Where the Russians Are

North Dakota is not normally the place one thinks of as having a large Russian émigré population. Yet, according to 2000 US Census Data recently released, fully 3.5% of that state’s population, or 22,514 individuals, are of Russian extraction – the highest percentage in the nation.

In the second tier of states (2-2.9%) are those we might expect: New York, Connecticut  and New Jersey. New York has the largest single Russian heritage population, with 460,261 persons (California is second, with 402,480).

Only Massachusetts fell into our third tier (1.6-1.9%), followed by a number of states in the 1.1-1.5% block: Alaska, California, Colorado, DC, Florida, Maryland, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Vermont and Washington.