Census Bureau News Facts for Features Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: May 2009

In 1978, a joint congressional resolution established Asian/Pacific American Heritage Week. The first 10 days of May were chosen to coincide with two important milestones in Asian/Pacific American history: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843) and contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad, completed on May 10, 1869. In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a monthlong celebration. Per a 1997 Office of Management and Budget directive, the Asian or Pacific Islander racial category was separated into two categories: one being Asian and the other Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. Thus, this Facts for Features contains a section for each.

Asians

15.2 million
The estimated number of U.S. residents in July 2007 who said they were Asian alone or Asian in combination with one or more other races. This group comprised about 5 percent of the total population. Source: Population estimates < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/ archives/population/011910.html>

5 million
The Asian population in California, the state that had the largest Asian population on July 1, 2007, as well as the largest numerical increase from 2006 to 2007 (106,000). New York (1.4 million) and Texas (915,000) followed in population. Texas (44,000) and New York (33,000) followed in numerical increase. In Hawaii, Asians made up the highest proportion of the total population (55 percent), with California (14 percent) and New Jersey and Washington (8 percent each) next. Asians were the largest minority group in Hawaii and Vermont. Source: Population estimates < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html

2.9%
Percentage growth of the Asian population between 2006 and 2007, the highest of any race group during that time period. The increase in the Asian population during the period totaled 434,000. Source: Population estimates < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html

3.54 million
Number of Asians of Chinese descent in the U.S. in 2007. Chinese-Americans were the largest Asian group, followed by Filipinos (3.05 million), Asian Indians (2.77 million), Vietnamese (1.64 million), Koreans (1.56 million) and Japanese (1.22 million). These estimates represented the number of people who were either of a particular Asian group only or were of that group in combination with one or more other Asian groups or races. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

Education

50%
The percentage of single-race Asians 25 and older who had a bachelor’s degree or higher level of education. This compared with 28 percent for all Americans 25 and older. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

86%
The percentage of single-race Asians 25 and older who had at least a high school diploma. This compared with 85 percent for all Americans 25 and older. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

20%
The percentage of single-race Asians 25 and older who had a graduate (e.g., master’s or doctorate) or professional degree. This compared with 10 percent for all Americans 25 and older. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

The Asian population comprises many groups who differ in languages and culture, which is reflected in the demographic characteristics of these groups. For instance, 68 percent of Asian Indians 25 and older had a bachelor’s degree or more education, and 36 percent had a graduate or professional degree. The corresponding numbers for Vietnamese-Americans were 27 percent and 8 percent, respectively. (These figures represent the single-race population.) Source: 2007 American Community Survey

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance

$66,103
Median household income for single-race Asians in 2007, the highest among all race groups and statistically unchanged from 2006. Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007 < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/012528.html

Median household income differed greatly by Asian group. For Asian Indians, for example, the median income in 2007 was $83,820; for Vietnamese-Americans, it was $54,048. (These figures represent the single-race population.) Source: 2007 American Community Survey

10.2%
Poverty rate for single-race Asians in 2007, statistically unchanged from 2006. Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007 < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/012528.html

16.8%
Percentage of single-race Asians without health insurance coverage in 2007, up from 15.5 percent in 2006.

Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007 < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/012528.html

Businesses

Source for the statements referenced in this section, unless otherwise indicated: Asian-Owned Firms: 2002

1.1 million
Number of businesses owned by Asian-Americans in 2002, up 24 percent from 1997. The rate of increase in the number of Asian-owned businesses was about twice that of the national average for all businesses.

More than $326 billion
Receipts of Asian-American-owned businesses in 2002, up 8 percent from 1997. An estimated 319,468 Asian-owned businesses had paid employees, and their receipts totaled more than $291 billion. There were 49,636 Asian-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more, accounting for 4 percent of the total number of Asian-owned firms and nearly 68 percent of their total receipts.

In 2002, more than three in 10 Asian-owned firms operated in professional, scientific and technical services, as well as other services, such as personal services, and repair and maintenance.

2.2 million
Number of people employed by an Asian-owned business. There were 1,866 Asian-owned firms with 100 or more employees, generating nearly $52 billion in gross receipts (18 percent of the total revenue for Asian-owned employer firms).

46%
Percentage of all Asian-owned firms that were either Chinese-owned or Asian Indian-owned.

Nearly 6 in 10
Proportion of all Asian-owned firms in the United States in California, New York, Texas and New Jersey.

112,441
The number of Asian-owned firms in New York, which led all cities. Los Angeles (47,764), Honolulu (22,348) and San Francisco (19,639) followed.

28%
The proportion of Asian-owned businesses that were home based. This is the lowest proportion among minority respondent groups. Source: Characteristics of Businesses: 2002 < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/ www/releases/archives/business_ownership/007537.html>

Languages

2.5 million
The number of people 5 and older who spoke Chinese at home in 2007. After Spanish, Chinese was the most widely spoken non-English language in the country. Tagalog, Vietnamese and Korean were each spoken at home by more than 1 million people. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

Serving Our Nation

277,751
The number of single-race Asian military veterans. About one in three was 65 and older. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

Jobs

47%
The proportion of civilian employed single-race Asians 16 and older who worked in management, professional and related occupations, such as financial managers, engineers, teachers and registered nurses. Additionally, 23 percent worked in sales and office occupations, 16 percent in service occupations and 10 percent in production, transportation and material moving occupations. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

Counties

1.4 million
The number of Asians (alone or in combination with one or more other races) in Los Angeles County, Calif., in 2007, which tops the nation’s counties. Source: Population estimates < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html

18,400
Santa Clara County’s Asian population increase from 2006 to 2007, the largest in the nation.  Source: Population estimates < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html

59%
Percent of the population of Honolulu County, Hawaii, that was Asian in 2007, which led the country. One other county — Kauai, Hawaii — was also majority Asian. San Francisco County, Calif., led the continental United States, with 33 percent of its population Asian. Source: Population estimates < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html

Age Distribution

35.4
Median age of the single-race Asian population in 2007. The corresponding figure was 36.6 years for the population as a whole. Source: Population estimates < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html

The Future

40.6 million
The projected number of U.S. residents in 2050 who will identify themselves as Asian or Asian in combination with one or more other races. They would comprise 9 percent of the total population by that year. Source: Population projections < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012496.html

153%
The projected percentage increase between 2008 and 2050 in the population of people who identify themselves as Asian or Asian in combination with one or more other races. This compares with a 44 percent increase in the population as a whole over the same period of time. Source: Population projections < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012496.html

Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders

1 million
The estimated number of U.S. residents in July 2007 who said they were Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, either alone or in combination with one or more other races. This group comprised 0.3 percent of the total population. Source: Population estimates < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html

Hawaii had the largest population (269,000) in 2007 of Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders (either alone or in combination with one or more other races), followed by California (262,000) and Washington (50,000). California had the largest numerical increase (2,900) of people of this group, with Texas (2,500) and Florida (1,100) next. In Hawaii, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders comprised the largest proportion (21 percent) of the total population, followed by Utah (1 percent) and Alaska (0.9 percent). Source: Population estimates < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html

1.6%
Percentage growth of the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population between 2006 and 2007. The increase in the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population during the period totaled 16,000. Source: Population estimates < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html

Education

15%
The percentage of single-race Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders 25 and older who had at least a bachelor’s degree. This compared with 28 percent for the total population. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

84%
The percentage of single-race Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders 25 and older who had at least a high school diploma. This compared with 85 percent for the total population. (There is no statistically significant difference between these two percentages.) Source: 2007 American Community Survey

4%
The percentage of single-race Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders 25 and older who had obtained a graduate or professional degree. This compared with 10 percent for the total population this age. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance

$55,273
The median income of households headed by single-race Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

15.7%
The poverty rate for those who classified themselves as single-race Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

20.5%
The three-year average (2005-2007) percentage without health insurance for single-race Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders. Source: Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2007 < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/income_wealth/012528.html

Businesses

Source for the statements referenced in this section: Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific Islander-Owned Firms: 2002 < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/business_ownership/007092.html

28,948
Number of Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific Islander-owned businesses in 2002, up 49 percent from 1997. The rate of growth was more than three times the national average. The 3,693 Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific Islander-owned businesses with paid employees employed more than 29,000 and generated revenues of $3.5 billion.

2,415
Number of Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific Islander-owned firms in Honolulu, the most of any city in the nation.

$4.3 billion
Receipts for Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific Islander-owned businesses in 2002, up 3 percent from 1997. There were 727 Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific Islander-owned firms with receipts of $1 million or more. These firms accounted for 3 percent of the total number of Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific Islander-owned firms and 67 percent of their total receipts.

In 2002, nearly 21,000 Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific Islander-owned firms operated in health care and social assistance; other services (such as personal services, and repair and maintenance); retail trade; administrative and support, and waste management and remediation services; professional, scientific and technical services; and construction.

28
Number of Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific Islander-owned firms with 100 or more employees. These firms generated $698 million in gross receipts — 20 percent of the total revenue for Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific Islander-owned employer firms.

53%
Percentage of all Native Hawaiian- and Other Pacific Islander-owned firms in Hawaii and California. These two states accounted for 62 percent of business revenue.

Serving Our Nation

26,878
The number of single-race Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander military veterans. About one in five was 65 and older. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

Jobs

22%
The proportion of civilian employed single-race Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders 16 and older who worked in management, professional and related occupations, such as financial managers, engineers, teachers and registered nurses. About the same percent worked in service occupations. Meanwhile, 29 percent worked in sales and office occupations and 15 percent in production, transportation and material moving occupations. Source: 2007 American Community Survey

Counties

172,200
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population (alone or in combination with one or more other races) in Honolulu County, Hawaii, in 2007, which led the nation. Clark County, Nev. (home of Las Vegas) and Maricopa County (Phoenix), Ariz., had the largest numerical increases in this race since July 2006 – 800 and 700, respectively. Four counties in Hawaii had the highest percentage of people of this race: Hawaii (29 percent), Maui (23 percent), Kauai (23 percent) and Honolulu (19 percent). Source: Population estimates < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/012463.html

Age Distribution

30.2
The median age of the single-race Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population in 2007. The median age was 36.6 for the population as a whole. Source: Population estimates < http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/011910.html