The following is a list of U.S. cities with large Vietnamese-American populations. They consist of cities with at least 10,000 Vietnamese Americans or where Vietnamese Americans constitute a large percentage of the population. The information contained here was based on the 2010 U.S. census.
Vietnamese-Americans immigrated to the United States in different waves. The first wave of Vietnamese from just before or after the Fall of Saigon/the last day of the Vietnam War, April 30, 1975. They consisted of mostly educated, white collar public servants, senior military officers, and upper and middle class Vietnamese and their families. The second wave came in the 1980s escaping very precariously in boats from the communist regime as boat people. In the 1990s and 2000s, a third wave came from the US's Humanitarian Operation Program, family members of Vietnamese Americans, former prisoners of re-education camps, and Amerasian children of American servicemen who applied for entry into the United States. Vietnamese Americans vary in income level, with some being upper-class while others, particular those who came later, are working-class.
As of 2020, there were nearly 2 million Vietnamese Americans in the United States.
Vietnamese Americans are mainly concentrated in metropolitan areas in the West, including Orange County, California, San Jose, California, and Houston, Texas.
Cities with more than 10,000 Vietnamese Americans These cities have more than 10,000 Vietnamese Americans according to the 2012-2016 American Community Survey, sorted by number. Rank City Number (2016) Percentage (2016) Comment 1 San Jose, California 106,992 10.6 The Pew Research Center has estimated that 143,000 residents in the San Jose, California, metropolitan area were Vietnamese in 2019. 2 Garden Grove, California 52,894 30.3 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California 3 Houston, Texas 38,619 1.7 Little Saigon in Houston is located in Midtown and growing population in Chinatown. 4 San Diego, California 37,606 2.7 Little Saigon in the City Heights neighborhood. 5 Westminster, California 36,689 40.0 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California. City with the most Vietnamese Americans per capita. Its mayor, Chi Charlie Nguyen, is Vietnamese American. 6 Santa Ana, California 24,702 7.4 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California 7 Los Angeles, California 21,981 0.6 Located near Orange County, California Little Saigon in the heart of Chinatown 8 Anaheim, California 17,896 5.2 Located in Orange County, California 9 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 16,682 1.1 Largest community in South Philadelphia. Also, clusters in the Olney and Logan sections as well as parts of the Lower Northeast, Chinatown, and nearby Camden, New Jersey. 10 Arlington, Texas 14,892 3.9 in the Dallas-Fort Worth region 11 San Francisco, California 14,657 1.7 Little Saigon, designated in the Tenderloin District, although population spread throughout city 12 Portland, Oregon 14,116 2.3 Sandy Boulevard was known as "Saigon Blvd." during the mid-1990s, 82nd Avenue has a growing enclave as well as suburban Clackamas County 13 New York, New York 13,864 0.2 Growing enclave within Manhattan's Chinatown. Growing populations in Queens and the Bronx. 14 Garland, Texas 12,486 5.5 In the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex 15 Chicago, Illinois 12,280 0.447 Little Saigon district is located at Chicago's Argyle Street. 16 Seattle, Washington 11,974 1.8 Little Saigon at east end of International District 17 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 11,730 1.9 Little Saigon in Asian District of Central Oklahoma City 18 Boston, Massachusetts 11,614 1.8 Growing enclaves in Dorchester and neighboring city of Quincy. Established within Chinatown. 19 Fountain Valley, California 11,561 20.4 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California 20 Milpitas, California 11,165 15.2 Near San Jose, California
Major cities These cities have more than 500,000 people consisting of at least 2% Vietnamese American in the 2010 census, sorted by percentage. City Percentage Number NoteSan Jose, California 10.6 106,379 San Diego, California 2.8 37,720 Portland, Oregon 2.1 12,806
Medium cities These cities have between 100,000 and 500,000 people and are at least 4% Vietnamese American in the 2010 Census, sorted by percentage. City Percentage Number NoteGarden Grove, California 29.8 52,025 Part of Little Saigon in Orange CountyEl Monte, California 7.5 8,654 Many Chinese-VietnameseSanta Ana, California 7.2 23,907 In Orange CountyGarland, Texas 5.2 12,118 in the Dallas-Fort Worth MetroplexAnaheim, California 5.0 17,192 In Orange CountyArlington, Texas 4.2 16,043 in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex
Small cities These cities have between 10,000 and 100,000 people and consist of at least 6% Vietnamese American in the 2010-15 American Community Survey, sorted by percentage. City Percentage Number NoteWestminster, California 40.3 36,954 The heart of Little Saigon, traditionally considered the center of overseas Vietnamese culture in the US. Located in Orange County, California. The mayor of the city, Chi Charlie Nguyen, is Vietnamese-American.Fountain Valley, California 20.7 11,747 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, CaliforniaStanton, California 16.9 6,526 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, CaliforniaRosemead, California 15.4 8,401 Many Chinese-Vietnamese, who might self-report as either Chinese or VietnameseMilpitas, California 14.9 10,639 Adjacent to San Jose (north)West Falls Church, Virginia 8.5 2,494 Fairfax County, VirginiaSpringfield, Virginia 8.2 2,482 Fairfax County, VirginiaHarvey, Louisiana 8.0 1,628 New Orleans suburbWhite Center, Washington 7.4 1,091 Adjacent to SeattleSan Gabriel, California 6.3 2,524 Many Chinese-Vietnamese
Towns These cities have fewer than 10,000 people and consist of at least 8% Vietnamese American in the 2010 Census, sorted by percentage. City Percentage Number NoteMidway City, California 41.4 3,511 Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, CaliforniaMorrow, Georgia 20.3 1,307 Avondale, Louisiana 20.1 1,048 New Orleans suburbHenderson, Louisiana 18.0 300 Amelia, Louisiana 17.8 437 Bayou La Batre, Alabama 14.5 370 Involved in fisheryLake City, Georgia 13.0 340 Palacios, Texas 8.1 383
Counties Ten largest counties with Vietnamese Americans according to the 2010 Census, sorted by number. Rank County Number (2010) Percentage (2010) Metropolitan Region 1 Orange County, California 227,070 6.1 Greater Los Angeles 2 Santa Clara County, California 153,099 7.1 San Francisco Bay Area: South 3 Los Angeles County, California 122,063 0.9 Los Angeles 4 Harris County, Texas 108,028 2.0 Houston 5 King County, Washington 88,028 1.4 Seattle 6 San Diego County, California 51,030 2.0 San Diego 7 Alameda County, California 30,533 2.0 San Francisco Bay Area: East 8 Tarrant County, Texas 29,128 1.6 Dallas/ Fort Worth 9 Fairfax County, Virginia 28,770 2.7 Greater Washington: Virginia 10 Dallas County, Texas 26,276 1.1 Dallas/Fort Worth
See also Growing Up American Little Saigon Lists of U.S. cities with large ethnic population List of U.S. cities with Asian American majority populations
References
External links Vietnamese American Population Statistics and Demographics