Immigration

Indian Americans Have Highest Median Income Among US Asians, Shows Study

Asians are projected to become the largest immigrant group in the United States in 2055, according to the Pew Research Center study.

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Indian Americans have the highest median income among people from all Asian countries in the United States, according to a study done by the Pew Research Center, the results of which were released earlier this month.

Indian households were found to have the highest median income ($100,000), followed by Filipinos ($80,000), Japanese and Sri Lankans (each $74,000). The median annual household income of households headed by Asian Americans is $73,060, compared with $53,600 among all U.S. households. Bangladeshi ($49,800), Nepalese ($43,500) and Burmese ($36,000) households had incomes well below the median for all Americans.

About 20 million Asian Americans in the U.S. can trace their roots to over 20 countries in the Indian subcontinent, and East and Southeast Asia. The U.S. Asian group is diverse, with a growth in population seen at 72 per cent between 2000 and 2015. According to the research, the population recorded the fastest growth rate of any major racial or ethnic group from 11.9 million to 20.4 million in this time period.

People of Indian, Chinese and Filipino origin dominate the U.S. Asian population, with the Chinese leading the way at 4.9 million, and Indians following close behind with 4 million. Indians accounted for 20 per cent of the national Asian population in 2015.

The research showed that 59 per cent of the Asian population in the United States was born in another country. Among adult Asians, the number rises to 73 per cent. The modern immigration wave from Asia has accounted for one-quarter of all immigrants who came since 1956.

Asians are projected to become the largest immigrant group in the country, surpassing Hispanics in 2055. In 50 years, the study predicts, Asians will account for 38 per cent of all US immigrants. Since 2010, more Asian immigrants have come to the United States than Hispanics.

Asians comprise about 13 per cent of the 11.1 million unauthorized immigrants in the country. Asians were also found to be less likely than the general US population to live in poverty. Eight of the 19 Asian groups analyzed had poverty rates higher than the average of the country. Indians had the lowest rate of poverty, at 7.5 per cent, tied with Filipinos.

About half of Asians aged 25 years and above have a bachelor’s degree or higher, as compared to 30 percent of all Americans this age. Indians have the highest level of educational attainment among the Asian Americans, with 72 per cent of them holding at least a bachelor’s degree.

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