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 milestones in Asian/Pacific American history: the arrival in the United States of the first Japanese immigrants (May 7, 1843) and contributions of Chinese workers to the building of the transcontinental railroad completed May 10, 1869.
In 1992, Congress expanded the observance to a monthlong celebration that is now known as Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Per a 1997 U.S. Office of Management and Budget directive, the Asian or Pacific Islander racial category was separated into two categories: one being Asian and the other Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander. Thus, this Facts for Features contains a section for each.
The following facts are possible thanks to the invaluable responses to U.S. Census Bureau surveys. We appreciate the public’s cooperation as we continuously measure America’s people, places and economy.
Asian Population
Did You Know?
24.0 million
The estimated number of people who identified as Asian alone or in combination in the United States in 2020.
Source:
2020 Census
5.1 million
The estimated number of the Asian alone or in combination population of Chinese, except Taiwanese, descent in the United States in 2020. The Chinese (except Taiwanese) population was the largest Asian group, followed by Asian Indian (4.5 million), Filipino (4.1 million), Vietnamese (2.2 million), Korean (1.9 million) and Japanese (1.6 million). These estimates represent the number of people who reported a specific detailed Asian group alone, as well as people who reported that detailed Asian group in combination with one or more other detailed Asian groups or another race(s).
Source:
2016-2020 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates
2.5%
The estimated percentage of Asian alone or in combination who are military veterans in 2019.
Source:
2019 American Community Survey, 1-Year Estimates
7.2 million
The number of the Asian alone population 25 years and older who had a bachelor’s degree or higher level of education.
Source:
2016-2020 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates
11.4 million
The number of the Asian alone population 25 years and older who had at least a high school diploma or equivalency.
Source:
2016-2020 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates
581,200
The estimated number of Asian-owned employer firms in the United States in 2019.
Source:
2020 Annual Business Survey, data year 2019
Voting Rates
- Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2020.
- Voting and Registration in the Election of November 2018.
Visit data.census.gov for a Selected Population Profile of the Asian alone or in combination population from the 2019 American Community Survey, 1-year estimates. Statistics include:
- Sex and age.
- Marital status.
- Employment status.
- Occupation.
- Commuting.
- Housing.
- Income.
Did You Know?
1.6 million
The estimated number of people that identified as Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone or in combination in the United States in 2020.
Source:
2020 Census
619,855
The number of Native Hawaiians in the United States in 2020. The Native Hawaiian population was the largest detailed Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander (NHPI) group, followed by Samoan (211,876) and Chamorro (156,083). These estimates represent the number of people who reported a specific detailed NHPI group alone, as well as people who reported that detailed NHPI group in combination with one or more other detailed NHPI groups or another race(s).
Source:
2016-2020 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates
35,152
The number of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone who are military veterans in 2020.
Source:
2016-2020 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates
71,224
The number of people that identified as Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone population 25 years and older who had a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2020.
Source:
2016-2020 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates
337,408
The number of the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone population 25 years and older with at least a high school diploma or equivalency in 2020.
Source:
2016-2020 American Community Survey, 5-Year Estimates
7,331
The estimated number of Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander-owned employer firms in the United States in 2019.
Source:
2020 Annual Business Survey, data year 2019
More Stats
Visit data.census.gov for a Selected Population Profile of the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone or in combination population from the 2019 American Community Survey, 1-year estimates. Statistics include:
- Sex and age.
- Marital status.
- Employment status.
- Occupation.
- Commuting.
- Housing.
- Income.
Editor’s note: As a matter of policy, the Census Bureau does not advocate the use of the alone population over the alone-or-in-combination population or vice versa. The use of the alone population in sections of this release does not imply that it is a preferred method of presenting or analyzing data. The same is true for sections of this release that focus on the alone-or-in-combination population. Data on race can be presented and discussed in a variety of ways.
The following is a list of observances typically covered by the Census Bureau’s Facts for Features series:
| Black (African American) History Month (February)
Women's History Month (March) Irish-American Heritage Month (March) Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month (May) The Fourth of July (July 4) Anniversary of Americans With Disabilities Act (July 26) Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15) Halloween (Oct. 31) American Indian/Alaska Native Heritage Month (November) Veterans Day (Nov. 11) Thanksgiving Day/Holiday Season (November-December) |
