WASHINGTON, D.C., June 20, 2012 (HPI): The renowned Pew Research Center has issued a new report on immigrant minorities in the US. According to “The Rise of Asian Americans,” “Asians have overtaken Hispanics as the largest group of new immigrants arriving each year in the United States. Two-thirds of recent adult Asian immigrants are either college students or college graduates — and they have helped make Asian Americans the fastest-growing, highest-income and best-educated racial group in the United States. The survey finds that Asian Americans are more satisfied than the general public with their own lives and the nation’s direction, and they place a higher value on marriage, parenthood, hard work and career success.
The statistics with regard to Indian-Americans are based on 580 interviews, plus US census and economic data. The report concludes there are 3,183,063 Indian-Americans in the US, 70% of them with a bachelor’s degree, “half are Hindu” and the intermarriage rate is 14%. These latter two statistics differ considerably from other estimates. In India, 82% of the population is Hindu, and it was expected that the percent in the US would be about the same or even higher as members of the minority religions in India are in general less educated than the Hindus. The 14% intermarriage rate contrasts sharply with rates as high as 80% offered by some observers of the community.
The report on Indian Americans starts on page 55 of the PDF file (downloadable at “source”). Some excerpts:
“Indian Americans stand out from most other U.S. Asian groups in the personal importance they place on parenting; 78% of Indian Americans say being a good parent is one of the most important things to them personally.
“Indian Americans are among the most likely to say that the strength of family ties is better in their country of origin (69%) than in the U.S. (8%).
“Indian Americans lead all other groups by a significant margin in their levels of income and education. Seven-in-ten Indian-American adults ages 25 and older have a college degree, compared with about half of Americans of Korean, Chinese, Filipino and Japanese ancestry, and about a quarter of Vietnamese Americans.”