April 3 :
A new survey revealed that over 2.3 million Asian Americans, or over one-tenth of the population, lived in poverty in 2022. The lowest poverty rates among Asian ethnicities were reported by Indians (6%) and Filipino Americans (7%).
Despite stereotypes to the contrary, a Pew Research Centre study and US census bureau data show that 10% of Asian Americans are poor. This is despite the fact that Asian Americans are disproportionately represented in positions of wealth and education.
Among Asian origin groups, Burmese Americans had the greatest poverty rate in 2022 at 19% and Hmong Americans at 17% according to Pew. Poverty rates vary greatly across origin groups.
Among low-income Asian Americans aged 25 and up, one-third hold a bachelor's degree. In contrast, just 14% of non-Asians living in poverty are 25 and older and have a bachelor's degree. Among Asian Americans aged 25 and up, individuals with a bachelor's degree or above still had a lower poverty rate (5% vs. 13%). Immigrants make up about 60% of the poor Asian American population. A small percentage of these immigrants also have strong English language skills, according to the study.
Among Asian immigrants living below the poverty line, 44% are competent in English, indicating they speak the language only or very well. This number includes those aged 5 and older. In contrast, 61 percent of immigrants with incomes over the poverty level are fluent English speakers.
Ten major American cities are home to around one million Asians living in poverty. In reality, the Big Three (San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York City) are home to almost half a million people. With a combined total of 26% of all Asian Americans residing in poverty, these metropolitan areas are home to 100,000 or more Asians.
Among Asian Americans, the metro regions with the highest rates of poverty are Fresno, California (19%), Buffalo, New York (18%), and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (15%). Still, outside of these major cities, you're more likely to find low-income Asian Americans living in communities with a bigger Asian population.
Pew Research Centre surveyed Asian people in 2022 and 2023 and found that nearly eight out of ten (79%) of those living in poverty have faced financial difficulties in the last twelve months. The opposite is true among Asian adults who are living above the poverty level; 48% report having gone through the same thing.
The majority of low-income Asian adults (61%), who asked for assistance with paying bills, housing, food, or finding work, have asked friends or family for support. Additionally, nearly half had contacted some level of government for assistance. A smaller percentage has turned to Asian community groups (13% of the total) or religious institutions (21% of the total). But among low-income Asian adults, 19% claim they had not used any of the services offered by the poll.
The likelihood that an Asian immigrant has received government assistance is a factor in their decision to come to the United States. For instance, among Asian immigrants who immigrated to the US from their native countries because of conflict or persecution, one-third have received assistance from the government with bills, housing, food, or job, regardless of their poverty level. The percentages of Asian immigrants who feel the same are lower among those who came for economic possibilities (16%), educational chances (14%), and family reunion (25%).
Among low-income Asian Americans, nearly half(47%) feel the American dream is unattainable, while a smaller percentage either have accomplished it(15%) or are well on their way to doing so (36%). Asians whose income is above the poverty line are more likely to be positive about their chances of attaining the American dream. The following percentages of Asians: 26% think it is out of reach, 27% say they have achieved it, and 46% say they are on the path to reaching it.
Both low-income and high-income Asian people share a common understanding of the factors that must be considered in order to realise the American dream. The majority of Asians living in poverty rank the following as vital aspects of the American dream: the ability to live one's life as one pleases (91%), a stable family life (91%), providing the best opportunity for one's children (91%), and retiring comfortably (90%). Equal numbers of Asian adults who are considered to be living above the poverty line value these factors.
According to the American dream, homeownership is also significant for 81% of low-income Asian individuals and 87% of middle-class and upper-class Asian adults. In contrast to adults living above the poverty line (71% vs. 40%), the survey found that Asian adults living below the poverty line are significantly less likely to own their homes.
