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US Korean median incomes and population both up: Census Bureau

September 24, 2015

Korean population in the U.S. passes 1.8 million for the first time, with average yearly family income of $71,664 as of 2014

The Korea Times Los Angeles staff

The Korean population in the United States has passed 1.8 million for the first time, with families making an average yearly income of $71,664 as of 2014, according to the American Community Survey released by the U.S. Census Bureau recently.

The count included those of mixed race and showed a 3.1 percent increase from 2013 data, which had the Korean population at 1.76 million.

Among Koreans, families’ median income also rose 2.3 percent, from $70,020 in 2013.

Individual median income saw a similar increase at 2.5 percent and is now an estimated $31,790.

Both were higher than the overall average for the entire population, which was at a median income of $65,910 for families and $28,889 for individuals.

The Chinese population saw a family median income of $84,996 and an individual income of $35,235; the Japanese saw family medians of $95,396 and individuals at $43,132; and the Vietnamese, $63,439 for families and $24,624 for individuals.

The white population made an average of $70,787 for families and $31,752 for individuals; for Hispanics, it was $44,873 for families and $16,716 for individuals; and for blacks, $42,820 for families and $19,297 for individuals.

When it came to education, the Korean population topped all others — while 30.1 percent of the entire population had completed at least a four-year college degree, Koreans surpassed both Chinese (53.4) and Japanese (50.1) populations with 54.4 percent.

In comparison, 31.4 percent of the overall white population had four-year college degrees or higher. The percentage was 14.4 percent for Hispanics and 19.7 percent for blacks. The overall Asian population was at 51.5 percent.