New Asian Destinations: A Comparative Study of Traditional Gateways and Emerging Immigrant Destinations

Kenneth Kuk, National Opinion Research Center (NORC)
Daniel T. Lichter, Cornell University

Previous literature on new immigrant destinations has focused overwhelmingly on America’s burgeoning Hispanic population. This paper examines recent patterns of Asian population redistribution, using county-level data constructed from the decennial censuses of 1990 and 2000, as well as the American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2005-2009). Specifically, we (1) develop a typology of new and established Asian destinations; (2) provide comparative socio-demographic profiles (e.g., ethnic and nativity mix) of traditional ethnic enclaves and new destination counties; and (3) present multivariate analyses of economic well-being and poverty in new and established Asian settlement areas. The results indicate that Asians in new destinations enjoy an income premium over their counterparts in established and other Asian settlement areas.