Census Bureau Facts for Features
A product of the U.S. Census Bureau's Public Information Office
CB98-FF.05 April 27, 1998 Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month: May 1-31 Population distribution On February 1, 1998, there were an estimated 10.2 million Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States, comprising 3.8 percent of the total population. Since July 1, 1990, the Asian and Pacific Islander population has increased 35 percent, while the non-Hispanic White population grew 3 percent. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt The nation's Asian and Pacific Islander population is young, with an estimated median age on February 1, 1998, of 31.1 years more than 6 years younger than the median for the non-Hispanic White population. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt According to middle-series population projections, the nation's Asian and Pacific Islander population is expected to grow to more than 11 million and represent 4.1 percent of the total population by the turn of the century. By the middle of the next century, it is expected to reach 34 million and comprise 9 percent of the nation's total population. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-36.html In 1996, 55.4 percent of the nation's Asians and Pacific Islanders lived in the West and 94.2 percent resided in metro areas (49.5 percent in suburbs, 44.7 percent in central cities). http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/api.html Ten states had 200,000 or more Asian and Pacific Islander residents as of July 1, 1996: California (3.7 million, or nearly 40 percent of the U.S. total), New York (920,000), Hawaii (750,000), Texas (500,000), New Jersey (400,000), Illinois (370,000), Washington (300,000), Florida (250,000), Virginia (220,000) and Massachusetts (200,000). http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/state/srh/srh96.txt The two states where Asians and Pacific Islanders made up the greatest percentage of the July 1, 1996, population were Hawaii (63 percent) and California (12 percent). http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/state/srh/srh96.txt Six of the 10 counties with the highest number of Asian and Pacific Islander residents on July 1, 1996, were located in California. The 10 counties were: Los Angeles, Calif. (1.2 million), Honolulu, Hawaii (560,000), Santa Clara, Calif. (340,000), Orange, Calif. (340,000), Queens, N.Y. (310,000), San Diego, Calif. (270,000), San Francisco, Calif. (260,000), Alameda, Calif. (250,000), Cook, Ill. (240,000) and Harris, Texas (170,000). http://eire.census.gov/popest/archives/county/co_casrh.php Education In 1997, 85 percent of the nation's Asians and Pacific Islanders age 25 and over had at least a high school diploma, while 42 percent had earned at least a bachelor's degree. The corresponding proportions for Whites were 83 percent and 25 percent. http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/api.html Nearly one-seventh of the 32,000 doctorates awarded by U.S. universities in 1995 were conferred on non-Hispanic Asians and Pacific Islanders. This racial group also accounted for roughly one-third of the doctorates awarded in engineering and one-quarter of those conferred in the physical sciences (astronomy, physics and chemistry) and mathematics. (The universe does not include students with temporary visas.) http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-199.html Income and Poverty In 1996, Asians and Pacific Islanders had the highest median household income ($43,276) among all race and Hispanic origin groups in the United States. After adjusting for inflation, their income remained statistically unchanged from 1995 levels. Although Asians and Pacific Islanders as a group had the highest median household income in 1996, their income per household member was not statistically different from that of White households. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-162.html The poverty rate for Asians and Pacific Islanders in 1996 was 14.5 percent, also statistically unchanged from 1995. The rate was lower for non-Hispanic Whites (8.6 percent) but higher for African Americans (28.4 percent) and Hispanics (29.4 percent). (The latter two rates are not statistically different from one another.) http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-162.html Jobs In 1996, 35 percent of the nation's employed Asian and Pacific Islander men and 31 percent of women age 16 and over worked in managerial and professional specialty jobs (e.g., engineers, dentists, teachers, lawyers and reporters). For men, this was the most common occupational category while for women, it was second to technical, sales and administrative support jobs, where 38 percent worked. http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/api.html Coming to America In 1997, the nation's total foreign-born population numbered 25.8 million, of which 24 percent were Asians and Pacific Islanders. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-57.html Asians and Pacific Islanders born in this country represented 1.6 percent of the nation's native-born population in 1997. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-57.html As of 1997, 6 in 10 Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States were foreign-born. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb98-57.html Families In 1996, there were 2.1 million Asian and Pacific Islander families in the United States, 8 in 10 of them married-couple families. Asian and Pacific Islander families are large: 22 percent had five or more persons, compared with 11 percent of non-Hispanic White families. http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/api.html Eight in 10 Asian and Pacific Islander children lived with both parents in 1996. Fewer than 7 in 10 children of all races did so. http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/api.html In 1997, married couples with children comprised 34 percent of the nation's Asian and Pacific Islander households. Married couples without children constituted 24 percent while persons living alone made up 19 percent. The rest of the households consisted of people in other types of living arrangements. http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/api.html In 1997, 62 percent of the nation's Asians and Pacific Islanders age 18 and over were married, 29 percent had never married, 5 percent each were divorced and widowed and 2 percent were separated. http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/api.html Languages Spoken Between 1980 and 1995, the number of registrations in Japanese courses at U.S. colleges and universities quadrupled, from 11,500 to 44,700, while the number in Chinese courses more than doubled, from 11,400 to 26,500. Consequently, Japanese is now the fourth most popular foreign language course in U.S. colleges; Chinese is sixth. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-199.html As of 1992, Chinese was tied with German as the third most common foreign language in which the nation's 17 million small businesses can conduct transactions: 2 percent can conduct them in Chinese. The leaders are Spanish and French. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-182.html Businesses The number of businesses in the United States owned by Asians and Pacific Islanders increased 56 percent between 1987 and 1992, from 386,291 to 603,426. Receipts generated by these businesses increased 163 percent, from $36.5 billion to $96.0 billion. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-127.html Among Asian and Pacific Islander groups, persons of Chinese origin owned the most U.S. firms in 1992 (153,096), followed by those of Korean origin (104,918) and those of Asian Indian origin (93,340). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-127.html The preceding facts come from the Current Population Survey, the Statistical Abstract of the United States, population estimates and projections, the Survey of Minority-Owned Business Enterprises and the Characteristics of Business Owners Survey. Data in this Census Bureau Facts for Features are subject to nonsampling errors. Some are also subject to sampling variability. See referenced sources for detailed limitations. Each month, the Census Bureau will provide previously released statistics pertaining to selected events or holidays occurring that month. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office (Tel: 301-457-3030; Fax: 301-457-3670; E-mail: pio@census.gov). Previous 1998 Census Bureau Facts for Features were issued for African-American History Month (February 1-28), Valentine's Day (February 14), Women's History Month (March 1-31) and Secretaries' Day (April 22).
