UNITED STATES DEPT. OF COMMERCE
May 1, 1997 CB97-FS.04 MEMORANDUM FOR Reporters, Editors, News Directors From: LaVerne Vines Collins Chief, Public Information Office Subject: Facts for Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month Each month, we plan to provide previously released facts 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). Census Facts For Asian and Pacific Islander American Heritage Month Education: - In 1994, nearly 9 in 10 Asian and Pacific Islander men aged 25 and over and 8 in 10 women had at least a high school diploma. Furthermore, 46 percent of men and 37 percent of women had earned at least a bachelor's degree. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb95-137.html - Asian and Pacific Islander men and women aged 25 and over (46 percent and 37 percent, respectively) were more than one and a half times as likely as their non-Hispanic White counterparts (28 percent and 21 percent, respectively) to have earned a bachelor's degree. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb95-137.html - In 1990, among Asian groups, the percentage with at least a high school diploma ranged from 31 percent for Hmongs to 88 percent for Japanese. The percentage with at least a bachelor's degree varied from 6 percent or less for Cambodians, Laotians, and Hmongs to 58 percent for Asian Indians. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb95-137.html - Within the Pacific Islander group, the proportion in 1990 with at least a high school diploma ranged from 64 percent for Tongans to 80 percent for Hawaiians. The percentage with at least a bachelor's degree varied from 6 percent for Tongans to 12 percent for Hawaiians. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb95-137.html Income and Poverty: - In 1995, Asian and Pacific Islander households had a median income of $40,614. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-159a.html - In 1995, the poverty rate for Asians and Pacific Islanders was 14.6 percent. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-159a.html Jobs: - In 1993, Asian and Pacific Islander men 25 years old and over were most likely to be in executive and professional jobs (16 and 21 percent). http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/api.html - Asian and Pacific Islander women 25 and over worked predominantly in executive (18 percent), professional (20 percent) and administrative support (23 percent) jobs. http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/api.html The numbers: - The 1990 census showed that 95 percent of the Asian and Pacific Islander population was Asian. The largest proportions of Asians were Chinese (24 percent), Filipino (20 percent) and Japanese (12 percent). The majority of Pacific Islanders were Hawaiian (58 percent). http://www.census.gov/apsd/www/wepeople.html - On March 1, 1997, there were an estimated 10 million Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States, comprising 3.7 percent of the total population. http://eire.census.gov/popest/archives/national/nation3.php - According to middle series population projections, the 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 (9 percent). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-36.html - Through 2020, the Asian and Pacific Islander population is expected to continue to grow faster than the nation's other race groups or the Hispanic origin population. It is projected that each year after 2018 (and through 2050), more Asians and Pacific Islanders than non-Hispanic Whites will be added to the nation's population. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-36.html Families: - In 1994, Asian and Pacific Islander families were, on average, larger than non-Hispanic White families (3.8 and 3.1 persons, respectively). Twenty-two percent of all Asian and Pacific Islander families contained five or more persons, compared with 12 percent of non-Hispanic White families. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb95-137.html - Six in 10 Asian and Pacific Islander families contained related children under 18 years old, compared with not quite half (49 percent) of non-Hispanic White families. In each group, about 80 percent of related children under 18 years lived with two parents. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb95-137.html Coming to America: - In 1996, the nation's total foreign-born population was 24.6 million, of which 23.8 percent were Asian or Pacific Islander. In comparison, Asians and Pacific Islanders represented 1.6 percent of the native-born population. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-55.html - Next to Mexico, the Philippines is the largest country of origin with, in 1996, 1.2 million persons born there. China, India, Vietnam and Korea also each had contributed at least half a million persons to the U.S. resident population. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-55.html Languages Spoken: - According to the 1990 census, nearly two-thirds of Asians aged 5 years and over spoke an Asian or Pacific Islander language at home. One-fourth of corresponding Pacific Islanders spoke an Asian or Pacific Islander language at home. http://www.census.gov/apsd/www/wepeople.html - The 1990 census also showed that Chinese was the fifth most common foreign language spoken at home in the United States, with 1.2 million speakers aged 5 years and over. Tagalog, with 840,000 speakers, ranked sixth, while Korean (630,000) and Vietnamese (510,000) were eighth and ninth, respectively. http://www.census.gov/population/socdemo/language/table5.txt 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 603,439. Receipts generated by these businesses increased 163 percent, from $36.5 billion to $96 billion. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb96-127.html - Among Asian and Pacific Islander groups, persons of Chinese origin owned the most 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 Where they live: - In 1994, the majority of the nation's Asians and Pacific Islanders (6 out of 10) resided in the West, where they constituted 8 percent of the total population. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb95-137.html - Asians and Pacific Islanders were more likely than non- Hispanic Whites to reside in metropolitan areas (95 percent versus 75 percent) and in central cities of metro areas (42 percent versus 23 percent). http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb95-137.html Property ownership: - About 52 percent of Asian and Pacific Islander householders owned their homes in 1994. This compares with about 70 percent of non-Hispanic White householders. http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/race/api.html - Of the rental units available in 1993, 442,000 multi-family units and 254,000 single-family units were owned by Asians and Pacific Islanders in 1996. http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/cb97-16.html
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