Chinese in NYC: A Profile

August 31, 2022

PROFILE MATERIALS

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2016-2020 ACS 5-Year PUMS

2011-2015 ACS 5-Year PUMS

KEY FINDINGS

Asian American Federation

Population

The Chinese¹ population in NYC grew rapidly between 2015 and 2020, primarily within Staten Island, Queens, and the senior (65+) population. During this time, the Chinese population in NYC grew by 7.6%, a faster rate than both the City (-0.6%) and Asian²population (6.8%).

The Chinese population’s residence by borough did not significantly alter between 2015 and 2020. The population’s movement away from Brooklyn (-1.5 percentage points) toward Staten Island (+1.2 percentage points) and Queens (+0.6 percentage points) was the most notable change. No other Asian ethnic group has as high a proportion of its population living in Brooklyn (34.4%) or as low a proportion living in the Bronx (1.4%).

**Note:** Children are under 18, adults are between 18-64, and seniors are 65+.

Compared to other Asian ethnic groups, the Chinese population in NYC has the highest proportion of seniors (15.6%), and the share of seniors in the overall Chinese population is growing: they now are 2.9 percentage points more of the total Chinese population than they were in 2015. The Chinese population is aging faster than the broader NYC population, whose senior population grew by 2.2 percentage points.

Working-age Chinese adults (18-64) declined by 3.3 percentage points (vs. -1.7 for NYC overall). However, the number of Chinese children under 18 rose by 0.3 percentage points (compared to a fall of 0.5 in NYC overall).

Immigration, Citizenship, & Mobility

The percentage of Chinese citizens born in the United States is the lowest (31.8%) compared to other Asian ethnic groups in NYC. Of the total Chinese population in NYC, 31.8% are U.S.-born, 37.5% are naturalized citizens, and 30.7% are non-citizens. In contrast, most people in NYC became citizens by birthright (63.3%) and naturalization (20.9%). Some 15.8% of New Yorkers are non-citizens.

**Note:** ‘Past year’ indicates one year from when the survey was conducted.

Only one-third (36.7%) of New Yorkers, in general, are foreign-born, while more than two-thirds (68.2%) of Chinese residents are. This is the highest foreign-born rate among Asian ethnic groups in NYC.

9.5% of foreign-born Chinese arrived in the City within five years of the survey, in line with the City’s 9.5% estimate. However, only 2.0% of the overall Chinese population had relocated to NYC from abroad within one year of the survey. In comparison, most Chinese (89.0%) had not moved from their previous residence in the City.

Education & English

Chinese residents in NYC aged 25 and older have differing levels of education, with one-third (32.0%) not having completed high school and another one-third (35.8%) having earned a bachelor’s degree or above. Compared to the City as a whole, where only 17.3% of adults over 25 have less than a high school diploma and 39.0% have a bachelor’s degree or higher, the Chinese have lower educational attainment. In comparison to other Asian ethnic groups, the Chinese population has the highest percentage of adults with less than a 9th-grade education (20.1%) or who did not graduate from high school (12.0%), and the lowest percentage of adults with a bachelor’s degree (22.0%) or higher (13.7%).

**Note:** “Limited English proficiency” applies to those who do not speak English only and speak English less than very well.

The Chinese community’s English proficiency levels are low, with 58.5% of Chinese over the age of 5 considered to have limited English proficiency (LEP). This is more than double the City’s 22.4% rate and the highest rate observed among Asian ethnic groups. Similarly, the Chinese population has the lowest proportion of speakers who speak English very well (27.3%).

The LEP rate is lower for Chinese children (5+ but under 18) at 30.3% but significantly higher for Chinese seniors (age 65+) at 86.3%.

Income & Poverty

Chinese per capita median income is nearly one-third lower than the New York City median. Chinese New Yorkers also have the lowest per capita, family, and household median incomes across Asian ethnic groups.

**Note:** Near poverty is defined as above 100% but below 200% of the poverty threshold. Children are under 18, adults are between 18-64, and seniors are 65+.

Compared to other Asian ethnic groups, the Chinese have the largest percentage of their population living in or near poverty (39.8%). These above-average Chinese poverty rates are driven by the senior (65+) population: over half (56.4%) of Chinese seniors live either in poverty or near poverty, almost double the rate of seniors in New York City as a whole (37.3%).

Benefits & Health

Chart showing Chinese enrollment in SNAP.

Chinese households³ are enrolled in SNAP at about the same rate as New York City households overall, but their enrollment rates (18.9%) are the highest among Asian ethnic groups.

Chart showing Chinese in NYC with health insurance.

The Affordable Care Act has significantly reduced the number of uninsured in NYC, and the Chinese population is no exception. Between 2015 and 2020, 41.7% fewer Chinese people were uninsured. Among Asian ethnic groups, the Chinese population had the highest proportion of people enrolled in public health insurance (45.3%) and the lowest proportion in private health insurance (51.6%).

Compared to other Asian ethnic groups, the Chinese population has the highest proportion of people enrolled in government-assisted health insurance (38.2%).

Employment

**Note:** Civilian labor force participation rate is the count of civilians employed and unemployed over the total labor force (age 16 and over, including those in the military).

Female Chinese labor force participation rates are at par with the City overall, while male Chinese rates are slightly below average. Chinese labor force participation rates overall (61.8%) and for male workers (65.6%) are the lowest among other Asian ethnic groups.

**Note:** Calculated over the civilian labor force.

Chinese unemployment rates are lower than City rates across the board.

Male Chinese employees are likelier to be self-employed compared to female Chinese employees; however, Chinese employees tend to have lower rates of self-employment than both the general and Asian populations. Self-employment rates for Chinese women (6.5%) are the lowest among other Asian ethnic groups.

Five industries employ over half (59.8%) of the Chinese labor force. The entertainment sector employs the most Chinese at 15.8%. Over 80% of Chinese workers employed in entertainment work in restaurants and other food services, followed by traveler accommodations and other amusement, gambling, and recreation industries.

Housing

Average household size, NYC, 2015 and 2020

Household group	2015	2020
Overall	2.65	2.57
Asian	3.10	2.98
Chinese	3.05	2.91

Chinese households³ in 2020 had a larger average household size than City households (2.91 people versus 2.57 people). In general, average household sizes have decreased in New York City since 2015, and Chinese households are no exception.

**Note:** Overcrowding is defined as more than one person per room.

Chinese households³ are more likely to be overcrowded than City households, with 13.0% of Chinese households experiencing overcrowding.

Chinese households³ own their homes at a higher rate and rent at a lower rate than City and Asian households. While almost two-thirds (65.8%) of the City rent, Chinese households are evenly split between homeownership and renting. Chinese households have the highest rate of homeownership (48.7%) and lowest rates of renting (48.1%) compared to other Asian ethnic groups.

**Note:** A household is considered rent burdened if between 30%-50% of household income is spent on gross rent and severely rent burdened if over 50% of household income is spent on gross rent.

While a smaller percentage of Chinese households³ rent, the ones that do tend to be severely rent burdened. 80% of rented Chinese households are rent burdened in some capacity, with the majority qualifying as severely rent burdened. These rates are higher than City (72.3% of rented households qualify as rent-burdened) and Asian households (75.3%). Chinese households have the highest proportion of severely rent-burdened renters (68.5%) compared to other Asian ethnic groups.

Technology

**Note:** A household is considered to own a computer if they own a desktop or laptop, a smartphone, a tablet or other portable wireless computer, or some other type of computer.

Chinese households³ report owning a computer at similar rates to City households. However, Chinese rates of computer ownership (91.0%) are the lowest among Asian ethnic groups.

Chinese households³ also report having internet access at similar rates to City households. However, Chinese internet access rates are the lowest (86.9%) among Asian ethnic groups.

¹ Chinese statistics are for the Chinese Alone or in Any Combination category unless otherwise noted.

²Asian statistics are for the Asian Alone or in Any Combination category unless otherwise noted.

³ Asian households are led by an Asian householder and can consist of non-Asian persons. Similarly, Chinese households are led by a Chinese householder and can consist of non-Chinese persons.

Technical Notes

Race Categories
Beginning with the Census 2000, the Census Bureau collects data in which respondents were allowed to mark more than one race. For example, 2000 data include results for single race as well as multiple-race responses. “Chinese Alone” corresponds to the respondents who reported only Chinese and no other race category. “Alone” should be considered the minimum population size in any analysis that uses Census Bureau data.

To be as inclusive as possible, this profile uses “Chinese Alone or in Any Combination” numbers where possible. “Alone or in Any Combination” corresponds to the responses (not respondents) that included Chinese, either alone or in any combination with other Asian groups or other race categories. If a respondent selected Chinese and another racial group (e.g., Chinese and black), that individual, while excluded from the “Chinese Alone” count, was tallied in the “Alone or in Any Combination” count for Chinese and the other racial group. Hence, some overlap in the “In Any Combination” numbers occurred. “Alone or in Any Combination” should be considered the maximum population size in any analysis that uses Census Bureau data.

About This Profile
These profiles were released in August 2022 and are based on the 2015 and 2020 American Community Survey 5-year Public Use Microdata Sample.

This is one of a series of Asian American population profiles prepared by the Asian American Federation Census Information Center (CIC) to increase understanding of the rapidly growing and diverse Asian American population in the New York metropolitan area. Highlighted statistics, including those not found on charts, are sourced via this profile’s detailed data and documentation. Data citations from this profile should include the following acknowledgment: “Data derived from analysis by the Asian American Federation Census Information Center.”

For more information regarding this profile, please contact the Asian American Federation Census Information Center at (646)492-8958 x 221 or [email protected], or visit our Census Center.

Annie Wang is AAF’s summer 2022 research intern and a master’s student studying International Migration Studies at The Graduate Center, CUNY. You can reach her at [email protected].