Current Asian Population in the United States

Generated with sparks and insights from 9 sources

Introduction

Total Population: As of 2021, there are approximately 24 million people of Asian descent living in the United States.
Diverse Origins: The U.S. Asian population traces its roots to more than 20 countries in East and Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent.
Largest Groups: The largest Asian origin groups in the U.S. are Chinese (5.4 million), Indian (4.8 million), and Filipino (4.4 million).
Growth: The Asian population in the U.S. nearly doubled between 2000 and 2019 and is projected to surpass 46 million by 2060.
Geographic Distribution: Nearly half of U.S. Asians live in the West, with California alone housing nearly a third of the population.

Historical Growth: The Asian population in the U.S. rose from 11.9 million in 2000 to 22.4 million in 2019, an 88% increase.
Future Projections: The U.S. Asian population is projected to reach 46 million by 2060.
Fastest-Growing Group: Asian Americans are the fastest-growing major racial or ethnic group in the United States.
Doubling in Size: Eleven Asian origin groups more than doubled in size between 2000 and 2019.
Recent Immigrants: Many Asian groups have seen significant growth due to recent immigration.

Western Concentration: Nearly half of U.S. Asians (45%) live in the West.
California: California alone houses nearly a third (30%) of the U.S. Asian population, with approximately 6.7 million Asians.
Other States: Significant populations also reside in New York (1.9 million), Texas (1.6 million), New Jersey (958,000), and Washington (852,000).
Urban Centers: Major cities with large Asian populations include Los Angeles, New York City, and San Francisco.
Regional Distribution: 24% of U.S. Asians live in the South, 19% in the Northeast, and 12% in the Midwest.

Chinese Americans: The largest Asian origin group, making up 24% of the Asian population, or 5.4 million people.
Indian Americans: The second largest group, accounting for 21% of the total, or 4.8 million people.
Filipino Americans: The third largest group, making up 19% of the Asian population, or 4.4 million people.
Vietnamese Americans: Approximately 2.3 million people.
Korean Americans: Around 2.0 million people.
Japanese Americans: About 1.6 million people.

Median Income: The median annual household income of Asian households was $85,800 in 2019.
Educational Attainment: More than half of Asians ages 25 and older (54%) have a bachelor's degree or more education.
Income Disparities: Indian Americans had the highest median household income ($119,000), while Burmese Americans had the lowest ($44,400).
Poverty Rates: Asians are less likely than Americans overall to live in poverty (10% vs. 13% as of 2019).
Homeownership: Asians have a lower homeownership rate than the U.S. public overall (59% vs. 64%).

Foreign-Born Population: Around six-in-ten Asian Americans (57%) were born in another country.
Generational Differences: U.S.-born Asians are substantially younger than the rest of the Asian American population, with a median age of 19.
Immigration Waves: The modern immigration wave from Asia has accounted for a quarter of all immigrants who have arrived in the U.S. since 1965.
Unauthorized Immigrants: People from Asia made up about 14% of the 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants in the U.S. in 2017.
Future Projections: Asian Americans are projected to be the nation's largest immigrant group by the middle of the century.