Table of Contents
Chinese population in the U.S., 2000-2019
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 2000 | 2,865,000 |
| 2010 | 4,010,000 |
| 2015 | 4,948,000 |
| 2019 | 5,399,000 |
Note: Chinese also includes those identifying as Taiwanese. Based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.
Source: 2000 and 2010 population estimates from U.S. Census Bureau, “The Asian Population: 2010” Census Brief, Table 6. 2015 and 2019 population estimates from 2015 and 2019 American Community Survey 1-year estimates (Census Data).
English proficiency of Chinese population in the U.S., 2019
| Category | English proficient |
|---|---|
| All | 61% |
| U.S. born | 93% |
| Foreign born | 44% |
| Adults | 57% |
| All Asians | 72% |
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).
Length of time in the U.S. for Chinese immigrants, 2000-2019
| Year | 0 to 10 years | More than 10 years |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 42% | 58% |
| 2010 | 36% | 64% |
| 2015 | 34% | 66% |
| 2019 | 34% | 66% |
Note: Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Chinese also includes those identifying as Taiwanese. Based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2000 decennial census, 2008-2010, 2013-2015 and 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).
| Year | 0 to 10 years | More than 10 years |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 44% | 56% |
| 2010 | 36% | 64% |
| 2015 | 34% | 66% |
| 2019 | 34% | 66% |
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2000 decennial census, 2008-2010, 2013-2015 and 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).
Educational attainment of Chinese population in the U.S., 2019
| Category | High school or less | Some college | Bachelor’s degree | Postgrad degree |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Chinese | 29% | 14% | 28% | 29% |
| U.S. born | 12% | 18% | 43% | 27% |
| Foreign born | 34% | 13% | 24% | 29% |
| All Asians | 27% | 19% | 30% | 24% |
| All Americans | 39% | 29% | 20% | 13% |
Note: “High school” refers to those who have attained a high school diploma or its equivalent, such as a General Education Development (GED) certificate. “Some college” includes those with an associate degree and those who attended college but did not obtain a degree. Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Chinese also includes those identifying as Taiwanese. Figures for Chinese and all Asians based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).
U.S. Chinese population living in poverty, 2019
| Group | All Americans | All Asians | All Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|
| All | 13% | 10% | 13% |
| U.S. born | 13% | 9% | 9% |
| Foreign born | 14% | 11% | 15% |
Note: Poverty status is determined for individuals in housing units and noninstitutional group quarters. It is unavailable for children younger than 15 who are not related to the householder, people living in institutional group quarters and people living in college dormitories or military barracks. Due to the way in which the IPUMS assigns poverty values, these data will differ from those provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Chinese also includes those identifying as Taiwanese. Figures for Chinese and all Asians based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).
Top 10 U.S. metropolitan areas by Chinese population, 2019
| City | Chinese population |
|---|---|
| New York | 865,000 |
| Los Angeles | 678,000 |
| San Francisco | 582,000 |
| San Jose, CA | 239,000 |
| Boston | 174,000 |
| Seattle | 166,000 |
| Washington | 135,000 |
| Chicago | 135,000 |
| Honolulu | 117,000 |
| Houston | 111,000 |
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).
Demographic characteristics of U.S. Chinese population, 2019
% (unless otherwise noted)
| Among Chinese in the U.S. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Asians in the U.S. |
All | U.S. born | Foreign born | |
| MEDIAN AGE (in years) | 34 | 36 | 20 | 46 |
| AGE | ||||
| Younger than 5 | 7 | 6 | 14 | <0.5 |
| 5-17 | 17 | 15 | 31 | 5 |
| 18-29 | 18 | 20 | 24 | 17 |
| 30-39 | 17 | 15 | 13 | 16 |
| 40-49 | 14 | 13 | 7 | 17 |
| 50-64 | 16 | 18 | 7 | 25 |
| 65+ | 11 | 13 | 4 | 19 |
| NATIVITY | ||||
| U.S. born | 43 | 38 | – | – |
| Foreign born | 57 | 62 | – | – |
| YEARS IN U.S. (among foreign born) | ||||
| 0-5 years | 21 | – | – | 22 |
| 6-10 years | 13 | – | – | 12 |
| 11-15 years | 11 | – | – | 10 |
| 16-20 years | 12 | – | – | 12 |
| 21+ years | 44 | – | – | 43 |
| CITIZENSHIP (among foreign born) | ||||
| U.S. citizen | 59 | – | – | 58 |
| Not a U.S. citizen | 41 | – | – | 42 |
| MARITAL STATUS (18 and older) | ||||
| Married | 59 | 58 | 36 | 65 |
| Divorced/Separated/Widowed | 11 | 10 | 7 | 12 |
| Never married | 30 | 32 | 57 | 23 |
| FERTILITY (among women ages 15 to 44) | ||||
| Women who have given birth in the past 12 months | 6 | 5 | 4 | 6 |
| HOUSEHOLD TYPE, BY PERSONS | ||||
| Married-couple household | 71 | 68 | 70 | 67 |
| Other family household | 13 | 13 | 13 | 14 |
| Non-family household | 15 | 19 | 17 | 20 |
| IN A MULTIGENERATIONAL HOUSEHOLD | ||||
| Multigenerational household | 27 | 25 | 22 | 27 |
Note: Family households are those with a household head and one or more persons living in the household who are related to the household head by birth, marriage or adoption. Households with a household head and an unmarried partner are only considered family households if there are other persons in the household who are related to the household head by birth, marriage or adoption. Multigenerational households are households with two or more adult generations or one that includes grandparents and grandchildren. Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Chinese also includes those identifying as Taiwanese. Figures for Chinese and all Asians based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).
Pew Research Center
Economic characteristics of U.S. Chinese population, 2019
% (unless otherwise noted)
| Among Chinese in the U.S. | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Asians in the U.S. |
All | U.S. born | Foreign born | |
| MEDIAN ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME | $85,800 | $81,600 | $100,000 | $75,300 |
| MEDIAN ANNUAL PERSONAL EARNINGS (ages 16 and older with positive earnings) | ||||
| All | $40,000 | $45,000 | $47,000 | $42,700 |
| Full-time, year-round workers | $60,000 | $65,000 | $70,000 | $62,000 |
| EMPLOYMENT STATUS (civilians ages 16 and older) | ||||
| Employed | 64 | 60 | 65 | 58 |
| Not employed | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Not in labor force | 34 | 37 | 32 | 39 |
| UNEMPLOYMENT RATE (civilians ages 16 and older in the labor force) | 4 | 4 | 5 | 3 |
| LIVING IN POVERTY | ||||
| All ages | 10 | 13 | 9 | 15 |
| Younger than 18 | 10 | 10 | 8 | 18 |
| 18-64 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 15 |
| 65 and older | 12 | 17 | 7 | 18 |
| HOMEOWNERSHIP (households) | ||||
| Owner-occupied | 59 | 63 | 61 | 64 |
| Renter-occupied | 41 | 37 | 39 | 36 |
Note: The household population excludes persons living in institutions, college dormitories and other group quarters. Households are classified by the race or detailed Asian group of the head. “Full-time, year-round workers” are defined as people ages 16 and older who usually worked at least 35 hours per week and at least 48 weeks in the past year. The share of the population ages 16 and older who are not employed differs from the unemployment rate because the share not employed is based on the total population, while the unemployment rate is based on those who are in the labor force (i.e. working or looking for work). Poverty status is determined for individuals in housing units and non-institutional group quarters. It is unavailable for children younger than 15 who are not related to the householder, people living in institutional group quarters and people living in college dormitories or military barracks. Due to the way in which the IPUMS assigns poverty values, these data will differ from those provided by the U.S. Census Bureau. Figures may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Chinese also includes those identifying as Taiwanese. Figures for Chinese and all Asians based on mixed-race and mixed-group populations, regardless of Hispanic origin. See methodology for more detail.
Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2017-2019 American Community Survey (IPUMS).
Pew Research Center
Find out more
Explore fact sheets on other Asian groups in the U.S.
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