The Korean American population in California has surpassed 600,000 for the first time, reaching a historic milestone according to recent census data.
Data released by the U.S. Census Bureau from the 2025 American Community Survey (ACS) 1-year estimates shows that the total Korean American population in California reached 600,902. This means roughly one in four Korean Americans nationwide resides in the Golden State.
Despite accelerating out-migration trends in California, the Korean American population has maintained steady growth following 564,443 in 2023 and 573,729 in 2024, driven by a continuous influx of immigrants.
State-by-State Breakdown and National Totals
New York holds the second-largest Korean American population at 163,691, marking an 11% increase from the previous year’s 147,548. It is followed by Texas (147,685), New Jersey (126,262), Washington (108,951), Georgia (104,814), Virginia (100,102), Illinois (77,236), Maryland (63,216), and Florida (59,960).
Nationwide, the total Korean American population reached 2,275,795, reflecting a 2.9% increase from the previous year (2,211,632). The national total has continued to climb after first breaking the 2 million mark in 2022 at 2,051,572.
Total Asian Americans nationwide reached 28,964,729. Korean Americans represent the fifth-largest Asian ethnic group, following Chinese (5,971,959), Indian (5,906,267), Filipino (5,155,505), and Vietnamese (2,575,226).
Demographics, Income, and Housing
Nearly half of all Korean Americans nationwideโ1,102,409 people, or about 48%โwere born overseas in countries like South Korea. In California, the foreign-born proportion was even higher at 54.7% (332,257 people), exceeding the national average.
The national median age for Korean Americans stands at 36.7 years, while California’s median age is slightly higher at 41.2 years. Economically, the national median household income for Korean Americans reached $106,366, while California households reported a higher median of $115,647, surpassing the national average. In terms of homeownership, about half of Korean Americans own their homes, with a national homeownership rate of 55.9% and 52.3% in California.
