In just a decade, the AAPI community transformed the American landscape, exploding by 35% to 24 million people and revealing a vibrant tapestry of over 50 ethnic groups, from Indian Americans leading in both population and education to Native Hawaiians preserving rich cultural heritage, all while navigating stark contrasts between remarkable economic success and deep-seated struggles with discrimination and health disparities.
Key Takeaways
- As of the 2020 Census, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population in the United States reached 24 million, representing 7.2% of the total U.S. population, with a 35% increase from 2010.
- Among AAPI groups, Indian Americans are the largest subgroup at 4.4 million in 2020, comprising 18.3% of the total AAPI population.
- The Pacific Islander population alone or in combination numbered 1.6 million in 2020, with Native Hawaiians at 689,966.
- In 2021, 54% of Asian American adults had a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 33% of U.S. adults.
- Among AAPI subgroups, Taiwanese Americans have the highest educational attainment at 78% with bachelor’s or higher.
- Indian Americans lead with 79% holding bachelor’s degrees or more in 2021.
- 2021 AAPI COVID-19 vaccination rate among adults: 88%, higher than 78% national average.
- Diabetes prevalence among AAPI adults: 9.1%, but varies by subgroup like 15% in South Asians.
- Heart disease death rate for AAPI: 80.5 per 100,000, lower than 169.6 for whites.
- AAPI median household income: $98,174 in 2021, highest among groups.
- Poverty rate for AAPI: 10%, but 16% for Burmese and 20% for Hmong.
- Indian American median income: $126,705.
- In 2021, 30% of AAPI reported discrimination in hiring.
- 81% of AAPI say stopping anti-Asian discrimination is key community issue.
- Anti-Asian hate crimes surged 339% in 2021 per FBI data.
The AAPI community in America is rapidly growing and highly diverse in its demographics and experiences.
Demographics
- As of the 2020 Census, the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population in the United States reached 24 million, representing 7.2% of the total U.S. population, with a 35% increase from 2010.
- Among AAPI groups, Indian Americans are the largest subgroup at 4.4 million in 2020, comprising 18.3% of the total AAPI population.
- The Pacific Islander population alone or in combination numbered 1.6 million in 2020, with Native Hawaiians at 689,966.
- California hosts the largest AAPI population at 7.1 million in 2020, accounting for 30% of the state's total population.
- Between 2010 and 2020, the AAPI population grew by 5.6 million, the fastest growth rate among major racial groups at 35.5%.
- 62% of Asian Americans are foreign-born, higher than the U.S. Hispanic (47%) and Black (9%) populations.
- Chinese Americans number 5.2 million (including Taiwanese), the second-largest AAPI subgroup after Indian Americans.
- 24% of AAPI individuals are under 18 years old, compared to 22% of the total U.S. population in 2020.
- Hawaii has the highest proportion of AAPI residents at 70% of its population in 2020.
- Filipino Americans total 4.4 million, making up 18% of the AAPI population in 2020.
- Vietnamese Americans number 2.3 million, the fourth-largest AAPI subgroup.
- 36% of AAPI households are multigenerational, compared to 25% of all U.S. households.
- Korean Americans total 1.9 million in 2020.
- Japanese Americans number 1.6 million, including mixed-race individuals.
- AAPI women outnumber men slightly, with a sex ratio of 98 males per 100 females in 2020.
- 47 states saw AAPI population growth over 20% from 2010-2020, led by North Dakota at 84%.
- Mixed-race AAPI individuals increased 276% from 2010 to 2020, reaching 1.4 million.
- 20% of AAPI are aged 65+, higher than the national average of 16%.
- Pakistani Americans number 629,946 in 2020.
- Hmong Americans total 310,457.
- 75% of AAPI live in metropolitan areas, similar to the national 86%.
- Cambodian Americans number 367,000 in 2020.
- Over 50 AAPI ethnic groups exist, with 23 exceeding 100,000 people each.
- Laotian Americans total 249,000.
- Thai Americans number 300,000 approximately.
- Bangladeshi Americans total 213,000.
- Burmese Americans number 260,000.
- Nepali Americans total 140,000.
- 14% of AAPI speak English less than very well.
- AAPI median age is 37.7 years, younger than non-Hispanic whites at 44.4.
Demographics Interpretation
America's AAPI community, now a formidable 24 million strong and growing at a blistering 35% pace, is rewriting the demographic playbook not as a monolith but as a constellation of over fifty distinct cultures, with its youthful energy, deep immigrant roots, and multigenerational households becoming an increasingly central thread in the nation's vibrant social fabric.
Discrimination
- In 2021, 30% of AAPI reported discrimination in hiring.
- 81% of AAPI say stopping anti-Asian discrimination is key community issue.
- Anti-Asian hate crimes surged 339% in 2021 per FBI data.
- 42% of Asian Americans experienced harassment since COVID-19 start.
- Pacific Islanders report 25% higher discrimination rates in policing.
- 76% of AAPI women report gender + racial discrimination.
- Verbal harassment: 32% of AAPI faced in past year (2023).
- 19% of AAPI avoided public places due to fear post-2020.
- Model minority myth endorsed by 50% of Americans, harming AAPI.
- 27% of AAPI students report bullying based on race.
- Online hate against AAPI: 500% increase March 2020-2021.
- 66% believe discrimination contributes to mental health issues.
- Physical attacks on AAPI elders: 10x increase in NYC 2020-2021.
- 35% of South Asians report accent discrimination in workplaces.
- AAPI underrepresented in media: 3% of speaking roles.
- 45% of AAPI feel others assume they are foreigners.
- Hate crimes against AAPI: 11% of total racial hate crimes in 2022.
- 52% of Muslim AAPI report Islamophobia incidents.
- Workplace microaggressions: 61% experienced by AAPI professionals.
- 23% of AAPI changed routines due to safety fears.
- Disaggregated data lacking: only 18% of counties report AAPI hate crimes separately.
Discrimination Interpretation
The statistics paint a damning portrait: from a 339% surge in hate crimes to 81% of the community demanding change, the Asian American and Pacific Islander experience is too often a litany of being treated as perpetual outsiders, facing everything from workplace microaggressions to physical attacks, all while being rendered invisible by both the "model minority" myth and a severe lack of data.
Economy
- AAPI median household income: $98,174 in 2021, highest among groups.
- Poverty rate for AAPI: 10%, but 16% for Burmese and 20% for Hmong.
- Indian American median income: $126,705.
- Taiwanese: $118,000 median household income.
- Filipino: $100,273 median income.
- Unemployment rate for AAPI: 5.1% in 2022, vs. 3.6% national.
- AAPI homeownership: 63%, below 74% white rate.
- Chinese American median income: $85,307.
- 53% of AAPI adults in professional/managerial occupations.
- Pacific Islander poverty: 18.5%.
- Vietnamese median income: $75,119.
- Labor force participation for AAPI women: 58%.
- Cambodian poverty rate: 18%.
- AAPI entrepreneurship: 10% self-employed, higher in subgroups like Koreans at 15%.
- Hmong median income: $68,646.
- Wealth gap: AAPI net worth median $536,000 vs. $188,000 national.
- Korean median income: $90,034.
- 25% of AAPI live in crowded housing.
- Japanese median income: $94,903.
- AAPI small business ownership: 9.5% of all U.S. businesses.
- Laotian poverty: 13.6%.
- Student debt among AAPI graduates: average $25,000.
- Burmese median income: $52,425, lowest among AAPI.
- 40% of AAPI households have retirement savings.
Economy Interpretation
The statistics reveal a classic tale of two continents, where the soaring 'model minority' averages mask deep-rooted gulfs of inequality, proving that the Asian American experience is a mosaic of prosperity and profound disparity, not a monolith.
Education
- In 2021, 54% of Asian American adults had a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to 33% of U.S. adults.
- Among AAPI subgroups, Taiwanese Americans have the highest educational attainment at 78% with bachelor’s or higher.
- Indian Americans lead with 79% holding bachelor’s degrees or more in 2021.
- 62% of Korean American adults have at least a bachelor’s degree.
- Chinese Americans: 58% with bachelor’s or higher.
- Japanese Americans: 56% bachelor’s or higher attainment.
- Vietnamese Americans have 34% with bachelor’s degrees, lower among AAPI.
- In 2020, AAPI students comprised 5.5% of public K-12 enrollment.
- AAPI high school graduation rate was 94% in 2019-20, highest among racial groups.
- 27% of AAPI undergraduates attend 2-year colleges, vs. 40% nationally.
- AAPI overrepresentation in gifted programs: 10% of enrollment but 15% of gifted spots.
- Cambodian American adults: only 23% have bachelor’s degrees.
- Hmong Americans: 19% bachelor’s attainment.
- 51% of AAPI children live in households above 400% of poverty line.
- AAPI enrollment in higher education: 7% of total students in 2020.
- Filipino Americans: 52% with bachelor’s or higher.
- Laotian Americans: 15% bachelor’s attainment.
- AAPI STEM degree share: 21% of all STEM bachelor’s awarded to AAPI in 2019.
- 70% of AAPI parents expect children to attain postgraduate degrees.
- Pacific Islander bachelor’s attainment: 17%, significantly lower.
- AAPI advanced degree holders: 23% of adults.
- Burmese Americans: 48% bachelor’s or higher.
- Nepali Americans: high attainment at 75%+.
- 82% of AAPI aged 25-34 have some college.
- In 2021, AAPI K-12 students faced higher chronic absenteeism in some subgroups like Pacific Islanders at 25%.
- AAPI represent 25% of Ivy League enrollment despite 7% population share.
- In 2019, 89% of Asian American 8th graders proficient in math, vs. 34% nationally.
Education Interpretation
This impressive academic superpower, where AAPI communities collectively form a formidable brain trust, doesn't hide the sobering reality that this educational wealth is distributed with glaring and systemic inequality.
Health
- 2021 AAPI COVID-19 vaccination rate among adults: 88%, higher than 78% national average.
- Diabetes prevalence among AAPI adults: 9.1%, but varies by subgroup like 15% in South Asians.
- Heart disease death rate for AAPI: 80.5 per 100,000, lower than 169.6 for whites.
- Cancer incidence rate for AAPI: 281 per 100,000, vs. 442 for whites.
- Pacific Islanders have obesity rates of 43.6%, higher than Asians at 17.1%.
- Mental health: 17% of AAPI adults reported anxiety symptoms in 2021, up from 10% pre-pandemic.
- Life expectancy for AAPI: 85.6 years in 2020, highest among groups.
- Hypertension among South Asian AAPI: 30-40% prevalence.
- Infant mortality rate for AAPI: 3.7 per 1,000 births, lowest nationally.
- Smoking rate among AAPI adults: 9%, vs. 12.5% national.
- Hepatitis B prevalence in Asian Americans: 1 in 12, chronic carriers.
- Suicide rate for AAPI youth aged 15-24: 10.3 per 100,000, second highest.
- AAPI uninsured rate: 7.1% in 2021, lower than 9.7% national.
- Stroke death rate: 27.6 per 100,000 for AAPI.
- Pacific Islander HIV diagnosis rate: 12.2 per 100,000, higher than Asians.
- 28% of AAPI adults delayed care due to cost in 2021.
- Tuberculosis incidence: 15.9 per 100,000 for Asians, 55x higher than whites.
- AAPI depression screening: only 40% screened annually.
- Liver cancer rate highest in Vietnamese Americans at 40 per 100,000 men.
- Physical inactivity: 18% of AAPI adults.
- Cervical cancer screening: 79% of AAPI women up-to-date.
Health Interpretation
While Asians and Pacific Islanders collectively outlive and out-vaccinate everyone else, the data reveals a devil in the details, where specific communities face staggering health disparities that are often masked by the "model minority" myth.
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