- List of U.S. cities with large Vietnamese American populations
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The following is a list of U.S. cities with large Vietnamese American populations. They consist of cities with at least 10,000 Vietnamese Americans or where Vietnamese Americans constitute a large percentage of the population. The information contained here was based on the 2000 U.S. Census.
Vietnamese-Americans immigrated to the United States in different waves. The first wave of Vietnamese from just before or after the Fall of Saigon/the last day of the Vietnam War, April 30, 1975. They consisted of mostly educated, white collar public servants, senior military officers, and upper and middle class Vietnamese and their families. The second wave came in the 1980s escaping very precariously in boats from the communist regime as boat people. In the 1990s and 2000s, a third wave came from the US's Humanitarian Operation Program, family members of Vietnamese-Americans, former prisoners of re-education camps, and Amerasian children of American servicemen who applied for entry into the United States. Vietnamese-Americans vary in income level, with some being upper-class while others, particular those who came later, are working-class.
Vietnamese-Americans are mainly concentrated in metropolitan areas in the West, including Orange County, California, San Jose, California, and Houston, Texas.
Contents
Cities with more than 10,000 Vietnamese Americans
These cities have more than 10,000 Vietnamese Americans according to the 2000 Census, sorted by number.
Rank City Number (2000) Number (2005) Percentage (2000) Comment 1 San Jose, California 78,842 84,635 8.8 City with the most Vietnamese Americans; over 100,000 as of 2010 U.S. Census (10.59% of population) 2 Garden Grove, California 35,406 47,609 21.4 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California 3 Houston, Texas 32,261 29,594 1.7 4 San Diego, California 27,473 28,300 2.2 5 Westminster, California 27,109 35,101 30.7 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California 6 Los Angeles, California 19,747 26,222 0.5 Located near Orange County, California 7 Santa Ana, California 19,226 16,216 5.7 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California 8 Seattle, Washington 11,943 10,602 2.1 Little Saigon at east end of International District 9 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 11,608 12,056 0.8 Largest community in South Philadelphia. Also, clusters in the Olney and Logan sections as well as parts of the Lower Northeast, Chinatown, and nearby Camden, NJ. 10 New York, New York 11,334 17,455 0.1 Growing enclave within Manhattan's Chinatown. Growing populations in Queens and the Bronx. 11 Boston, Massachusetts 10,818 10,888 1.8 Growing enclaves in Dorchester and neighboring city of Quincy. Established within Chinatown. 12 San Francisco, California 10,722 14,162 1.4 Little Saigon, designated in the Tenderloin District, although population spread throughout city 13 Portland, Oregon 10,641 12,161 2.0 Sandy Blvd was known as "Saigon Blvd" during the mid-90s, 82nd Ave has a growing enclave as well as suburban Clackamas County 14 Anaheim, California 10,025 11,548 3.1 Located in Orange County, California Major cities
These cities have more than 300,000 people consisting of at least 1% Vietnamese American, sorted by percentage.
City Percentage Number Note San Jose, California 8.8 78,842 In Bay Area Santa Ana, California 5.7 19,226 In Orange County Anaheim, California 3.1 10,025 In Orange County Arlington, Texas 2.9 9,606 In the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex San Diego, California 2.2 27,473 Oakland, California 2.2 8,657 In Bay Area Seattle, Washington 2.1 11,943 Portland, Oregon 2.0 10,641 Wichita, Kansas 2.0 6,859 Boston, Massachusetts 1.8 10,818 Houston, Texas 1.7 32,261 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 1.6 8,161 In Asia District New Orleans, Louisiana 1.5 7,118 Sacramento, California 1.5 6,171 San Francisco, California 1.4 10,722 In Bay Area Honolulu, Hawaii 1.2 5,978 Long Beach, California 1.1 5,074 Near Orange County Fort Worth, Texas 1.0 5,415 In the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex St. Louis, Missouri 1.0 3,319 Medium cities
These cities have between 100,000 and 300,000 people consisting of at least 3% Vietnamese American, sorted by percentage.
City Percentage Number Note Garden Grove, California 21.4 35,406 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, CA Santa Clara, California 4.7 4,803 In Bay Area Garland, Texas 3.1 6,736 in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex Irvine, California 3.1 4,414 In Orange County Small cities
These cities have between 10,000 and 100,000 people and consist of at least 5% Vietnamese American, sorted by percentage.
City Percentage Number Note Westminster, California 30.7 27,109 The heart of Little Saigon, traditionally considered the center of overseas Vietnamese culture Milpitas, California 13.0 8,175 Adjacent to San Jose (north) Fountain Valley, California 12.9 7,088 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, CA Rosemead, California 11.1 5,931 Many Chinese-Vietnamese, who might self-report as either Chinese or Vietnamese White Center, Washington 10.4 2,176 Jefferson, Virginia 8.7 2,375 Fairfax County, Virginia Stanton, California 8.0 3,010 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, CA San Gabriel, California 6.7 2,647 Many Chinese-Vietnamese Springfield, Virginia 6.2 1,884 Fairfax County, Virginia Annandale, Virginia 5.8 3,173 Fairfax County Merrifield, Virginia 5.7 641 Fairfax County El Monte, California 5.2 6,015 Many Chinese-Vietnamese Monterey Park, California 5.2 3,101 Many Chinese-Vietnamese Towns
These cities have fewer than 10,000 people and consist of at least 7% Vietnamese American, sorted by percentage.
City Percentage Number Note Bayou La Batre, Alabama 23.0 531 Involved in fishery Amelia, Louisiana 22.5 544 Henderson, Louisiana 15.7 240 Palacios, Texas 11.7 602 Avondale, Louisiana 11.6 630 Chamblee, Georgia 10.3 985 Clarkston, Georgia 9.8 711 Buras-Triumph, Louisiana 9.8 328 Seadrift, Texas 9.7 131 Fulton, Texas 7.9 122 Lake City, Georgia 7.4 215 Woodlynne, New Jersey 7.3 205 Counties
Ten largest counties with Vietnamese Americans according to the 2000 Census, sorted by number.
Rank County Number (2000) Number (2005) Percentage (2000) Metropolitan Region 1 Orange County, California 135,548 157,012 4.76 Greater Los Angeles 2 Santa Clara County, California 99,986 106,893 5.94 San Francisco Bay Area: South 3 Los Angeles County, California 78,102 103,332 0.82 Los Angeles 4 Harris County, Texas 55,489 61,897 1.63 Houston 5 San Diego County, California 33,504 38,514 1.10 San Diego 6 King County, Washington 27,484 29,952 1.58 Seattle 7 Alameda County, California 23,817 23,659 1.65 San Francisco Bay Area: East 8 Fairfax County, Virginia 23,044 26,886 2.38 Greater Washington: Virginia 9 Dallas County, Texas 21,355 22,693 0.96 Dallas/Fort Worth 10 Tarrant County, Texas 19,396 24,214 1.34 Dallas/ Fort Worth See also
- Growing Up American
- Little Saigon
- Lists of U.S. cities with large ethnic population
- List of U.S. cities with Asian American majority populations
External links
Categories:- Lists of United States populated places by ethnic group
- Vietnamese-American history
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