CB00-FF.05 May 5, 2000 Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: May 1-31 Income and Poverty - Asians and Pacific Islanders continued to have the highest median household income among the nation's race groups in 1998: $46,637. However, the income per household member for Asian and Pacific Islander households as a group was lower than that for non-Hispanic White households. This may be attributed to the larger average size of Asian and Pacific Islander households, 3.15 people, compared with 2.47 people in non-Hispanic White households. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-188.html - Poverty remained statistically unchanged among Asians and Pacific Islanders between 1997 and 1998, as 1.4 million or 12.5 percent were poor in 1998. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-188.html Education - In 1999, a higher proportion of Asians and Pacific Islanders (42 percent) than non-Hispanic Whites (28 percent) age 25 and over had a bachelor's degree or higher; however, a lower proportion of Asians and Pacific Islanders (85 percent)than non-Hispanic Whites (88 percent) were high school graduates. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-76.html - Seven in 10 non-Hispanic Asians and Pacific Islanders ages 18 to 21 attended college in 1998, versus half of non-Hispanic Whites. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-179.html - In 1997, non-Hispanic Asians and Pacific Islanders received 10 percent of the doctorates conferred by the nation's colleges and universities. This included 22 percent of the doctorates in engineering and 21 percent of those in computer sciences. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html Coming to America - As of 1997, 6 in 10 Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States were foreign-born. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-195.html - In 1997, foreign-born Asians and Pacific Islanders had a median length of residence of 11.6 years and 44 percent were naturalized citizens. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-195.html - The Philippines, China and Vietnam were among the 10 leading countries of birth of the foreign-born population in 1997. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-195.html Families - There were 2.5 million Asian and Pacific Islander families in 1999; of these, 80 percent were married-couple families. These married-couple families are relatively large: 23 percent consisted of five or more members. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-76.html - Asian and Pacific Islander children under 18 years of age related to the householder were more likely to live with both parents (84 percent) than their non-Hispanic White counterparts (77 percent) in 1998. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-142.html - In 1999, 34 percent of Asians and Pacific Islanders 15 years old and over had never married, compared with 24 percent of non-Hispanic Whites. Of the remaining Asians and Pacific Islanders, 53 percent were married and living with their spouse, 5 percent were divorced, 4 percent were widowed and 3 percent were married with no spouse present. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-76.html Population Distribution National Estimates and Projections - On July 1, 1999, an estimated 10.8 million Asians and Pacific Islanders lived in the United States, up by 3.4 million from the total of 7.5 million on April 1, 1990. They comprised 4.0 percent of the total population in 1999, up from 3.0 percent in 1990. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt - Asians and Pacific Islanders had a higher rate of population growth between April 1, 1990, and July 1, 1999, than any other race or ethnic group: 45 percent. http://www.census.gov/population/estimates/nation/intfile3-1.txt - The nation's Asian and Pacific Islander population is young: children under 18 comprised 29 percent of this group's population in 1999 while people age 65 and over constituted only 7 percent. For non-Hispanic Whites, the corresponding proportions were 24 percent and 14 percent. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-76.html - According to middle-series population projections, the nation's Asian and Pacific Islander population will more than triple by mid-century, from 10.9 million in 1999 to 37.6 million in 2050. Under this scenario, its share of the total population would climb from 4 percent to 9 percent. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-05.html Subnational Estimates - In 1999, most Asians and Pacific Islanders resided in the West (53 percent). Nationwide, 96 percent resided in metropolitan areas, with 45 percent in central cities and 52 percent in the suburbs. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-76.html As of July 1, 1998: - California had more Asians and Pacific Islanders than any other state, 3.9 million. New York was a distant second (995,000), followed by Hawaii (757,000), Texas (556,000) and New Jersey (453,000). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-170.html - The states with the highest concentration of Asians and Pacific Islanders were Hawaii (63 percent of the total population), California (12 percent) and Washington, New Jersey and New York (6 percent each). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-170.html - Los Angeles County, Calif., was the U.S. county with the highest number of Asians and Pacific Islanders (1.2 million). Honolulu County, Hawaii, was second (566,000), followed by Orange County, Calif. (361,000), Santa Clara County (San Jose), Calif. (359,000); and Queens County, N.Y. (332,000). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-170.html - With respect to Asians and Pacific Islanders as a percentage of a county or county equivalent's total population, Honolulu County, Hawaii, led the nation, with 65 percent of its population made up of Asians and Pacific Islanders. Each of the next three counties in the top eight also were located in Hawaii (Kauai, at 64 percent; Maui, 59 percent; and Hawaii, 58 percent), while each of the following three were in California (San Francisco, at 36 percent; Santa Clara, 22 percent; and San Mateo, 21 percent). Tied with San Mateo was the Aleutians West Census Area in Alaska. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-170.html - The five metropolitan areas with the highest population of Asians and Pacific Islanders were: Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, Calif. (1.8 million); New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, N.Y.-N.J.-Conn.-Pa. (1.3 million); San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif. (1.3 million); Honolulu, Hawaii (566,000); and Washington-Baltimore, D.C.-Md.-Va.-W.Va. (373,000). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html - Among the 75 most populous metropolitan areas, Honolulu, Hawaii, had far and away the highest concentration of Asians and Pacific Islanders (they comprised 65 percent of the total population there). The other five metros in double digits were all in California: San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, Calif. (19 percent); Stockton-Lodi, Calif. (16 percent); Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County, Calif. (11 percent); San Diego, Calif. (11 percent); and Sacramento-Yolo, Calif. (10 percent). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html Between April 1, 1990, and July 1, 1998: - The number of Asians and Pacific Islanders residing in California jumped by 990,000, the largest increase of any state. Following California were New York, which added 285,000 new Asian and Pacific Islander residents, Texas (225,000), New Jersey 176,000) and Florida and Washington (with 115,000 each). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-170.html - The states with the fastest-growing Asian and Pacific Islander populations were Nevada (a 106-percent increase), Georgia (95 percent) and North Carolina (87 percent). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-170.html - Among counties, Los Angeles County, Calif., was No. 1 in Asian and Pacific Islander population increase, with a gain of 234,000. Neighboring Orange County, Calif., was No. 2, with 108,000. Others in the top five were Santa Clara County, Calif. (93,000), and San Diego County, Calif., and Queens County, N.Y. (each with 90,000). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-170.html Jobs - In 1999, among employed civilians, age 16 and over, a similar proportion of Asian and Pacific Islander men and women (36 percent) worked in managerial and professional specialty occupations (e.g., engineers, dentists, teachers, lawyers and reporters). Asian and Pacific Islander men were more likely than their non-Hispanic White counterparts (32 percent) to work in these occupations. The percentage of Asian and Pacific Islander women who worked in these occupations was not statistically different from that of non-Hispanic White women. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2000/cb00-76.html Languages - Between 1980 and 1995, registrations in Japanese courses at U.S. colleges and universities almost 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 taught in U.S. colleges; Chinese is sixth. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/1999/cb99-238.html _______________________________________________________________________________ The preceding facts come from the Current Population Survey, the Statistical Abstract of the United States and population estimates and projections. The data are subject to sampling variability and other sources of error. Previous Census Bureau Facts for Features in 2000: African American History Month (February), Valentine's Day (February 14), Women's History Month (March) and Census Day (April 1). 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).