Filipinos 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

Between 2015 and 2020, the Filipino¹ population in NYC grew by 5.2%, a slightly lower rate than the Asian²population (+6.8%). In contrast, the overall NYC population shrunk by 0.6%.

The Filipino population’s residence by borough did not significantly alter between 2015 and 2020. The population’s movement away from Staten Island (-1.5 percentage points) toward the Bronx (+1.6 percentage points) was the most notable change. No other Asian ethnic group has as high a proportion of its population living in Staten Island (7.3%) or as low a proportion living in Brooklyn (13.8%).

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

Demographically, the Filipino population in NYC is getting younger. The Filipino population’s share of children under 18 grew by 2.6 percentage points since 2015 (vs. -0.5 in NYC overall), while the adult population declined (-2.8 percentage points) and senior population remained steady (+0.3).

Immigration, Citizenship, & Mobility

Of the total Filipino population in NYC, 39.8% are US-born, 39.6% are naturalized citizens, and 20.6% are non-citizens. The proportion of Filipinos with U.S. citizenship by birthright has gone up (+5.6 percentage points) while the proportion of non-citizens has gone down (-4.2 percentage points) since 2015. 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 about two-thirds (60.2%) of Filipino residents are.

9.1% of foreign-born Filipinos arrived in the City within five years of the survey, in line with the City’s 9.5% estimate. However, only 1.3% of the overall Filipino population had relocated to NYC from abroad within one year of the survey. In comparison, most Filipinos (89.6%) had not moved from their previous residence in the City.

Education & English

Filipinos are among the most educated Asian ethnic groups. 4.6% of Filipino adults hold less than a high school education and nearly two-thirds (65.2%) hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. This is significantly more educated than the City overall, where 17.3% have less than a high school education and only 39.0% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Across Asian ethnic groups, Filipinos have the highest rates of adults with a bachelor’s degree (49.4%).

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

Filipinos also have the highest English proficiency among Asian ethnic groups, with only 18.5% reporting limited English proficiency (LEP) and 43.2% reporting speaking English very well. The Filipino community’s English proficiency levels are more fluent than those of NYC overall, with 18.5% of Filipinos over the age of 5 considered LEP – less than the City’s 22.4% rate.

The LEP rate is lower for Filipino children (5+ but under 18) at 4.2% but higher for Filipino seniors (age 65+) at 38.7%.

Income & Poverty

Filipino New Yorkers have above-average per capita, family, and household median incomes compared to City residents overall. Compared to other Asian ethnic groups, Filipinos have above-average per capita median incomes and the highest family and household median incomes.

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

Filipinos have the lowest poverty rates compared to other Asian ethnic groups and are also below-average compared to the City overall.

Benefits & Health

Filipino households³ are enrolled in SNAP at a lower rate than both New York City and Asian households.

The Affordable Care Act has significantly reduced the number of uninsured in NYC, and the Filipino population is no exception. Between 2015 and 2020, 38.6% fewer Filipino people were uninsured. As a result, only 5.8% of Filipinos are uninsured, three-quarters (74.9%) are enrolled in private insurance, and the remaining are enrolled in public insurance (27.6%).

The Filipino population is enrolled in government-assisted health insurance at about half the rate compared to City and Asian populations.

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).

Filipino labor force participation rates are above-average for both male and female workers. Female Filipino workers have the highest labor force participation rates (68.5%) compared to other Asian ethnic groups.

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

Filipino unemployment rates are lower than City rates; however, they are considered some of the highest among other Asian ethnic groups.

Filipino employees are less likely to be self-employed (7.6%) than both the overall (9.8%) and Asian (10.7%) populations. This self-employment rate is particularly low for male Filipino employees (7.8% compared to the City rate of 11.5% and the Asian rate of 13.9%).

Nearly one-third (29.5%) of the Filipino labor force is employed by the medical industry. Within medicine, 53.9% of Filipinos work in general medical, surgical, and specialty hospitals.

Housing

Average household size, NYC, 2015 and 2020

Household group	2015	2020
Overall	2.65	2.57
Asian	3.10	2.98
Filipino	3.04	2.89

Filipino households³ in 2020 had a larger average household size than City households (2.89 people versus 2.57 people). In general, average household sizes have decreased in New York City since 2015, and Filipino households are no exception.

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

Filipino households³ are overcrowded (10.5%) at a higher rate than City households (8.2%) but at a lower rate than Asian households (14.7%).

Filipino households³ own their homes at a higher rate and rent at a lower rate than City households. While 32.4% of the City households are owned, 40.7% of Filipino households are owned.

**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.

Rented Filipino households³ tend to be severely rent burdened. 64.8% of rented Filipino households are rent burdened in some capacity, with the majority qualifying as severely rent burdened. These rates are below City (72.3% of rented households qualify as rent burdened) and Asian households (75.3%).

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.

Filipino households³ report owning a computer at higher rates than Asian and City households.

Filipino households³ also report higher internet access rates than Asian and City households.

¹ Filipino statistics are for the Filipino 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, Filipino households are led by a Filipino householder and can consist of non-Filipino 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. “Filipino Alone” corresponds to the respondents who reported only Filipino 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 “Filipino Alone or in Any Combination” numbers where possible. “Alone or in Any Combination” corresponds to the responses (not respondents) that included Filipino, either alone or in any combination with other Asian groups or other race categories. If a respondent selected Filipino and another racial group (e.g., Filipino and black), that individual, while excluded from the “Filipino Alone” count, was tallied in the “Alone or in Any Combination” count for Filipino 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 linying.he@aafederation.org, 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 awang3@gradcenter.cuny.edu.