Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month: May 2006
By the U.S. Census Bureau
 About APA Heritage Month
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 anniversaries: the arrival in the United States of
the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843) and the completion of the
transcontinental railroad (May 10, 1869). In
1992, Congress expanded the 10-day observance to a month-long
celebration.
Per a 1997 Office of Management and Budget directive, the Asian or
Pacific islander racial category was separated into two different
categories: “Asian” and “native Hawaiian or other Pacific islander.”
Asians
Population
14.0 million
The estimated number of U.S. residents in July 2004 who said they were
Asian or Asian in combination with one or more other races. This group
comprised 5 percent of the total population. California had both the
largest population (4.8 million) and the largest numerical increase
(123,000) of people of this group since July 2003; Hawaii is the state
where Asians made up the highest proportion of the total population (58
percent).
<Census
: /archives/population/005164.html>
<Census
: /archives/population/005514.html>
3.4%
Percentage growth of the Asian population between 2003 and 2004, the
highest of any race group during that time period.
<Census
: /archives/population/005164.html>
Education
49%
The percentage of Asians, age 25 and older, who have a bachelor’s degree
or higher level of education. Asians have the highest proportion of
college graduates of any race or ethnic group in the country. <Census
: /archives/education/004214.html>
87%
The percentage of Asians, age 25 and older, who are high school
graduates.
<Census
: /archives/education/004214.html>
20%
The percentage of Asians, age 25 and older, who have an advanced degree
(e.g., master’s, Ph.D., M.D. or J.D.).
<Census
: /archives/education/004214.html>
 The
Asian population is comprised of many groups who differ in languages
spoken, culture and length of residence in the United States. This is
reflected in the demographic characteristics of these groups. For
instance, 68 percent of Asian Indians, age 25 and older, had a
bachelor’s degree or more education and 37 percent had a graduate or
professional degree; the corresponding numbers for Vietnamese-Americans
were 24 percent and 7 percent, respectively. (Source: American
FactFinder)
Income and Poverty
$57,518
Median household income for Asians in 2004, the highest among all race
groups.
<Census
: /archives/income_wealth/005647.html>
Median household income differed greatly by Asian group. For Asian
Indians, for example, the median income in 2004 was $68,771; for
Vietnamese-Americans, it was $45,980. (Source: American FactFinder)
9.8%
Poverty rate for Asians in 2004, down from 11.8 percent in 2003.
<Census
: /archives/income_wealth/005647.html>
Businesses
1.1 million
Number of businesses owned by Asian-Americans in 2002, up 24 percent
from 1997.
$343.3 billion
Receipts of Asian-American-owned businesses in 2002, up 13 percent from
1997. An estimated 319,911 Asian-owned businesses had paid employees;
and their receipts totaled $307.6 billion, or about $961,379 per firm.
- About 28 percent of Asian-American-owned firms were in health
care and other services, with another 14 percent each in
professional services and retail trade.
- Asian-American-owned firms accounted for 45 percent of
businesses in Hawaii, 13 percent of firms in California and 9
percent in New York.
Source for the statements referenced in the above “Businesses”
section:
<Census
: /archives/business_ownership/005477.html>
Languages
2.3 million
The number of people age 5 and older who speak Chinese at home. After
Spanish, Chinese is the most widely spoken non-English language in the
country. Tagalog and Vietnamese also have more than 1 million speakers.
(Source: AmericanFactFinder)
Coming to America
8.7 million
The number of U.S. residents who were born in Asia. Asian-born residents
comprise one-fourth of the nation’s total foreign-born population.
<Census
: /archives/foreignborn_population/003969.html>
52%
The percentage of the foreign-born from Asia who are naturalized U.S.
citizens.
<Census
: /archives/foreignborn_population/003969.html>
1.8 million
The estimated number of foreign-born people from China. Following
Mexico, China is the leading country of birth for the nation’s
foreign-born. Other nations contributing at least 1 million foreign-born
to our nation include India and the Philippines. The estimate for China
includes Taiwan and Hong Kong. (Source: American FactFinder)
Serving Our Nation
282,000
The number of Asian-American military veterans. (Source: American
FactFinder)
Families
60%
The proportion of Asian households consisting of a married-couple
family. (Source: American FactFinder)
Jobs
46%
The proportion of employed Asians 16 and older who work in management,
professional and related occupations, such as financial managers,
engineers, teachers and registered nurses. (Source: American FactFinder)
Counties
1.4 million
The number of Asians in Los Angeles County, Calif., which tops the
nation’s counties. From 2003 to 2004, this county also experienced the
largest numerical increase of Asians (25,200).
<Census
: /archives/population/005514.html>
Age Distribution
26%
Percent of people on July 1, 2004, identifying themselves as either
Asian or Asian in combination with one or more other races who are under
18; 8 percent are 65 or older.
<Census
: /archives/population/005164.html>
The Future
33.4 million
The projected number of U.S. residents in 2050 who will identify
themselves as Asians. They would comprise 8 percent of the total
population by that year.
<Census
: /archives/population/001720.html>
213%
The projected percentage increase between 2000 and 2050 in the
population of people who identify themselves as Asian. This compares
with a 49 percent increase in the population as a whole over the same
period of time.
<Census
: /archives/population/001720.html>
Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders
Population
976,400
The estimated number of U.S. residents in July 2004 who said
they are native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander or native
Hawaiian and other Pacific islander in combination with one or
more other races. This group comprised 0.3 percent of the total
population. There were 279,700 native Hawaiians or Pacific
islanders in Hawaii, which led all states. Hawaii is also where
native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders made up the largest
proportion (22 percent) of the total population. California had
the largest numerical increase of native Hawaiians and other
Pacific islanders (3,400) since July 2003.
<Census
: /archives/population/005164.html>
<Census
: /archives/population/005514.html>
1.7%
Percentage growth of the native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander
population between 2003 and 2004, the highest of any race group except
for Asians.
<Census
: /archives/population/005164.html>
Education
15%
The percentage of native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders, age 25
and older, who have at least a bachelor’s degree. (Source: American
FactFinder)
84%
The percentage of native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders, age 25
and older, who are high school graduates. (Source: American Factfinder)
4%
The percentage of native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders, age 25
and older, who have obtained a graduate degree. (Source: American
FactFinder)
Income and Poverty
$51,687
The three-year-average (2002-2004) median income of households whose
householders reported their race as native Hawaiian and other Pacific
islander, but did not report any other race.
<Census
: /archives/income_wealth/005647.html>
13.2%
The three-year average (2002-2004) poverty rate for those who reported
their race as native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander, but did not
report any other race.
<Census
: /archives/income_wealth/005647.html>
Businesses
32,299
Number of native Hawaiian- and other Pacific islander-owned businesses
in 2002, up 67 percent from 1997.
$5.2 billion
Receipts for native Hawaiian- and other Pacific islander-owned
businesses in 2002, up 26 percent from 1997. An estimated 4,333 native
Hawaiian- and other Pacific islander-owned businesses had paid
employees; their receipts totaled $4.3 billion, or about $998,481 per
firm.
- Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific islander-owned businesses
were fairly well distributed across business sectors, with between
10 and 15 percent in each of the following: health care; other
services; administrative and support and waste management;
professional services; retail trade; and construction.
- Native Hawaiian- and other Pacific islander-owned businesses
accounted for less than 1 percent of firms in all states except
Hawaii, where 9 percent were owned by native Hawaiians and other
Pacific islanders.
Source for the statements referenced in the above "Businesses"
section:
<Census
: /archives/business_ownership/005477.html>
Languages
27,160
The number of people in 2000 who spoke Hawaiian at home. <Census
: //socdemo/lang_use.html>
Serving Our Nation
30,700
The number of native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander-American
military veterans.
(Source: American FactFinder)
Families
53%
The proportion of native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander households
containing a married-couple family. (Source: American FactFinder)
Jobs
23%
The proportion of employed native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders
16 and over who work in management, professional and related
occupations, such as financial managers, engineers, teachers and
registered nurses. (Source: American FactFinder)
Counties
183,200
The number of native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders who live in
Honolulu County, Hawaii, which has the largest population of this race
of any county in the nation. Clark County, Nev., registered the largest
numerical increase of native Hawaiians and other Pacific islanders
(1,100) between 2003 and 2004. <Census
: /archives/population/005514.html>
Age Distribution
32%
Percent of people identifying themselves as either native Hawaiian and
other Pacific islander or native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander in
combination with one or more other races who are under 18; 6 percent are
65 or older.
<Census
: /archives/population/005164.html>
Note: American Community Survey estimates are based on the population
of one race only and do not include those living in group quarters.
CB06-FF.06
March 27, 2006
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