Third-plus Generation Asian American Poverty

• In Event: Asia and Asian American Section Roundtables Session
  In Refereed Roundtable (90 minute): Table 10: Asia and Asian America Section Roundtable - Race and Racism

Abstract

This study examines intergenerational poverty patterns among third-plus-generation Asian Americans in the United States, with particular attention to ethnic heterogeneity and the mechanisms underlying generational differences in poverty risk. Although substantial research has examined the socioeconomic attainment of second-generation Asian Americans, far less attention has been devoted to the third-plus generation. Meanwhile, the third-generation population has been growing and is expected to continue expanding. Using data from the 2014–2024 Current Population Survey Annual Social and Economic Supplement (CPS ASEC), I analyze household heads aged 25–74 (N=281,570) and estimate linear probability models controlling for demographic characteristics, educational attainment, family structure, labor market position, and state fixed effects.

Three main findings emerge. First, both second- and third-generation Asian Americans exhibit higher poverty rates than third-generation Whites after adjustment, challenging the model minority narrative. Second, there is no statistically significant difference in Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM) poverty rates between the second and third generations. Third, substantial ethnic heterogeneity exists: only Chinese Americans display evidence consistent with straight-line assimilation, while other Asian subgroups show little generational improvement.

These findings underscore the importance of disaggregating Asian Americans by ethnicity and call for more nuanced theories of intergenerational mobility and economic incorporation.

Author

• Mia Kogure, University of Kansas