Definition: According to the definitions provided by the U.S. Census Bureau, "foreign born" refers to individuals who were not U.S. citizens at birth. The "foreign-born population" refers to U.S. residents who were born outside the United States and have become naturalized U.S. citizens, green card holders, refugees, and asylum seekers, as well as individuals working or studying in the U.S. on non-immigrant statuses, and undocumented immigrants residing in the U.S.
"Foreign-born residents" and "immigrants" are used interchangeably to refer to those born in another country who later moved to the United States. Data collection does not include those who were first naturalized in China and then moved to the United States. Unless otherwise stated, the term "China" in this report includes Hong Kong but excludes Taiwan.
Data Sources: The data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau (2013 American Community Survey (ACS) and aggregated 2009-2013 ACS data), the Department of Homeland Security's Yearbook of Immigration Statistics, and the World Bank's annual remittance data. This data provides insights into the scale, geographic distribution, and socio-economic characteristics of the Chinese immigrant population in the United States.
Chinese Immigrants in the United States
Historically, there have been two waves of Chinese immigration to the United States: the first wave from the 1850s to the 1880s, which ceased only when federal laws restricted Chinese immigration; and the second wave from the late 1970s to the present, following the normalization of U.S.-China relations and changes in U.S. immigration policy. Currently, Chinese immigrants are the third largest immigrant group in the United States, following Mexicans and Indians, with a total population exceeding 2 million, accounting for 5% of the overall immigrant population in 2013.
Chinese Immigration in the United States, 1980-2013
States and Cities with High Concentrations of Chinese Residents
The majority of immigrants from China settle in California (31%) and New York (21%). The four most favored areas for Chinese immigrants in 2013 were Los Angeles in California, Queens in New York, Kings County in New York, and San Francisco in California. These four counties account for approximately 29% of the total Chinese immigrant population in the continental United States.
2009-2013: States with High Concentrations of Chinese Immigrants
During the period from 2009 to 2013, the cities with the highest concentrations of Chinese immigrants were the New York City area, the San Francisco metropolitan area, and the Los Angeles metropolitan area. 46% of Chinese immigrants are concentrated in these three metropolitan areas in the United States.
2009-2013: Metropolitan Areas with High Concentrations of Chinese Immigrants
Distribution Map of Chinese Immigrants in the U.S. 2009-2013
English Proficiency
Compared to the overall foreign-born population, Chinese immigrants are less proficient in English and less likely to speak English at home. In 2013, approximately 62% of Chinese immigrants (aged 5 and older) reported limited English proficiency, while only 50% of the overall foreign-born population reported limited English proficiency. About 10% of Chinese immigrants speak only English at home, compared to 16% of all immigrants who speak English at home. Note: Limited English proficiency refers to those immigrants who indicated in the ACS survey that their English is not "proficient."
Education and Occupational Achievement
Compared to the overall foreign-born population and U.S.-born individuals, Chinese immigrants tend to have higher educational attainment. In 2013, 47% of Chinese immigrants (aged 25 and older) held a bachelor's degree or higher, while only 28% of all immigrants and 30% of U.S.-born individuals held such degrees.
Chinese immigrants are generally older than the overall foreign-born population and U.S.-born individuals. The average age of Chinese immigrants is 45, while the average age of the foreign-born population is 43, and the average age of U.S.-born individuals is 36. In 2013, 76% of Chinese immigrants were of working age (18-64), 17% were aged 65 and older, and 7% were under 18. In comparison, 80% of all foreign-born immigrants in the U.S. were of working age, 14% were 65 and older, and 6% were under 18. Meanwhile, 60% of U.S.-born individuals were of working age, 14% were 65 and older, and 26% were under 18.
The employment rate among Chinese immigrants is slightly lower than that of the overall immigrant population and U.S.-born individuals. In 2013, approximately 59% of Chinese immigrants aged 16 and older were employed, compared to 67% of the total immigrant population and 63% of the U.S.-born population. Compared to the other two groups, Chinese immigrants are more likely to work in management, business, science, and arts occupations (51%).
Occupational Distribution of Chinese Immigrants, All Immigrants, and U.S.-Born Individuals (Aged 16 and Older)
Income and Poverty
Compared to the overall immigrant population and U.S.-born individuals, Chinese immigrants have higher incomes. In 2013, the average income of Chinese immigrant households was $57,000, compared to $48,000 for the overall immigrant population and $53,000 for U.S.-born individuals.
In 2013, 19% of Chinese immigrants lived in poverty, a proportion similar to that of all immigrants, while the poverty rate among U.S.-born individuals was only 15%.
Health Insurance Coverage
In terms of health insurance, 18% of Chinese residents lacked health insurance, a figure lower than that of foreign-born residents from other countries (32%) but higher than that of U.S.-born individuals (12%). Chinese immigrants are more likely to purchase private health insurance, although this rate is higher than that of the overall immigrant population, it remains lower than that of U.S.-born individuals.
Health Insurance Coverage in 2013 for Chinese Immigrants, All Immigrants, and U.S.-Born Individuals
Remittances
Finally, according to World Bank data, remittances to China through formal channels reached $60 billion in 2013; although this figure is substantial, it represents a small proportion of China's GDP, accounting for less than 1%. Remittances to China have increased 67 times since 1995.
Annual Remittances to China, 1982-2013
