Asian Americans are often portrayed as educationally and economically successful when compared to other races and ethnicities. However, the economic status and education levels of Asian groups in the United States vary widely. In fact, more than 2.3 million Asian Americans (about 1 in 10) will be living in poverty in 2022, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.
Learn more about Asian Americans’ experiences of economic hardship with our data essays and short films.
Here are nine facts about Asian Americans living in poverty.
Pew Research Center conducted this analysis to better understand the characteristics, experiences, and perspectives of Asian Americans living in poverty today. This includes an analysis of 18 focus groups completed in February 2023 with 144 Asians living with financial hardship, and a short film about Asian families experiencing financial hardship. This is part of a three-part study that includes:
This analysis is based on two main data sources. The first data source is the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2022 American Community Survey (ACS), provided through the University of Minnesota’s Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS). This analysis uses the 2022 federal poverty line published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services for the 48 contiguous contiguous states and the District of Columbia, Alaska, or Hawaii, depending on the respondent’s state of residence, to Assessing the situation. For example, a family of four living in the 48 contiguous states and the District of Columbia is classified as “poor” if their annual income is $27,750 or less.
The second data source is the Pew Research Center’s 2022-23 Survey of Asian American Adults, which surveyed 7,006 respondents from July 2022 to January 20236. conducted in one language. The survey included 561 Asian adults with estimated household incomes at or below the 2022 federal poverty line in the 48 contiguous contiguous states and the District of Columbia, regardless of state of residence. For more information, see Research Methodology. See the topline survey for the questions used in this analysis.
The Pew Research Center is a subsidiary of its principal funder, the Pew Charitable Trusts. The Center’s Asian American Portfolio was funded by the Pew Charitable Trusts, with generous support from the Asian American Foundation. Chan Zuckerberg Initiative DAF, Silicon Valley Community Foundation Advised Fund. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Henry Luce Foundation. Doris Duke Foundation. Wallace H. Coulter Foundation. Dirk and Charlene Cabsenel Foundation. Long Family Foundation. The Lou Hebert Foundation; The Gee Family Foundation; The Joseph Cotchett; The Julian Abdi and Sabrina Moyle Charitable Foundation. And Nancy Nishimura.
We would also like to thank the Leaders Forum for their thoughtful leadership and valuable support in making this study possible.
The strategic communications campaign used to promote the research was made possible through generous support from the Doris Duke Foundation.
The terms Asian and Asian American are used interchangeably throughout this post to refer to individuals who self-identify as Asian, either alone or in combination with other races or Hispanic identities. Masu.
The terms living in poverty and living near or below the federal poverty line are used in this post to refer to people whose household income is near or below the 2022 federal poverty line. are used interchangeably throughout.
For Asian adults, this refers to adults whose approximate household income is at or below 100% of the federal poverty line. For U.S. Census Bureau data on the total Asian population in the United States, this refers to all Asian Americans whose household income is at or below 100% of the federal poverty line.
The term “U.S.-born” refers to people who are U.S. citizens at birth. This also includes people born in the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or other U.S. territories, as well as people with at least one parent born outside the United States. US citizen.
When referring to Census Bureau data, the term “immigrant” includes people who were not U.S. citizens at birth; Includes people born to non-parents. US citizen. When referring to survey respondents, this group includes only those born outside the 50 United States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and other U.S. territories.
Approximately 10% of all Asian Americans live in poverty, but poverty rates vary widely by origin group. The Asian American groups with the highest poverty rates in 2022 included Burmese (19%) and Hmong Americans (17%). Meanwhile, the groups with the lowest poverty rates were Filipinos (7%) and Indian Americans (6%).
One-third of Asian Americans over the age of 25 living in poverty have a bachelor’s degree. By comparison, only 14% of non-Asians over the age of 25 living in poverty have a bachelor’s degree.
Asian Americans age 25 and older with at least a bachelor’s degree remain less likely to live in poverty (5%) than those with no formal education (13%).
Nearly 6 in 10 Asian Americans living in poverty are immigrants. And relatively few of these immigrants speak English fluently.
Among Asian immigrants aged 5 and older living below the poverty line, 44% are fluent in English (i.e., only speak English or speak English very well). By comparison, 61% of immigrants above the poverty line speak English fluently.
Approximately 1 million Asians below the poverty line live in the 10 largest metropolitan areas in the United States. In fact, more than 500,000 people live in just three metropolitan areas: New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Each of these metropolitan areas has approximately 100,000 or more Asians living in poverty, and together they account for 26% of all Asian Americans living in poverty.
Fresno, California (19%), Buffalo, New York (18%), and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (15%) are among the metropolitan areas with the highest poverty rates for Asian Americans. Still, many Asian Americans living in poverty live in areas with larger Asian populations than these metropolitan areas.
For detailed data on the number and percentage of Asians living in poverty by metropolitan area, see the downloadable spreadsheet.
According to a survey of Asian adults conducted in 2022 and 2023 by the Pew Research Center, about 8 in 10 (79%) Asian adults living in poverty reported that in the past 12 months, are experiencing some kind of financial hardship. Eight Asian adults living above the poverty line said they had the same experience. Specific economic challenges they faced included:
57% of Asian adults living in poverty were unable to save for emergencies, compared to 40% of Asian adults living above the poverty line. Forty-two percent had difficulty paying their bills, more than double the percentage of Asian adults living above the poverty line who said the same (17%). Thirty-eight percent get their food from food banks or charities, almost six times as many Asians living above the poverty line (6%).
Financial difficulties tend to be compounded. Of those living in poverty who said they had experienced at least one of the economic hardships asked, 65% experienced two or more.
The majority (61%) of Asian adults living in poverty rely on family and friends for help with bills, housing, food, and employment.
Additionally, a large majority (49%) say they have sought help from their local, state, or federal government. Small businesses seek assistance from religious institutions such as churches and temples (21%) or Asian community groups (13%).
However, 19% of Asian adults living in poverty say they have not sought help from any of the sources asked in the survey.
Why Asian immigrants came to the United States has to do with whether they receive government aid. For example, regardless of poverty status, one-third of all Asian immigrants who came to the United States because of conflict or persecution in their home countries receive government assistance with bills, housing, food, and employment (33 %). By comparison, fewer Asian immigrants came for educational opportunities (14%), economic opportunities (16%), or to be with family (25%).
About half (47%) of Asian Americans living in poverty say the American Dream is out of reach, but they have achieved it (15%) or are on their way to achieving it. (36%). By comparison, Asians living above the poverty line are more optimistic about their chances of achieving the American Dream. 26% say the American Dream is out of reach, 27% say they have achieved it, and 46% say they are on their way to achieving it. To achieve it.
Asian adults living below the poverty line and adults living above the poverty line have similar views about what is important to achieve the American Dream. When it comes to Asians living in poverty, the majority say they want freedom of choice in their lifestyle (91%), a fulfilling family life (91%), the best opportunities for their children (91%), and comfort. 90% of respondents said they would be able to retire. It’s important to their view of the American Dream. A similar proportion of Asian adults living above the poverty line say these factors are important.
Homeownership is also considered key, with 81% of Asian adults living in poverty and 87% of adults living above the poverty line saying homeownership is important in their consideration of the American Dream. states. However, Asian adults living in poverty are far less likely to be homeowners than those above the poverty line (40% vs. 71%), according to Census Bureau data.
Note: See Research Methodology for more information. See the topline survey for the questions used in this analysis.
