In 1990, 2 million of our Nation’s households had an Asian or Pacific Islander householder. An overwhelming majority of them (1.9 million, or 94 percent) lived in a metropolitan area (MA). These metropolitan Asian or Pacific Islander households are the focus of this Brief, which compares their housing characteristics with those of metropolitan households with White householders.

The MA’s used in this Brief, one of a series on housing in metropolitan areas, correspond to the definitions that were in place in 1990. The count of 335 MA’s equals the total number of MSA’s (metropolitan statistical areas) and PMSA’s (primary metropolitan statistical areas). PMSA’s are aggregated into consolidated metropolitan statistical areas, which are not discussed in this Brief.