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Asian American/Pacific Islander Profile
(Map of the US with the top 10 states displaying the
largest Asian American population according to the Census Bureau)
CA - NY - HI - TX - NJ - IL - WA - FL - VA - MA
Language Fluency: The percentage of persons 5 years or older who do not speak English at home varies among Asian American groups: 55 percent of Vietnamese, 46 percent of Chinese, 22 percent of Filipinos and 22 percent of Asian Indians are not fluent in English. In 2010, 76.9 percent of Asian American spoke a language other than English at home.
Educational Attainment: According to the 2010 U.S. Census data, roughly 85 percent of both all Asians and all people in the United States 25 and older had at least a high school diploma. However, 50 percent of Asian Americans in comparison to 31 percent of the total U.S. population had earned at least a bachelor's degree. Among Asian subgroups, Taiwanese had the highest percentage of bachelor's degree attainment at 73 percent. In regards to employment, about 48 percent of Asian Americans were employed in management, professional and related occupations, compared with 40 percent of the white population. In addition, the proportions employed in high-skilled and managerial sectors varied from 19 percent for Laotians to 67 percent for Asian Indians.
Economics: According to 2010 Census data, the median family income of Asian American families is $76,736, or $8,800 higher than the national median income for White families. 12.5 percent of Asian Americans compared to 10.6 percent of non-Hispanic Whites live at the poverty. 2.4 percent of Asian Americans compared to 2.0 percent of Caucasians live on public assistance.
Insurance Coverage: In 2010, insurance coverage among Asian American subgroups varied. Private insurance coverage rates: 58 percent for Vietnamese, 79 percent for Filipino, 71 percent for Chinese, 48 percent for Hmong, and 71 percent for all Asian groups. Public insurance coverage rates : 25 percent for Vietnamese, 18 percent for Filipino, 21 percent for Chinese, 42 percent for Hmong, and 19 percent for all Asian groups. Asian subgroups also varied within uninsured status: 20 percent for Vietnamese, 11 percent for Filipino, 13 percent for Chinese and 15 percent for all Asian groups.
In 2010, the overall insurance coverage for Asian Americans was 81.9%, as compared to 88.3% for the non-Hispanic White population. 18% fo Asian Americans were uninsured, as compared to 11.7% non-Hispanic White Americans.
Full Census Reports:
The Asian Population: 2010 [PDF | 6.4MB]
We the People: Asians in the United States, December 2004 [PDF | 480KB]
The American Community Survey - Asians: 2004 [PDF | 1.1MB]
The American Community Survey - Pacific Islanders: 2004 [PDF | 3.5MB]
Language Use and English-Speaking Ability: 2007 [PDF | 1.1MB]
Census Bureau, 2011. Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2010 [PDF | 2.3MB]
Health: It is significant to note that Asian American women have the highest life expectancy (85.8 years) of any other ethnic group in the U.S. Life expectancy varies among Asian subgroups: Filipino (81.5 years), Japanese (84.5 years), and Chinese women (86.1 years)1. However, Asian Americans contend with numerous factors which may threaten their health. Some negative factors are infrequent medical visits due to the fear of deportation, language/cultural barriers, and the lack of health insurance. Asian Americans are most at risk for the following health conditions: cancer, heart disease, stroke, unintentional injuries (accidents), and diabetes. Asian Americans also have a high prevalence of the following conditions and risk factors: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS, smoking, tuberculosis, and liver disease.
Other Health Concerns: In 2010, tuberculosis was 11 times more common among Asians, with a case rate of 22.2 as compared to 2.0 for the White population.
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1 NIH, Office of Women's Health 2006. Women of Color Health Data Book: Adolescents to Seniors, page 65. http://orwh.od.nih.gov/pubs/WomenofColor2006.pdf [PDF | 9.2MB]
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