Alameda County counted twice as many people seeking permanent residency as San Francisco, according to data from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the California Department of Finance.
Here’s how the Bay Area counties rank by processed requests for permanent residence:1. Santa Clara County — 15,8902. Alameda County — 12,431 3. San Francisco — 6,6294. Contra Costa County — 5,164 5. San Mateo County — 4,6846. Solano County — 1,2737. Sonoma County — 1,0578. Marin County — 633 9. Napa County — 444 According to demographers with the California Department of Finance, the main reasons immigrants come to the Bay Area are for employment and to be with family who are living in the region.
“Broadly speaking, those are the principal forces,” said H.D. Palmer, a department spokesman.
Source: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; California Department of Finance