New data captures how economic insecurity, safety fears, and more are impacting AAPIs nationally; "TAAF Cities" initiative expands with $2 million effort to study the needs and challenges of AAPIs in major cities, beginning in New York City.
NEW YORK, July 29, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) unveiled the State of AAPIs, a new research series that provides an unprecedented, detailed look at the lived experiences of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs) nationally and in major metros.
AAPI communities are among the fastest growing and most diverse groups in the U.S., over 25 million strong and encompassing over 50 distinct ethnic groups. Yet their unique struggles are often overlooked in research and policy, even as their populations rapidly expand in cities across America.
That is why since 2021, TAAF has conducted research to understand the AAPI community's most pressing needs, investigating everything from the status and perceptions of AAPIs in American society to the mental health of AAPI youth. With the State of AAPIs, TAAF is launching its largest research effort to date, investing over $2 million to collect robust, disaggregated city-level data on the community's greatest barriers and opportunities to achieve safety, belonging, and prosperity. Beginning with today's release of a national report to set a baseline of the lived experiences of AAPIs across the country, paired with a first-of-its-kind, borough-level primary data analysis of AAPIs in New York City, TAAF will use the findings to convene leaders across sectors and drive solutions through its "TAAF Cities" initiative.
"AAPIs are too often treated as a monolith and a Model Minority. This research provides insight into the genuine hardships and real concerns for millions of people," said Norman Chen, CEO of TAAF. "With our State of AAPIs research series, we're taking the critical step of understanding AAPIs' needs at a granular level and giving local and national decision-makers the data they need to address our community's biggest challenges."
The State of AAPIs national report offers a close look at how AAPIs are navigating economic insecurity, safety concerns, and feelings of belonging. According to a nationally representative survey of 1,500 AAPI adults:
- 51% struggled to save money or build financial security in the past 12 months, a figure that rose to 60% or higher among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI), Vietnamese, and Korean respondents.
- When asked to choose from a list of income-disrupting experiences, 37% experienced a significant income disruption in the past year, including 51% of NHPI respondents and 46% of Korean respondents.
- 31% struggled to access safe and stable housing and 30% received government or community assistance in the past year, with nearly as many (28%) reporting difficulty accessing those benefits.
- More than half adopted avoidance behaviors, such as carrying identification or avoiding certain places out of fear of bias from police or immigration officials, rising to 62% among Vietnamese respondents.
- 37% believe it is at least somewhat likely they will be a victim of a hate attack in the next five years.
New York City tells a similar story. According to a survey of 1,400 AAPI New Yorkers, representative at the city and borough-levels, TAAF found that:
- NYC has long been seen as a beacon of opportunity, and many AAPIs (67%) still agree. But 55% of survey respondents say they have considered leaving NYC at least sometimes as the cost of living rises.
- 59% struggled to save toward a financial future, and 50% worried about affording essentials like food, housing, and utilities, in the past year.
- More than 1 in 3 AAPIs (37%) experienced adverse treatment in the past year in their borough; the number reached 48% among Bangladeshi respondents and 58% among AAPIs in Staten Island. 36% said they felt unwelcome at least some of the time, in the last 12 months, in public spaces because of their race or cultural background.
- More than 1 in 4 AAPIs said they faced challenges related to voting (27%), accessing immigration services (28%), and everyday communication due to language barriers (29%) in the past year.
The National and City surveys were weighted to be representative (of the country and city and borough respectively) and with the ability to disaggregate into key ethnic groups (with margins of error of +/-2.53% and +/-2.6% respectively). TAAF's NYC report was also informed by interviews with 50 experts in government, community-based organizations, philanthropy, the private sector, industry associations, and cultural institutions. The full State of AAPIs National and NYC reports are available at taaf.org.
As part of its evolving strategy to meet the needs of AAPIs across the country, TAAF launched its "TAAF Cities" initiative in May 2025 to engage leaders across sectors to invest in and develop innovative solutions that promote economic opportunity, safety, and cultural pride in cities where AAPIs reside. TAAF Cities follows a four-part model to maximize impact, first researching the needs of AAPI communities, convening cross-sector leaders to shape solutions, piloting the most promising ones locally, and then scaling what works nationally.
Using the TAAF Cities model, TAAF will publish State of AAPIs reports focused on additional cities of interest with large AAPI populations, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle. Each city report will be based on data gathered from a large, multilingual representative survey of AAPI respondents, paired with insights collected from focus groups and interviews with local experts and community leaders.
About The Asian American Foundation (TAAF)
TAAF serves the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community by promoting safety, fostering belonging, and advancing prosperity. Launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and to address the long-standing underinvestment in AAPI communities, we invest in initiatives to combat anti-Asian hate, integrate AAPI studies into school curricula, elevate authentic AAPI storytelling, and expand resources and representation for our communities. Through our high-impact initiatives, events, and investments in national and local nonprofits, we're creating a permanent and irrevocable sense of belonging for millions of AAPIs in the United States. For additional information about TAAF, please visit www.taaf.org or follow @TAAForg on Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, or Facebook.
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SOURCE The Asian American Foundation
