.
This does not mean Kentucky has more immigrant workers overall. California’s foreign-born population is much larger. The figures instead demonstrate that Kentucky’s immigrant population is younger and more heavily concentrated within working age.
Kentucky Ranks Second in the Appalachian Region
Kentucky is also the second-highest-performing state in the Appalachian comparison, trailing only Tennessee.
It ranks ahead of Ohio, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia.
| National rank | State | Median immigrant age | Working-age share | Dependency score |
| 5 | Tennessee | 39.9 | 79.6% | 84.5 |
| 6 | Kentucky | 40.5 | 80.1% | 83.0 |
| 18 | Ohio | 42.3 | 77.5% | 75.9 |
| 19 | North Carolina | 43.3 | 80.2% | 74.5 |
| 27 | Pennsylvania | 43.8 | 76.5% | 70.8 |
| 30 | Virginia | 45.3 | 78.2% | 67.2 |
| 31 | West Virginia | 44.6 | 74.3% | 67.0 |
Kentucky’s score is 16 points higher than West Virginia’s, the lowest-performing state in the regional comparison.
North Carolina has a slightly larger working-age share than Kentucky, at 80.2%. However, its median immigrant age is 43.3—2.8 years higher than Kentucky’s—contributing to a lower overall score of 74.5.
As a result, North Carolina ranks 13 places below Kentucky nationally.
What the Findings Show
The study challenges the assumption that states with the largest immigrant populations are necessarily the best positioned in terms of immigrant workforce demographics.
Kentucky’s foreign-born population may be smaller than those found in California, Texas, Florida and New York, but a greater proportion of its immigrant residents are currently within the conventional working-age range.
Its comparatively young median age also suggests the state may benefit from a longer period of potential workforce participation.
However, demographic readiness does not automatically translate into employment or economic output. Workforce participation is also shaped by factors such as job availability, qualifications, professional licensing, transport, language support and immigration status.
The score should therefore be viewed as a measure of demographic workforce readiness rather than a direct assessment of economic performance.
Methodology
The Mendoza Law Firm analyzed state-level foreign-born population data published by the Migration Policy Institute.
The study evaluated two measures:
- The percentage of each state’s foreign-born population aged 18 to 64
- The median age of each state’s foreign-born population
Each measure was normalized to a score between zero and 50. The two results were then combined to produce an Immigrant Worker Dependency Score out of 100.
Researchers ranked all 50 states before comparing Kentucky with its bordering states, selected Appalachian states and traditional immigrant gateway states.
The score does not directly measure employment rates, earnings, occupations, qualifications, immigration status or the total number of foreign-born residents in each state.
About The Mendoza Law Firm
The Mendoza Law Firm provides legal services in immigration law, personal injury and mass torts. The firm also supports U.S. companies seeking qualified professionals from abroad and advocates for immigrant communities through legal representation and public education.
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