New reports dispel myths and highlight disparities in housing, healthcare, employment, and language access across Southern California’s diverse AAPI communities.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, LOS ANGELES, April 29, 2026 – Ahead of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) is highlighting key data that offers a deeper understanding of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities across Los Angeles and Orange Counties, challenging persistent myths and misconceptions about one of California’s fastest-growing populations.
Developed through AJSOCAL’s Demographic Research Project as part of its Community of Contrasts platform, the reports provide a comprehensive snapshot of AAPI communities, dispelling the notion that they are a monolith or universally thriving. Instead, the data underscores the diversity and disparities that shape communities across Southern California.
“This data makes it clear that, while AAPI communities across Southern California are incredibly diverse, too many are being left out of the conversation,” said Dahni K. Tsuboi, Chief Executive Officer, AJSOCAL. “The majority of Asian Americans in our region are immigrants, yet their experiences are too often overlooked. We’re seeing families navigating complex immigration realities while also struggling with housing costs, unstable jobs, and barriers to care in their own language. When we don’t disaggregate data, we erase the needs of the most vulnerable. As we celebrate AAPI Heritage Month, we have a responsibility to tell the full story and ensure no one is overlooked.”
Together, the Los Angeles and Orange County findings underscore a critical reality: while AAPI communities represent one of the fastest-growing populations in the region, they are far from a single, uniform group. Across both counties, disparities in income, housing stability, healthcare access, and language access persist, often hidden when data are not disaggregated by ethnicity. With a majority of Asian Americans in the region being foreign-born, the data also highlights how immigration status, language access, and economic opportunity are deeply interconnected, shaping lived experiences across communities.
While there is more focus on and more awareness of immigration issues currently, AAPI communities have largely been overlooked. This regional lens provides added urgency for policymakers and community leaders working to address inequities across Southern California, particularly at a time of rising anti-immigrant sentiment and its impact on AAPI communities.
Across Los Angeles and Orange Counties, the reports highlight:
- Population & Growth: Los Angeles County is home to the nation’s largest Asian American population and third-largest NHPI population. In Orange County, the Asian American population grew by 33% from 2010 to 2020, while the White population declined by 10%. Additionally, Southern California is home to several of the largest Asian ethnic groups in the U.S., including Filipino, Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese Americans.
- Diversity Within Communities: AAPI population size vary widely by ethnicity. There are half a million Chinese Americans in Los Angeles County, the largest AAPI group in the county, and nearly one quarter million Vietnamese Americans in Orange County, the largest AAPI community there. At the same time, some of the fastest-growing groups are smaller communities, including Bangladeshi Americans in Los Angeles County (up 65%) and Malaysian Americans in Orange County (up 80%).
- Immigration & Community Realities: The majority of Asian Americans in both counties are foreign-born – nearly 60% – the highest proportion of any racial group. In Los Angeles County alone, nearly 16% of the undocumented population is Asian, with Filipino, Chinese, and Korean Americans among the largest groups. Undocumented Asian American immigrants are frequently not as visible as other ethnicities but the impact from ICE activities is devastating. Additionally, anti-immigrant rhetoric stokes anti-Asian hatred, which continues to grow.
- Language Access: Language diversity remains a defining characteristic, with about 70% of Asian Americans in Los Angeles and Orange Counties speaking a language other than English at home. Over one-third of Asian Americans in Los Angeles and Orange Counties speak English less than very well, or are limited-English proficient (LEP). These rates vary among specific communities, ranging from LEP rates below 20% among Japanese, Asian Indian and Filipino Americans, to over 40% among Korean, Thai, Vietnamese, and Burmese Americans.
- Housing Inequality: About 54% of Asian Americans in Los Angeles County and 62% in Orange County own their homes (higher than the overall population), yet stark disparities persist. Homeownership is 20% among Mongolian Americans and below 40% among several NHPI and Southeast Asian communities. Over half of AAPI renters in Los Angeles and Orange Counties are housing cost-burdened, meaning they spend over 30% of their income on housing related costs. Over 60% of Pakistani, Korean, Cambodian, Taiwanese and Native Hawaiians in Southern California are housing cost-burdened.
- Economic & Workforce Gaps: While some AAPI communities experience economic success, others remain concentrated in low-wage industries and face persistent barriers to stable employment, challenging the perception of uniform prosperity.
- Healthcare Access: Although uninsured rates among Asian Americans are lower overall (5% in Los Angeles County and 4% in Orange County), certain communities face disproportionately high rates, reaching 17% among Mongolian Americans in Los Angeles County and over 20% among Nepalese Americans in Orange County.
- Age & Community Needs: NHPI communities are among the youngest populations across both counties, while Asian Americans are more likely to be older, with 17% age 65 and older in Los Angeles County, highlighting the need for culturally competent services across generations.
For the complete reports, visit:
Los Angeles County: https://www.communityofcontrasts.org/reports/asian-americans-and-native-hawaiian-and-other-pacific-islanders-in-los-angeles-county-california
Orange County: https://www.communityofcontrasts.org/reports/asian-american-and-native-hawaiian-and-other-pacific-islanders-in-orange-county-california
API Heritage Month Activities
While AAPI Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the vibrant cultures, histories, and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, it is also a time to act. Visit AJSOCAL’s list of AAPI Heritage Month Events and Activities for a mix of public events, legal services, and storytelling across Los Angeles and Orange Counties.
About AJSOCAL
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California (AJSOCAL) is the nation’s largest civil rights and legal services organization that advocates for Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders, and other underserved communities. Through direct legal services, advocacy, education, and coalition-building, AJSOCAL aims to create a more just and inclusive society.
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Media Contact:
Nerissa Silao, (310) 874-9230, nerissa@nrspublicrelations.com
Liza Ameen, (213) 241-0258, lameen@ajsocal.org
