Asian Influx Turns Sin City into Diverse Paradise

Nevada boasts a significant and rapidly expanding Asian population, ranking fourth in the nation with 12.2% of the state’s residents. This growth, particularly concentrated in the Las Vegas area, is fueled by factors like affordable housing and a burgeoning tech industry.

Nevada’s 359,041 Asians make up 12.2% of the state, ranking it fourth in Asian population concentration.  The Silver state has consistently been among the top three in Asian population growth over the past 10-, 5-, and 1-year periods.

Over the past decade Nevada’s Asian population growth has been led by a doubling of the Indian population.  The Chinese and Japanese populations have grown 41% each, while the Korean and Filipino segments have grown by over 30%.  Remarkably, Las Vegas’s Korean population jumped 20% in the past year alone.

Most of Nevada’s Asian population is centered in and around Las Vegas.  The City of Lights is best known for its gaming and entertainment, but a thriving technology sector is playing an increasingly vital role.  Among them are gaming tech companies like DraftKings, as well as a fast-growing healthcare sector.

Over the past decade greater Las Vegas has been the 10^th fastest growing metro area with over 2 million people, just behind the Phoenix area.  Both have attracted large numbers of Californians seeking more affordable housing. The median home price in Las Vegas is half that of Los Angeles.

The neighboring city of Henderson has contributed a surprising 13,000 Asian Americans to the metro area’s Asian American population in the past five years.  That’s the 10th largest increase among all US cities.

Filipinos are the largest Asian group in Henderson, with 15,000 residents accounting for 31% of the city’s Asian population. Filipinos also comprise the largest Asian segment in the neighboring cities of Enterprise and Spring Valley, with 30% and 28%, respectively. Spring Valley, a suburb located two miles west of the Las Vegas strip, saw its Asian population jump 15.5% during the past year to 55,000, or 25% of the town’s 215,597 population.  Half of the 7,400 new Asian residents are of Indian descent.