The States in America with the largest population of Greeks or Greek-Americans was recently compiled by Insider Monkey, a finance website that provides free insider trading and hedge fund data to ordinary investors. It is based on data sourced from the US Census Bureau.
America has the largest population of Greeks outside of Greece itself, with estimates ranging from 1.2 million to over 3 million individuals of Greek descent.
The journey of the Greeks to America and subsequent contributions have made Greek culture and industry a significant aspect of American society.
The website ranked the states in ascending order based on the percentage of the Greek population in each state as of 2022.
Additionally, the total Greek American population is also provided for each state to offer insight into the community’s size.
20 Most Greek States in America
20. Oregon
Greek Population Percentage: 0.34%
Total Greek Population: 13,308
Oregon is located within the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. Greeks began arriving in Portland, Oregon, during the early 1900s, drawn by the opportunities presented in the industries of the Pacific Northwest. They founded the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Portland in 1910.
19. Colorado
Greek Population Percentage: 0.34%
Total Greek Population: 20,217
Colorado, located in the Mountain West region of the United States, had its first Greek residents recorded in the 1870 US Census. Over the years, the Greek community expanded, with 24 individuals making up the colony by 1890. In 1910, a reported 240 Greeks lived in Denver, Colorado. Presently, the Greek population has risen to 20,217 people, with the percentage of the Greek population standing at 0.34%.
18. Nevada
Greek Population Percentage: 0.35%
Total Greek Population: 11,236
Nevada is a landlocked state in the Western region of the United States. The state has a Greek population of 11,236 individuals. The Greek community in Nevada is Orthodox Christian, who mainly came to settle in Nevada due to the presence of the Orthodox church in the state. The percentage of the Greek population in Nevada stands at 0.35%.
17. Virginia
Greek Population Percentage: 0.36%
Total Greek Population: 31,802
Virginia, situated between the Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions, has a significant history of Greek immigration, especially in its capital, Richmond. Two notable waves of Greek immigration occurred in Richmond. The first wave, from the 1890s to the 1920s, saw many Greeks move to the city due to economic and political troubles back home. In the 1960s, the second wave brought more Greeks seeking better opportunities and security. Today, Virginia is home to a sizable Greek population, making up about 0.36% of the state’s total population, roughly 31,802 individuals.
16. Utah
Greek Population Percentage: 0.37%
Total Greek Population: 12,699
Greeks comprise the largest Mediterranean community within Utah. They immigrated to Utah in the early 1900s as a result of the boom in the railroad and mining industries. Greek Americans built many miles of railroad in Utah. The 1910 census recorded 4,062 Greeks in Utah. The population has now grown to 12,699, representing 0.37% of the total population.
15. Florida
Greek Population Percentage: 0.38%
Total Greek Population: 88,329
Florida is a southeastern regional state in the United States. The US census data indicates that over one in 10 residents have Greek ancestry, making Tarpon Springs, Florida, home to a higher percentage of Greek Americans than any other city in the country. The Tampa Bay area has the largest concentration of Florida Greeks, with an estimated 47,500 residing within its four counties. A total of 88,329 Greek Americans live in Florida, constituting 0.38% of the state’s population.
14. Vermont
Greek Population Percentage: 0.40%
Total Greek Population: 2,622
Vermont, a landlocked state in the northeastern US within the New England region, has a distinct geographical position. Greek Americans play an important role in the state’s population. Cities such as Essex Junction and South Burlington are home to many Greek Americans who settled there upon migrating to Vermont. The state has a diverse population, with 2,622 individuals of Greek descent accounting for 0.40% of its population. Vermont is at the fourteenth position on our list of the most Greek states in the US.
13. Michigan
Greek Population Percentage: 0.43%
Total Greek Population: 43,260
Michigan, located in the Upper Midwest, has a significant Greek American presence, particularly in Detroit. Roughly one-third of Michigan’s Greek American population resides in Detroit. The early 20th century saw the arrival of the first Greek immigrants to Michigan. In 1909, there were 250 Greeks in Detroit, a number that surged to nearly 8,000 by 1914 and reached 10,000 to 15,000 by 1930. Presently, the Greek population stands at 43,260, representing 0.43% of the state’s population. Michigan features several cities with names inspired by Greek heritage, including Ithaca, Troy, Corinth, and Athens.
12. Ohio
Greek Population Percentage: 0.44%
Total Greek Population: 51,783
After World War II, the Greek population in Cleveland, Ohio, doubled to around 10,000 individuals, mainly due to natural increase. Since the implementation of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, estimates suggest the Greek population in Greater Cleveland has ranged between 15,000 and 20,000. The second-highest percentage of Greeks in any American city is in Campbell, which is a small city in Northeastern Ohio.
11. Delaware
Greek Population Percentage: 0.45%
Total Greek Population: 4,653
Delaware, a small Mid-Atlantic state in the US, is home to 4,653 Greeks and Greek-Americans, as per census data, comprising 0.45% of the population. Many of them arrived during the significant wave of immigration in the late 1940s.
10. Maine
Greek Population Percentage: 0.45%
Total Greek Population: 6,279
Maine, the northeasternmost state in the US, has a growing Greek community with a rich history dating back to the 1890s. The first Greek arrival in Bangor, Maine, occurred in the late 1890s, bringing with them their religious customs and beliefs. In the 1920s, the first Greek Orthodox parish was established in Bangor, Maine. Today, descendants of the families who immigrated from Vamvakou, Greece, continue to maintain their connection with Greece.
9. Pennsylvania
Greek Population Percentage: 0.46%
Total Greek Population: 59,559
Pennsylvania is the ninth-most densely populated state in the United States, with over 13 million residents. Among them, 59,559 individuals (0.46% of the population) have registered Greek ancestry. Around 12,820 of these Greek Americans reside in suburban areas outside of Pittsburgh. Greek immigration to the region began in the late 19th century. According to The American Hellenic Foundation of Western Pennsylvania, around 50 Greeks had settled in the city by 1893, primarily sailors from various Greek islands.
8. Maryland
Greek Population Percentage: 0.50%
Total Greek Population: 30,940
Maryland is a Mid-Atlantic US state. Baltimore, Maryland, has a rich history of Greek immigration dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, it houses one of the largest Greek American communities in the US, concentrated primarily in the Greek Town and Highland Town neighborhoods of East Baltimore. Around 30,940 Greek Americans live in Maryland, comprising 0.50% of its population.
7. New Jersey
Greek Population Percentage: 0.64%
Total Greek Population: 59,775
New Jersey has a large Greek population, with Bergen County having one of the biggest Greek communities in the US. In total, there are 59,775 Greek Americans in New Jersey, accounting for 0.64% of the state’s population. New Jersey is among the top 10 most Greek states in the US.
6. Rhode Island
Greek Population Percentage: 0.66%
Total Greek Population: 7,297
Rhode Island, situated in the New England region, is part of an area with a substantial Greek American presence. Significant waves of immigration during the 19th and 20th centuries contributed to building this community, with recent estimates indicating approximately 100,000 Greek Americans residing in New England. In Rhode Island specifically, the Greek population stands at 7,297, representing 0.66% of the state’s population.
5. Illinois
Greek Population Percentage: 0.71%
Total Greek Population: 89,107
Located in the Midwestern region, Illinois is home to Chicago, the fifth-largest hub for Greek Americans in the United States. According to the latest census estimates, over 89,000 Greek citizens reside in the Windy City. The first Greek immigrants arrived in the 1840s, traveling via the Mississippi and Illinois rivers. By 1882, a significant community of nearly 1,000 Greek immigrants had established themselves in Chicago’s Near North Side, laying the foundation for the thriving Greek population present today.
4. New York
Greek Population Percentage: 0.75%
Total Greek Population: 146,054
New York hosts the second largest Greek population in the US outside of Greece itself. The majority of Greeks reside in the New York Metropolitan Area, with Astoria being particularly prominent, earning the nickname “Little Greece.” During the second wave of mass immigration from 1965 to 1980, Greeks settled in the Astoria section of Queens. The number of Greeks in New York stands at 146,054, representing 0.75% of the population.
3. Connecticut
Greek Population Percentage: 0.80%
Total Greek Population: 28,959
Connecticut is situated at the southernmost location within the New England region of the United States. The state is home to one of the highest percentages of Greek Americans. Connecticut’s nearly 29,000 immigrants make up approximately 0.80% percent of the state’s population, with many hailing from Europe. Connecticut is at the third position on our list of most Greek states in the US.
2. Massachusetts
Greek Population Percentage: 1.09%
Total Greek Population: 76,566
Massachusetts, with the second highest proportion of Greek population in the US, holds the distinction of being the very first place Greek immigrants settled in the country. Arrivals mainly occurred in the Boston area during the 17th and 18th centuries. Presently, there are 76,566 Greeks in Massachusetts, making up 1.09% of the state’s population.
1. New Hampshire
Greek Population Percentage: 1.39%
Total Greek Population: 19,462
New Hampshire witnessed four major immigration waves. The first wave, from 1820 to 1880, saw an influx of settlers from Northern and Western Europe. This was followed by a wave of Southern and Eastern European immigrants, including Greeks, drawn by the opportunities presented by industrialization in the early 20th century. Today, 19,462 Greek-Americans are residing in New Hampshire.