A Community of Contrasts: Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the West, 2015 provides the latest data on the region’s growing Asian American and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) communities. The report features data on 40 out of the 42 ethnic groups reported by the Census Bureau nationally, highlighting the social and economic diversity within Asian American and NHPI communities and promoting a better understanding of their needs.
Some of the key findings are the following:
- Asian Americans and NHPI are the West’s fastest-growing racial groups.
- Asian Americans and NHPI contribute significantly to the economy through job creation, business ownership, and consumer spending.
- Asian American and NHPI political power has grown through increased naturalization and voter participation.
- Immigration continues to shape and fuel the growth of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in the West.
- Asian Americans and NHPI in the West continue to face language barriers and need language assistance to access critical services.
- The educational needs of Asian Americans and NHPI are diverse; there are ongoing disparities in opportunity and achievement within these communities.
- As the economy recovers, many Asian Americans and NHPI in the West continue to face unemployment and poverty.
- High housing costs and lack of affordable housing remain challenges for Asian Americans and NHPI in the West.
- Asian Americans in the West are disproportionately impacted by disease yet face barriers accessing care.
A Community of Contrasts: Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders in the West, 2015 was made possible by the generous support of the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, Cyrus Chung Ying Tang Foundation, and Bank of America.
