Over a third of Asian American youths are multiracial

Multiracial individuals (mixed-race or those who are of more than one race) are becoming increasingly common in America, particularly among youths under the age of 18. Over a third (36%) of Asian youths are multiracial, compared to 19% of the total Asian population in the U.S. – half of Asian American youths of East Asian and Southeast Asian ancestries are multiracial, while Asian American youths of South Asian ancestry are overwhelming of a single race. The multiracial percentage of Asian American youths varies widely by Asian subgroup and by U.S. state. The growing multiracial makeup of Asian Americans and the broader U.S. population will have significant implications for demographics, politics, and representation across America.

Multiracial individuals (mixed-race or those who are of more than one race) are becoming increasingly common in America, particularly among youths under the age of 18. According to the latest data from the 2023 American Community Survey (ACS) by the U.S. Census, 53% of American youths under the age of 18 are youths of color.

American youths are more multiracial than their general population

19% of the American youth population identify as multiracial, compared to only 13% of the general U.S. population per the 2023 ACS. Regardless of racial group, the youth population is more multiracial than its respective general population. For instance, 25% of White and 26% of Black youths are multiracial, compared to 16% of their respective populations. Over a third (36%) of Asian youths are multiracial, compared to 19% of the overall Asian population. The multiracial percentage of Hispanic or Latino youths was not available, although 43% of Hispanics or Latinos of any age is multiracial. Worth noting is that the majority of individuals under “Some Other Race” are ethnically Hispanic or Latino. For smaller racial groups such as Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI) and American Indian and Alaskan Native (AIAN), two-thirds of their youth populations identify as multiracial.

Percentage of multiracial Asian Americans increases by each younger generation

There is an estimated 4.8 million multiracial Asians across America, with 2.1 million being Asian youths under the age of 18. The percentage of multiracial Asian Americans increases meaningfully with each younger generation, from 8% of Asian seniors, 12% of adults aged 35 to 64, 21% of young adults aged 18 to 34, to 36% of youths under 18.

Percentage of multiracial Asian youths vary widely by subgroup

The multiracial population of Asian American youths vary widely by Asian subgroups. Asian American youths of East Asian and Southeast Asian ancestries are more likely to be multiracial: 84% of Japanese, 77% of Thai, 72% of Indonesian, 62% of Filipino, 62% of Laotian, 59% of Korean, 58% of Cambodian, and 51% Taiwanese American youths identify as multiracial. In contrast, Asian American youths of South Asian ancestry are overwhelming of a single race: 8% of Bangladeshi, 10% of Nepalese, 14% of Asian Indian, and 36% of Sri Lankan American youths identify as multiracial. Similarly, minority subgroups like Hmong and Burmese American youths are also predominately of a single race with 11% of Hmong and 12% Burmese being multiracial.

Percentage of multiracial Asian youths vary widely across U.S. states

The percentage of multiracial Asian American youths is higher in many states than the national figure and varies widely from state to state. For instance, Asian American youths living in Hawaii (61%) or Utah (60%) are most likely to be multiracial, while Asian American youths living in New Jersey (22%) or New York (26%) are least likely to be multiracial. Although California is home to the largest population of Asian American youths, only 30% (473,000) of the state’s Asian American youth population is multiracial.

Growing implications

America is rapidly becoming more diverse and multiracial with each younger generation. Currently, American youths of color represent 53% of the total U.S. youth population. While multiracial Asian Americans make up less than one-tenth of Asian seniors, they now comprise over a third of Asian American youths. The growing multiracial makeup of Asian Americans and the broader U.S. population will have significant implications for demographics, politics, and representation across America.

Helpful Resources

2023 American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates for All Available Detailed Asian Races (U.S. Census Bureau)