Darker colors indicate counties with higher percentage of Vietnamese population, from 2000 US Census
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.
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.
| Comment |
|---|
| 5 | Westminster, California | 36,689 | 40.0 | Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California. City with the most Vietnamese Americans per capita. Mayor of the city, Tri Ta is Vietnamese-American. |
| 2 | Garden Grove, California | 52,894 | 30.3 | Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California |
| 18 | Fountain Valley, California | 11,561 | 20.4 | Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California |
| 19 | Milpitas, California | 11,165 | 15.2 | Near San Jose, California. The mayor of the city Rich Tran is Vietnamese American.[1] |
| 1 | San Jose, California | 106,992 | 10.6 | City with the most Vietnamese Americans in the United States and outside of Vietnam. |
| 6 | Santa Ana, California | 24,702 | 7.4 | Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California |
| 14 | Garland, Texas | 12,486 | 5.5 | In the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex |
| 8 | Anaheim, California | 17,896 | 5.2 | Located in Orange County, California |
| 10 | Arlington, Texas | 14,892 | 3.9 | in the Dallas-Fort Worth region |
| 4 | San Diego, California | 37,606 | 2.7 | Little Saigon in the City Heights neighborhood. |
| 12 | Portland, Oregon | 14,116 | 2.3 | Sandy Blvd. was known as "Saigon Blvd." during the mid-90s, 82nd Ave. has a growing enclave as well as suburban Clackamas County |
| 16 | Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 11,730 | 1.9 | Little Saigon in Asian District of Central OKC |
| 15 | Seattle, Washington | 11,974 | 1.8 | Little Saigon at east end of International District |
| 17 | Boston, Massachusetts | 11,614 | 1.8 | Growing enclaves in Dorchester and neighboring city of Quincy. Established within Chinatown. |
| 3 | Houston, Texas | 38,619 | 1.7 | Little Saigon in Houston is located in Midtown and growing population in Chinatown. |
| 11 | San Francisco, California | 14,657 | 1.7 | Little Saigon, designated in the Tenderloin District, although population spread throughout city |
| 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. |
| 7 | Los Angeles, California | 21,981 | 0.6 | Located near Orange County, California Little Saigon in the heart of Chinatown |
| 13 | New York, New York | 13,864 | 0.2 | Growing enclave within Manhattan's Chinatown. Growing populations in Queens and the Bronx. |
Major cities
These cities have more than 500,000 people consisting of at least 2% Vietnamese American in the 2010 census, sorted by percentage.
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.
| Note |
|---|
| Garden Grove, California | 29.8 | 52,025 | Part of Little Saigon in Orange County |
| El Monte, California | 7.5 | 8,654 | Many Chinese-Vietnamese |
| Santa Ana, California | 7.2 | 23,907 | In Orange County |
| Garland, Texas | 5.2 | 12,118 | in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex |
| Anaheim, California | 5.0 | 17,192 | In Orange County |
| Arlington, 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.
| Note |
|---|
| Westminster, 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, Tri Ta, is Vietnamese-American. |
| Fountain Valley, California | 20.7 | 11,747 | Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California |
| Stanton, California | 16.9 | 6,526 | Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California |
| Rosemead, California | 15.4 | 8,401 | Many Chinese-Vietnamese, who might self-report as either Chinese or Vietnamese |
| Milpitas, California | 14.9 | 10,639 | Adjacent to San Jose (north) |
| West Falls Church, Virginia | 8.5 | 2,494 | Fairfax County, Virginia |
| Springfield, Virginia | 8.2 | 2,482 | Fairfax County, Virginia |
| Harvey, Louisiana | 8.0 | 1,628 | New Orleans suburb |
| White Center, Washington | 7.4 | 1,091 | Adjacent to Seattle |
| San 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.
| Note |
|---|
| Midway City, California | 41.4 | 3,511 | Part of Little Saigon in Orange County, California |
| Morrow, Georgia | 20.3 | 1,307 | |
| Avondale, Louisiana | 20.1 | 1048 | New Orleans suburb |
| Henderson, Louisiana | 18.0 | 300 | |
| Amelia, Louisiana | 17.8 | 437 | |
| Bayou La Batre, Alabama | 14.5 | 370 | Involved in fishery |
| Lake 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.
|
| 2 | Santa Clara County, California | 125,695 | 7.1 | San Francisco Bay Area: South |
| 1 | Orange County, California | 183,766 | 6.1 | Greater Los Angeles |
| 9 | Fairfax County, Virginia | 28,770 | 2.7 | Greater Washington: Virginia |
| 4 | Harris County, Texas | 80,409 | 2.0 | Houston |
| 6 | King County, Washington | 38,726 | 2.0 | Seattle |
| 7 | Alameda County, California | 30,533 | 2.0 | San Francisco Bay Area: East |
| 8 | Tarrant County, Texas | 29,128 | 1.6 | Dallas/ Fort Worth |
| 5 | San Diego County, California | 44,202 | 1.4 | San Diego |
| 10 | Dallas County, Texas | 26,276 | 1.1 | Dallas/Fort Worth |
| 3 | Los Angeles County, California | 87,468 | 0.9 | Los Angeles |
References
