Asian Pacific Islander Desi American Heritage Month: Data and Statistics
Census Data for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
2020 Census Data For Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders
The Census occurs every 10 years, in years ending in zero, to count the population and housing units for the entire United States. Its primary purpose is to provide the population counts that determine how seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are apportioned.
Data about Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is available for the U.S., 50 states, and the District of Columbia, counties, and subcounty statistical areas (such as zip codes and block groups) from 1990 to the present.
This fact sheet compiled for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month includes some population statistics for each of these groups. The page also includes links to Population Profiles with more detailed information.
Timelines
- A Different Asian American TimelineThis timeline covers nearly 600 years of history starting with the early Atlantic slave trade in the 15th Century, tracing the rise of modern nation-states, and covering events that have affected people across racial boundaries.
- PBS Ancestors in the Americas TimelineANCESTORS IN THE AMERICAS producer Loni Ding offers a trail blazing global perspective of U.S. history, viewing Asian American and American history as one and the same. Exploring the centuries-old relationships between East and West, Ding makes bold connections between the parallel experiences of various groups of Asian Americans, and also between the experiences of Chinese and Indian indentured workers and those of African slaves.
Infographics & Statistics
Percent of the U.S. Asian population that is...
- Chinese: 24%
- Indian: 21%
- Filipino: 19%
- Vietnamese: 10%
- Korean: 9%
- Japanese: 7%
- All others: 15%
Nearly Half of Asian Americans experienced an incident tied to their racial or ethnic background since the pandemic began
- 45% At least one of 5 incident types
- 32% Feared someone might threaten or physically attack them
- 27% People acted as if they were uncomfortable around them
- 27% Been subject to racial slurs or jokes
- 16% Someone made a remark they should go back to their home country
- 14% Someone made a remark that they are to blame fot the coronavirus outbreak
- However, 32% said that someone had expressed support for them
- Chinese Americans: 52% Unaffiliated, 22% Protestant, 19% Buddhist, 8% Catholic
- Filipino Americans: 65% Catholic, 21% Protestant, 8% Unaffiliated, 1% Buddhist
- Indian Americans: 51% Hindu, 11% Protestant, 10% Muslim, 10% Unaffiliated, 5% Sikh, 2% Jain
- Vietnamese Americans: 43% Buddhist, 30% Catholic, 20% Unaffiliated, 6% Protestant
- Korean Americans: 61% Protestant, 23% Unaffiliated, 10% Catholic, 6% Buddhist
- Japanese Americans: 33% Protestant, 32% Unaffiliated, 25% Buddhist, 4% Catholic, 4% Other
