Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month 1

Since the late 1970s, the United States has recognized May as Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month to commemorate the arrival of the first Japanese immigrants (May 1843) and the contributions of the Chinese to the transcontinental railroad (completed May 1869).  In recognition of this month, the U. S. Census bureau released the following numbers related to Asians and Pacific Islanders living in the United States.

This is another reminder that the nations of the world have come to the United States.  Many of them represent, or are of close socio-cultural proximity to, the world’s unreached peoples.  Here is a great opportunity for gospel advancement, locally and globally.  Also, many of them are followers of Jesus. Healthy partnerships can be developed with majority churches to take the gospel to the nations.

These are the numbers.  What are your thoughts as you think missiologically about the nations living next door to you?

Asians

• 17.3 million: The estimated number of U.S. residents of Asian descent, according to the 2010 Census.

• 5.6 million: The Asian alone or in combination population in California; the state had the largest Asian population in the 2010 Census, followed by New York (1.6 million). Hawaii had the highest proportion of Asians (57 percent).

• 46%: Percentage growth of the Asian alone or in combination population between the 2000 and 2010 censuses, which was more than any other major race group.

• 3.8 million: Number of Asians of Chinese, except Taiwanese, descent in the U.S. in 2010. Chinese-Americans were the largest Asian group, followed by Filipinos (3.4 million), Asian Indians (3.2 million), Vietnamese (1.7 million), Koreans (1.7 million) and Japanese (1.3 million).

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance

• $67,022: Median household income for single-race Asians in 2010. Median household income differed greatly by Asian group. For Asian Indians, for example, the median income in 2010 was $90,711; for Bangladeshi, it was $48,471. (These figures represent the single-race population.)

• 12%: The poverty rate for single-race Asians in 2010, not statistically different from the 2009 poverty rate

Education

• 50%: The percentage of single-race Asians 25 and older who had a bachelor’s degree or higher level of education.

• 85%: The percentage of single-race Asians 25 and older who had at least a high school diploma.

• 20%: The percentage of single-race Asians 25 and older who had a graduate (e.g., master’s or doctorate) or professional degree.

Languages

• 2.8 million: The number of people 5 and older who spoke Chinese at home in 2010. After Spanish, Chinese was the most widely spoken non-English language in the country. Tagalog, Vietnamese and Korean were each spoken at home by more than 1 million people.

Age Distribution

• 35.4: Median age of the single-race Asian population in 2010.

• 22%: Percent of the single-race Asian population that was under age 18 in 2010 while 9.4 percent was 65 or older.

Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders

• 1.2 million: The number of U.S. residents who said they were Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, either alone or in combination with one or more additional races, according to the 2010 Census.

• 40%: Percentage growth of the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone or in combination population between the 2000 and 2010 censuses.

Income, Poverty and Health Insurance

• $52,776: The median income of households headed by single-race Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders.

• 18.8%: The poverty rate for those who classified themselves as single-race Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander.

Education

• 15%: The percentage of single-race Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders 25 and older who had a bachelor’s degree or higher.

• 87%: The percentage of single-race Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders 25 and older who had at least a high school diploma.

• 4%: The percentage of single-race Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders 25 and older who had obtained a graduate or professional degree.

Age Distribution

• 28.9: The median age of the single-race Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population in 2010.

• 29%: Percentage of the single-race Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander population that was under age 18 in 2010 while 5.8 percent was 65 or older.

(photo source: Microsoft Office, IStock Photo)