Pew estimates U.S. Middle Eastern and North African population at 3.1 million to 5.2 million

The U.S. population of Middle Eastern or North African origin ranged from 3.1 million to 5.2 million in 2024, depending on the characteristics used to identify it, Pew Research Center said in an analysis published on November 2. The estimates represent 0.9% to 1.5% of the U.S. population.

The narrower estimate uses self-reported ancestry. The broader estimate also considers birthplace, language, race and family relationships. Pew said each additional measure counts people not already included, rather than adding overlapping totals. Using ancestry and other factors, the estimate rose from about 1.2 million in 1980 to 5.2 million in 2024.

The Census Bureau's 2024 American Community Survey estimates for individual origins counted 825,000 Lebanese, 583,000 Iranians and 441,000 Egyptians, alone or in combination with other responses to the race question. Pew noted that individuals can appear in more than one origin group and that the bureau did not publish a combined MENA total for 2024.