The eight things you need to know about the Asian community in the United States:

The Basics

17.3 million

The number of Asians living in the U.S. as of 2010. The cohort grew by 46 percent between 2000 and 2010, the fastest of any other racial demographic and more than four times faster than the overall U.S. population.

33.3

The median age for Asians in 2010. The U.S. Asian community is slightly younger than the average population. Almost a quarter of the Asian-American population was under 18 in 2010.

50%

The approximate percentage of Asians who were older than 25 and held a bachelor’s degree or higher. The average for all Americans is 28 percent. Almost 20 percent of Asians held a graduate or professional degree—about 10 percent higher than the U.S. average.

Other Facts of Note

75%

The approximate percentage of the Asian population concentrated in just 10 states, with California, New York, and Texas at the top of the list.

30%

The smallest percentage of growth for the Asian population among 49 states between 2000 and 2010. The Asian population grew by at least 30 percent in all states except Hawaii, which saw an 11 percent increase. The highest growth was in Nevada and Arizona, with increases of 116 percent and 95 percent, respectively.

$66,201

The median household income for Asians, which is a little over $16,000 more than the average U.S. household.

59%

The approximate percentage of U.S. residents of Asian descent estimated to have been born outside the United States. About 12.8 million are U.S. citizens, either born in the country or naturalized.

40.6 million

The estimated number of U.S. residents who will identify as solely Asian or of Asian descent in 2050. It would constitute about 9 percent of the total projected population for that year. As of 2010, Asians accounted for 5.6 percent of the country’s total population.

The above data assumes the population for U.S. residents who identify themselves as solely Asian or of partial Asian descent according to the census standards.

Sources: 2010 American Community Survey; 2010 U.S. census brief