Asian Population in New York 2026 | Demographics by County & Key Facts

New York State is home to more than 2.1 million Asian Americans, the second-largest Asian population of any US state after California. Within New York City, Queens holds the largest Asian population of any county, with nearly half of all Asian New Yorkers calling the borough home.

Asian Population in New York 2026 – Introduction

The Asian population in New York has grown faster than any other major racial group in the state over the past decade and a half, transforming neighborhoods across all five boroughs and reshaping the demographic makeup of Long Island’s suburban towns. New York State’s Asian American population climbed from 1,579,494 in 2010 to 2,173,719 in 2020, a jump of 37.6% that outpaced the state’s overall population growth by a wide margin. That growth has continued through the 2020s, even as national migration patterns have shifted in ways that have begun to affect specific boroughs differently.

Queens remains the undisputed center of Asian New York, hosting a larger Asian population than any other county in the state and functioning as home to some of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse neighborhoods on earth. But the story extends well beyond a single borough: Chinese, Indian, Korean, Filipino, and dozens of other Asian ethnic communities have built distinct enclaves across Brooklyn, Manhattan, and increasingly the suburban counties of Nassau and Westchester, each with its own growth trajectory, age profile, and economic circumstances.

Tracking this population accurately requires drawing on several distinct data sources, since the decennial Census, the rolling American Community Survey, and specialized community research organizations like the Asian American Federation each use somewhat different methodologies and reporting windows. Together, these sources paint a detailed picture of a community that has become central to New York’s economic, cultural, and civic life, even as its internal diversity across dozens of distinct national origins and languages makes any single summary statistic only part of the story.

Interesting Facts about Asian Population in New York 2026

Source: Asian American Federation Data Center, US Census Bureau (2010, 2020 Census)

These interesting facts about the Asian population in New York highlight just how concentrated and fast-growing this community has become. With 2,173,719 Asian residents as of the 2020 Census, New York trails only California among all US states, and the 37.6% growth rate recorded between 2010 and 2020 significantly outpaced the state’s overall population growth over the same period.

Queens’ role as home to nearly half of New York City’s entire Asian population, some 47.2% as of 2024, reflects decades of chain migration and community-building that have made neighborhoods like Flushing and Elmhurst among the most Asian-concentrated areas anywhere in the United States outside of Asia itself.

That concentration has made Queens not just the city’s but arguably the country’s most significant hub of Asian American life outside California, with the borough’s Asian population alone exceeding the total Asian population of many entire US states. The diversity within that population is equally notable, spanning dozens of distinct national origins, languages, and religious traditions that make Queens one of the most linguistically diverse places on the planet.

Asian Population in New York State in 2026

Source: Asian American Federation Data Center, US Census Bureau Decennial Census

New York’s Asian population has grown at a pace that has consistently outstripped the state’s overall population growth for more than a decade. The share of New Yorkers identifying as Asian climbed from 8.2% in 2010 to 10.8% in 2020, even as the state’s total population grew only modestly over the same period. More recent Census Bureau population estimates using the “Asian alone” classification, a narrower methodology than the “alone or in combination” figures used in the 2020 Census comparison, put the state’s Asian share at approximately 9.0%, while the 2023 American Community Survey estimated the state’s Asian population at 1,933,127 under that same narrower single-race classification.

US Population by Race tracking national demographic trends show that Asian Americans represent the fastest-growing major racial group across the entire United States, a pattern New York’s own growth figures closely mirror. With California’s Asian population standing at roughly 6.1 million, New York’s position as the second-largest state Asian population, ahead of Texas, New Jersey, and Illinois, reflects the state’s status as one of the country’s primary historic gateways for Asian immigration.

That gateway status traces back more than a century, to early Chinese immigration through New York’s port alongside later waves of South Asian, Korean, and Southeast Asian arrivals throughout the 20th century. More recent decades have added significant new immigration from countries including Bangladesh, Nepal, and various Southeast Asian nations, each contributing to a state Asian population that has grown increasingly diverse in national origin even as its overall numeric growth has remained among the fastest of any demographic group in New York.

Asian Population by County/Borough in New York City 2026

Source: Asian American Federation, “State of Change: Asian Populations Transform New York”

Queens stands alone as New York City’s Asian population center, home to 705,973 Asian residents as of the 2020 Census, more than any other county in the entire state. The borough’s Asian population grew by 153,106 people between 2010 and 2020, the single largest numeric increase of any locality anywhere in New York State during that decade. Brooklyn ranks second among the boroughs with 419,526 Asian residents, followed by Manhattan at 254,443.

Proportionally, Staten Island saw one of the most dramatic percentage increases in Asian share of population among the five boroughs, rising 5 percentage points to reach 13% Asian by 2020, even though its raw population numbers remain far smaller than Queens or Brooklyn. The Bronx, while still home to the smallest Asian population share of any borough, also recorded meaningful growth, adding 22,524 Asian residents between 2010 and 2020.

Each borough’s Asian population growth reflects a somewhat distinct settlement story. Staten Island’s rapid percentage growth stems in large part from its relative affordability and available housing stock compared to the other boroughs, drawing families, particularly from the Chinese and South Asian communities, who found the borough’s suburban character appealing while still maintaining access to the city’s broader economic opportunities. The Bronx’s growth, while smaller in absolute terms, has been driven substantially by newer arrivals from South Asia and Southeast Asia establishing communities in neighborhoods with historically lower Asian population density than Queens or Brooklyn.

Recent Asian Population Trends by Borough in 2026

Source: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, via Neilsberg population analysis

More recent American Community Survey estimates suggest some divergence from the 2020 Census figures, particularly in Queens and Brooklyn, where updated 5-year survey data shows somewhat lower Asian population counts than the 2020 decennial Census recorded. Analysts attribute part of this gap to differences in survey methodology between the once-a-decade full Census count and the smaller, rolling ACS sample, as well as genuine population shifts in the years since 2020, including pandemic-era migration patterns that affected New York City’s population broadly across all racial and ethnic groups.

Race Percentage by State in US tracking demographic composition nationally show that even amid this year-to-year estimate variation, Queens’ Asian population share of roughly 25% remains dramatically higher than the Asian share of any state in the country, underscoring just how exceptional the borough’s concentration of Asian residents is even within an already Asian-heavy state like New York. Regardless of which specific estimate is used, Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan together continue to account for the overwhelming majority of the city’s total Asian population.

Chinese Population in New York in 2026

Source: US Census Bureau American Community Survey, Wikipedia-compiled demographic data

Chinese Americans form the single largest Asian ethnic group in New York, and the city itself hosts the largest ethnic Chinese population of any city outside Asia. Estimates for New York City’s Chinese population range from roughly 573,388 to 635,355 depending on the specific survey year and methodology used, with the broader New York metropolitan area reaching an estimated 924,619 Chinese residents by 2024. Within the city, Queens holds the largest Chinese population at 265,135, followed by Brooklyn at 222,059 and Manhattan at 119,208, home to the historic Chinatown that has anchored Chinese American life in the city for well over a century.

Chinese Population in US tracking the national Chinese American community show that New York’s Chinese population growth has followed patterns distinct from the rest of the country, with the community’s residence by borough shifting notably away from Brooklyn and toward Staten Island and Queens between 2015 and 2020. No other major Asian ethnic group in New York has as high a proportion of its population living in Brooklyn, at roughly 34%, or as low a proportion living in the Bronx, at just 1.4%, reflecting the deeply rooted, historically specific settlement patterns that continue to define the Chinese American community’s geography within the city.

Filipino and Other Asian Ethnic Groups in New York in 2026

Source: Asian American Federation ethnic community profiles

Beyond the Chinese community, Filipino New Yorkers represent another significant and growing Asian ethnic group, reaching 94,000 residents citywide in 2023, up 9.5% from 85,000 in 2018, a faster growth rate than the Asian population overall during the same period. Queens remains home to the largest Filipino population in the city at 49,500 residents, though recent trends show the population share shifting somewhat toward the Bronx and Brooklyn even as Queens retains its lead in raw numbers.

The Filipino community also stands out for its citizenship composition, with 41.4% naturalized citizens, one of the highest naturalization rates among all Asian ethnic groups tracked in the city, alongside 40.8% US-born residents and 17.9% noncitizens. Other significant Asian ethnic communities across New York include large Asian Indian, Korean, Bangladeshi, and Nepalese populations, each concentrated in specific neighborhood clusters that reflect distinct historical immigration waves spanning from the early 20th century through the present day.

Age and Demographic Profile of Asian New Yorkers in 2026

Source: Asian American Federation Data Center, NY State demographic breakdown

The age profile of New York’s Asian population has shifted meaningfully over the past decade, with the senior population share nearly doubling, from 8.4% in 2010 to 12.2% in 2021. That aging trend reflects both the community’s original immigration waves reaching retirement age and declining relative growth in the youngest age cohort, whose share dipped slightly from 22.5% to 22.2% over the same period. The adult working-age population, meanwhile, declined from 69.1% to 65.6% of the total Asian population, a shift consistent with the growing senior share rather than any decline in the underlying adult population itself.

This aging pattern varies considerably by specific ethnic subgroup. Chinese and Korean populations in particular have shown some of the fastest-growing senior shares among New York’s Asian communities, a trend demographers link to the multi-generational nature of many of these immigrant communities, where elderly parents frequently join adult children who immigrated years or decades earlier. These shifting age dynamics carry real implications for future healthcare, housing, and social service planning across the neighborhoods where New York’s Asian population remains most concentrated.

Asian Population in New York – FAQ

How many Asian Americans live in New York State?

New York State was home to 2,173,719 Asian Americans as of the 2020 Census, representing 10.8% of the state’s total population.

Which New York county has the largest Asian population?

Queens has the largest Asian population of any county in New York, with 705,973 residents as of the 2020 Census.

How fast has New York’s Asian population grown?

New York’s Asian population grew 37.6% between 2010 and 2020, significantly outpacing the state’s overall population growth rate.

What percentage of New York City’s Asian population lives in Queens?

As of 2024, approximately 47.2% of New York City’s entire Asian population lives in Queens.

What is the largest Asian ethnic group in New York?

Chinese Americans form the largest Asian ethnic group in New York, with an estimated 924,619 residents across the broader New York metropolitan area as of 2024.

How does New York rank nationally for Asian population?

New York ranks 2nd among all US states for total Asian population, trailing only California.

Which borough has the largest Filipino population in New York City?

Queens is home to the largest Filipino population in New York City, with 49,500 residents as of 2023.

How has the age profile of New York’s Asian population changed?

The senior population share nearly doubled from 8.4% in 2010 to 12.2% in 2021, reflecting an aging trend within the community.

Which borough has seen the fastest growth in Asian population share?

Staten Island saw one of the largest percentage-point increases, with its Asian population share rising 5 points to reach 13% between 2010 and 2020.

What share of New York City’s Chinese population lives in Brooklyn?

Roughly 34% of New York City’s Chinese population lives in Brooklyn, the highest proportion of any major Asian ethnic group living in that borough.

Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.

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