For decades, AAPIs have been boxed into a single, restrictive narrative: quiet, high-achieving, and immune to systemic barriers. But a multi-million-dollar landmark initiative is finally bringing the hidden struggles of over 25 million people out of the shadows—exposing a stark disconnect between public perception and lived reality.
A landmark research series released by The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) turns that false narrative on its head. Titled "The State of AAPIs," the multi-million-dollar initiative offers an unprecedented, disaggregated look into the lived experiences of over 25 million AAPI individuals across the country — highlighting deep-seated economic precarity, persistent fear for safety, and systemic barriers to basic resources.
"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.
A national reality: Financial strain and constant vigilance
TAAF’s findings paint a sobering picture of life for AAPI communities nationwide. Based on a representative survey of 1,500 adults, the report reveals that over half of respondents (51%) struggled to build financial security or save money over the past year.That economic burden falls unevenly across ethnic groups, soaring to 60% or higher among Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander (NHPI), Vietnamese, and Korean respondents.
Furthermore, 37% of respondents suffered major income disruptions, a hardship felt most acutely by NHPI (51%) and Korean (46%) Americans.
Financial hardship has directly impacted basic living stability. Roughly 31% of AAPIs nationwide struggled to secure safe, stable housing, while 30% relied on government or community assistance programs just to get by. Even worse, nearly as many—28%—reported severe difficulty actually navigating the system to access those critical safety-net benefits.
Beyond financial survival, safety remains a looming shadow. Over half of AAPI adults nationwide have changed their daily habits out of fear of bias from law enforcement or immigration officials—a figure that leaps to 62% among Vietnamese respondents. Look ahead, 37% of AAPIs believe it is likely they will fall victim to a hate attack within the next five years, underscoring a pervasive climate of anxiety.
Financial hardship has directly impacted basic living stability. Roughly 31% of AAPIs nationwide struggled to secure safe, stable housing, while 30% relied on government or community assistance programs just to get by. Even worse, nearly as many—28%—reported severe difficulty actually navigating the system to access those critical safety-net benefits.
Beyond financial survival, safety remains a looming shadow. Over half of AAPI adults nationwide have changed their daily habits out of fear of bias from law enforcement or immigration officials—a figure that leaps to 62% among Vietnamese respondents. Look ahead, 37% of AAPIs believe it is likely they will fall victim to a hate attack within the next five years, underscoring a pervasive climate of anxiety.
Borough by borough: The struggle in New York City
While 67% of AAPI New Yorkers still view the city as a beacon of opportunity, rising living costs are testing their resilience: 55% admit they have considered moving away from NYC. Nearly 60% struggled to save for their financial futures, and half worry constantly about affording basic necessities like food, utilities, and rent.
Discrimination remains a routine obstacle. Over 1 in 3 AAPI New Yorkers (37%) experienced adverse treatment in their borough over the past year—a rate that spikes dramatically to 48% among Bangladeshi residents and a staggering 58% among AAPIs in Staten Island. In public spaces, 36% felt unwelcome simply because of their race or cultural heritage.
Institutional barriers compound these everyday challenges, with more than a quarter facing language barriers in daily communication (29%), hurdles when accessing immigration services (28%), and obstacles at the ballot box (27%).
Driving Local Action: The "TAAF Cities" Model
"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," says TAAF's Chen.
Rather than letting the data gather dust, TAAF is using these findings to drive on-the-ground solutions through its TAAF Cities initiative launched in May 2025. The initiative follows a four-part model: researching localized needs, convening cross-sector leaders, piloting community-led solutions, and scaling successful programs nationally.
Rather than letting the data gather dust, TAAF is using these findings to drive on-the-ground solutions through its TAAF Cities initiative launched in May 2025. The initiative follows a four-part model: researching localized needs, convening cross-sector leaders, piloting community-led solutions, and scaling successful programs nationally.
Following the inaugural New York City report, TAAF plans to roll out detailed reports and multilingual surveys for other major metropolitan hubs with large AAPI populations, including Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Data alone won't erase decades of stereotyping or cure systemic inequality, but disaggregating these numbers is a critical start. By replacing a convenient myth with hard-earned truths, TAAF's initiative gives local leaders the blueprint they need to build genuine safety, financial dignity, and belonging for millions who have gone unseen for far too long.
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