Moroccan Americans Number 177,000, Pew Finds

A new Pew Research Center report estimates the U.S. Moroccan-origin population and ranks it among Middle Eastern and North African groups.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Islam

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a grid of red tiles on cream, one navy tile raised above the rest. — Pew Research Center estimates 177,000 people of Moroccan origin live in the United States, ranking ninth among Middle Eastern and North African groups. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Pew Research Center published a report on November 2, 2026, estimating that 177,000 people of Moroccan origin live in the United States. The figure ranks Moroccans ninth among Middle Eastern and North African (MENA)-origin groups in the country.

Why it matters

The estimate gives a clearer count of a population that is often grouped within broader MENA categories in official data. Understanding how these groups identify and how many people belong to them informs how communities are represented in national statistics.

The estimate is drawn from 2024 American Community Survey data, and the Moroccan total ranks ninth behind Lebanese (825,000), Iranian (583,000), Egyptian (441,000), and Syrian (264,000) populations. The report does not address how these counts may shift in future census cycles.

The players

Pew Research Center

A nonpartisan American think tank based in Washington, D.C., that conducts public opinion polling and demographic research on social and political trends.

U.S. Census Bureau

The federal agency responsible for conducting the decennial census and the American Community Survey, which produce the nation's official population and demographic statistics.

The details

The population ranking is based on 2024 data from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey. The Census Bureau designated "Moroccan" as one of 30 core groups in the MENA framework following a 2015 National Content Test, in which about 75% of Moroccan-origin respondents identified as MENA.

2015: The U.S. Census Bureau's National Content Test designated Moroccan as a MENA core group.
2024: American Community Survey data used for the population estimates was collected.
November 2, 2026: Pew Research Center published the report on Moroccan Americans.

Big Picture

The estimate builds on the 2015 U.S. Census Bureau National Content Test, which designated Moroccan as one of 30 core groups in the MENA framework. Pew's 2024-based count now quantifies how that classification plays out in the national population.

For readers tracking community demographics, the estimate offers a sourced figure for the Moroccan-origin population when comparing it with other Middle Eastern and North African groups. It is useful context for understanding how official categories shape the way these communities are counted.

The takeaway

Official population categories shape how communities are counted, and this report shows that Moroccan Americans are one of the smaller but clearly identifiable groups within the broader MENA population in the United States.