The population of Koreans in the U.S. reached 2,023,517 (including mixed-race individuals) as of 2023, according to the American Community Survey (ACS) released by the U.S. Census Bureau on September 12. This marks a 1.7% (33,998 individuals) increase from the official 2020 Census, when the Korean population stood at 1,989,519, surpassing the 2 million mark.

The ACS is an annual sample survey conducted separately from the decennial Census. Based on this survey, the Census Bureau provides detailed data on various socioeconomic indicators such as population by region and small groups, income, education, and housing conditions for each year.

According to the ACS, Koreans in the U.S. generally have high educational levels, and their median household income approaches or exceeds $100,000 depending on the region. Specifically, the median household income for all Koreans across the U.S. was recorded at $96,430, with Orange County, Southern California, standing out with a notably high median income of $115,917.

Regarding regional population distribution, California had the largest Korean population, totaling 564,443 individuals. In Southern California, Los Angeles County had 213,664 Koreans, and Orange County had 124,801. Among the 2,023,517 Korean Americans, 76.5% were of pure Korean descent (excluding mixed-race individuals). The gender ratio showed that women (53.3%) outnumbered men (46.5%).

The median age of Koreans was 37.3 years, and 14.4% of the population was aged 65 or older. Among Koreans aged 25 and older, 35.8% were college graduates, followed by 23.4% with graduate degrees, 14.8% with high school diplomas, and 5.9% with education below a high school diploma.

There were 986,488 U.S.-born Koreans, while 1,037,029 were born abroad. Among foreign-born Koreans, 58.2% immigrated before 2000, 21.8% after 2020, and 20.0% between 2000 and 2009. Of the 1,900,326 Koreans aged 5 and older, 43.4% spoke only English at home, while 29.3% were classified as limited English speakers. Among 1,010,681 Koreans aged 16 and older employed in the private sector, there were 500,352 men and 510,329 women, showing nearly equal employment rates. Additionally, 7.1% of Koreans in the private sector were self-employed.

The median household income for 724,821 Korean households across the U.S. was $96,430. Individually, the median income was $82,485 for men and $70,534 for women. The rate of uninsured Koreans was 6.1%. The poverty rate among Korean households was 7.2%, while the individual poverty rate for Koreans was 9.6%.

The homeownership rate among Korean households was 56.3%, and 1.4% of Koreans lived in mobile homes, RVs, or vans. Nationwide, Koreans owned 407,834 homes, with a median home value of $589,300. In Los Angeles, the median home value was $915,300, while in Orange County, it was $1,023,300, far exceeding the national average. For Koreans living in apartments, the median rent was $1,873 nationwide, $1,857 in Los Angeles, and $2,343 in Orange County.



<Sehee Roh>