LITTLE SAIGON,
ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND
ECONOMIC PROFILE
Presented by Woods Center for Economic Analysis and Forecasting iCalifornia State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
LITTLE SAIGON,
ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND
ECONOMIC PROFILE
Prepared by
Woods Center for Economic Analysis and Forecasting
College of Business and Economics
California State University, Fullerton
Anil Puri, Ph.D.
Project Director
Aaron Popp, Ph.D.
Project Co-Director
Adrian Fleissig, Ph.D.
Project Co-Director
OCTOBER 2024
iiCalifornia State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
FOREWORD
(ZHMLSSV^I\ZPULZZHUKJVTT\UP[`SLHKLY0HTOVUVYLK[VZOHY L^P[O`V\[OLÄYZ[ ever economic report on Little Saigon—a historic moment for our community. Little Saigon has long been a symbol of resilience and entrepreneurial spirit, serving as a thriving center for Vietnamese Americans and a key part of our region's economy. The 3P[[SL:HPNVU6YHUNL*V\U[`!(+LTVNYHWOPJHUK,JVUVTPJ7YVÄSL THYRZHUPTWVY[HU[ TPSLZ[VULPUV\YLɈVY[Z[V\UKLYZ[HUKHUKN\PKL[OLM\[\YLVMV\YJVTT\UP[` I want to thank the teams at Cal State Fullerton—especially the University Advancement, College of Business and Economics, Woods Center for Economic Analysis and Forecasting and the Small Business Development Center—for their support in producing this invaluable report.
;OPZZ[\K`VɈLYZJY\JPHSPUZPNO[ZPU[V^OLYL^LZ[HUK[VKH`OP NOSPNO[PUNRL`[YLUKZHUK opportunities that will shape our growth. Whether you’re a seasoned business owner or an aspiring entrepreneur, the data and analysis in this report will help you make informed decisions for the future and guide strategic actions to drive success and development within the community.
Little Saigon’s success has always been rooted in its people and our shared commitment to collaboration. I encourage all of us to use this analysis as a tool to drive collective growth and ensure that Little Saigon remains a beacon of cultural and economic vitality for years to come.
Together, we can continue building a prosperous future for our community.
Go Titans,
;oT;5N\`ҩU4+4)(
CSUF MBA Class of 2005
*OHPY*:<-7OPSHU[OYVWPJ-V\UKH[PVU)VHYKVM.V]LYUVYZ 7YV\K3P[[SL:HPNVU)\ZPULZZ6^ULY(K]HUJL)LH\[`*VSSLNL
iiiCalifornia State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
FOREWORD
At the College of Business and Economics, we are guided by dual missions: an “academic” mission to provide thought leadership through research, and a “community” mission to drive positive impact in our region. The inaugural Little Saigon Demographic and ,JVUVTPJ7YVÄSLPZHÄYZ[VMP[ZRPUKZ[\K`OPNOSPNO[PUN[OLPU JYLKPISLWYVNYLZZTHKL I`=PL[UHTLZL(TLYPJHUZPU6YHUNL*V\U[`V]LY[OLWHZ[ÄM[``LH YZ0[HSZVZLY]LZHZH ILUJOTHYRHSSV^PUN\Z[VLɈLJ[P]LS`WSHUMVY[OLJVU[PU\LKNYV^ [OVM[OPZJVTT\UP[`PU the future.
The report provides a comprehensive look at the expanding geographical boundaries of Little Saigon, now encompassing Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, Santa Ana and Westminster. It also captures key shifts in the demographic and economic landscape of Little Saigon, illustrating the strides made by the Vietnamese American community.
While this progress is impressive, there remains important work ahead to help this JVTT\UP[`HJOPL]LM\SSLJVUVTPJWHYP[`^P[OPU6YHUNL*V\U[`;O PZW\ISPJH[PVUVɈLYZ essential insights for policymakers, business leaders and other stakeholders to inform future actions and decisions.
I want to express my sincere thanks to Dr. Tam Nguyen for his leadership and for commissioning this project, as well as to Cal State Fullerton and the OCIE SBDC for their support. I am also incredibly proud of the team at the Woods Center for Economic Analysis and Forecasting for their outstanding work on this report, which will serve as a cornerstone for the continued development of Little Saigon and our region. +Y:YPKOHY:\UKHYHT
Dean, College of Business and Economics
ivCalifornia State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
TABLE OF CONTENTS
I. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................1 II. LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY DEFINED ............................. 2 III. DEMOGRAPHICS ............................................................................... 9 IV. ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS................................................... 12 V. SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS........................................................... 18 VI. HOUSING .......................................................................................... 21 VII. INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT.............................................................. 23 VIII. BUSINESS CHARACTERISTICS ...................................................... 26 IX. FUTURE TRENDS FOR LITTLE SAIGON........................................ 26 Data appendices are available upon request.
Please contact Anil Puri via email
([email protected]) for
more information.
1California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
LITTLE SAIGON,
ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND
ECONOMIC PROFILE
I. INTRODUCTION
After the Fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975, 1.5 million to 2.5 million Vietnamese residents LTPNYH[LKHIYVHK;OLÄYZ[^H]LVMPTTPNYHU[ZHYYP]LKPU[OL<UP[LK:[H[LZPU
and the second wave was prolonged between 1978 and the early 1990s. Vietnamese communities became established throughout the U.S. The largest are in Orange County, San Diego and San Jose, California; Arlington, Garland and Houston, Texas; Boston, Massachusetts; Falls Church, Virginia; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Seattle, Washington. These communities established their own restaurants, grocery stores, and small businesses in geographically concentrated areas and their own economic, social, and cultural identities.
Growth of Little Saigon, Orange County
The largest and oldest Vietnamese community in the U.S. is in Orange County, California.
Bolsa Avenue in the city of Westminster became a hub in the beginning and remains a center of activity, with many shops, restaurants, and businesses surrounding the Asian Garden Mall and Little Saigon Plaza. The city of Westminster passed Resolution No. 2661 in April 1988, to recognize the Little Saigon area as a commercial area of the Vietnamese JVTT\UP[`HUKKLZPNUH[LKH
TPSLZ[YL[JOVM)VSZH(]LU\LHZ[OL3P[[SL:HPNVU
Tourist Commercial District. Then California Governor George Deukmejian went to the (ZPHU.HYKLU4HSSVU1\UL
[VVɉJPHSS`YLJVNUPaL[OL3P[[SL:HPNVU+PZ[YPJ[HZH commercial and tourism center in Orange County. Community activist and Westminster City Councilman Tony Lam played a prominent role in promoting the Little Saigon freeway signs. Governor Deukmejian introduced the directional signs to the Little Saigon HYLHMYVT0U[LYZ[H[L
HUK:[H[L9V\[LPU ;OL
MYLL^H`MYVT)VSZH*OPJH
to Magnolia Avenue was designated the “Little Saigon Freeway.” Little Saigon continued to expand into neighboring cities. In addition to multiple restaurants, delis, supermarkets, strip mall s, and banks (First Vietnamese American Bank and Saigon National Bank most noteworthy), media and entertainment industries began to grow in the area, including Vietnamese newspapers, magazines, radio stations, and Vietnamese language TV stations.
The Asian Garden Mall and Village Center is an iconic landmark in Little Saigon. This [^VZ[VY`I\PSKPUNOV\ZLZ(ZPHU.HYKLU4HSS7O̡ҿJ3ҽJ;Oұ^OPJOVWLULKPU
on Bolsa Avenue. Developer Frank Jao built it for $15 million. The Asian Garden Mall has many shops, restaurants, and entert ainment businesses. During summer weekend nights, it hosts the Asian Garden Night Market.
2California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
News media and television stations led the growth of cultural and entertainment outlets.
Ethnic newspapers included The Little Saigon News, Vien Dong Daily News , =Pҫ[)mV Daily News, and the newspapers of Nguoi Viet. Little Saigon Radio and Radio Bolsa are two popular Vietnamese radio stations. There were also broadcasts of Little Saigon TV, SBTN TV, VietFace TV, VNATV, and Saigon TV.
The Vietnamese Lunar New Year, known as ;ң[-LZ[P]HS;ң[5N\`vUǘmU , stands as the pinnacle of Vietnamese cultural celebration each year. It celebrates the new spring season, marking a time for families to come together in joyous reunions. Amidst JVSVYM\SMLZ[P]P[PLZ;ң[VɈLYZHYLZWP[LMYVT[OL[YPHSZVM[OLWHZ[`LHYMVZ[LYPUNOVWL and anticipation for the year ahead. It is a cherished occasion where bonds are strengthened, and optimism reigns supreme.
;OLHUU\HS;ң[JLSLIYH[PVUZHYLOLSKHJYVZZ6YHUNL*V\U[`PUJS\KPUNH[[OL(ZPHU Garden Mall, Mile Square Regional Park in Fountain Valley, Garden Grove, and Santa Ana. The Vietnamese American Chamber of Commerce has been celebrating it since
;OL6*-HPYHUK,]LU[*LU[LYOHKP[Z[OHUU\HS;ң[MLZ[P]HSPUJLSLIYH[PUN the Year of the Dragon. Thousands of people attend the celebration, which is broadcast SP]LVUSVJHS=PL[UHTLZLSHUN\HNL;=HUKYHKPVZ[H[PVUZ)` [OLMLZ[P]HSH[[YHJ[LK over 15,000 attendees, with additional viewership estimated to be 250,000 globally across multiple streaming and TV channels. Orange County’s Little Saigon remains the SHYNLZ[HUKTVZ[PUÅ\LU[PHSJVTT\UP[`MVY=PL[UHTLZL(TLYPJHUZ PU[OL<UP[LK:[H[LZ II. LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY DEFINED
<ZPUNHWVW\SH[PVUIHZLKHWWYVHJO\ZLKPU[OLHJHKLTPJSP[LYH[\ YL[VKPZ[PUN\PZO L[OUPJLUJSH]LZ^LKLÄUL3P[[SL:HPNVUHZHJVSSLJ[PVUVMULPNOIVYOVVKZ^P[OH Z\IZ[HU[PHSWVW\SH[PVUVM=PL[UHTLZLYLZPKLU[Z:WLJPÄJHSS`^L\ZLK(TLYPJHU *VTT\UP[`:\Y]L`KH[HHUKKLJLUUPHSJLUZ\ZKH[HOPZ[VYPJHSS` [VÄUKHUHKQHJLU[ collection of census tracts, including the historical Little Saigon boundary, where the population of people who are Vietnamese alone or Vietnamese in combination with other races is 30% or more of the population1. These criteria yield the borders for Little Saigon using 2021 American Community Survey estimates in Figure 1. Table 2 lists the JLUZ\Z[YHJ[ZVM3P[[SL:HPNVUHUK[OLPY=PL[UHTLZLWVW\SH[PVUMVYJLUZ\Z[YHJ[ZPU Little Saigon according to 2021 American Community Survey data. ;OLHYLHPU[OLIV\UKHYPLZJVU[HPUZHULZ[PTH[LK
VM[OLWVW\SH[PVUPU6YHUNL
County describing themselves as Vietname se alone in the 2021 American Community :\Y]L`Ä]L`LHYLZ[PTH[LZ
VM
2.
1;OL*LUZ\Z^HZ[OLÄYZ[[VHSSV^YLZWVUKLU[Z[VJOVVZL[^VVYTVYLYHJLZZVKH[HMYVT[OL *LUZ\ZHUK *LUZ\Z\ZL[OLZOHYLVM[OLWVW\SH[PVU[OH[PZ=PL[UHTLZLHSVUL 2+7
SPUL
+L[HPSLK[HISLZYLMLYYLK[VPU[OLYLWVY[HYLH]HPSHISL\WVUYLX\LZ[ Orange County’s
Little Saigon remains
the largest and most
influential community for
Vietnamese Americans in
the United States.
3California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
The criteria we use do not require the ethnic Vietnamese percentage to be a majority of the area’s population, which is consistent with the literature on ethnic enclaves. For example, Logan et al. (2011)3 discuss that past studies have had a variety of criteria that LɈLJ[P]LS`YHUNLKMYVT
[V
VMH[YHJ[»ZWVW\SH[PVUHUKV\Y
JYP[LYPVUPZPU
the upper part of the range for similar criteria of ethnic enclaves. >LKVUV[Z\NNLZ[[OH[[OLIVYKLYZVM3P[[SL:HPNVU\ZLKPU[OPZYLWVY[KLÄULH neighborhood that excludes other large ethnic groups. Instead, the borders of 3P[[SL:HPNVUKLSPTP[HJVUULJ[LKHYLH^OLYLHZPNUPÄJHU[ZOHYL VM[OLWVW\SH[PVUPZ =PL[UHTLZL;OLKLÄUP[PVUVM3P[[SL:HPNVU^L\ZLKVLZUV[HZZ\ TL[OH[[OLHYLHPZ HUL[OUPJLUJSH]LZVSLS`PUÅ\LUJLKI`=PL[UHTLZLJ\S[\YLHUKSHUN\HNL-VYL_HTWSL 2VYLH[V^UPU.HYKLU.YV]LPZPUZPKL[OLIV\UKHY`^LKLÄULHUK[OLYLHYLSHYNL Hispanic neighborhoods on the west side of Santa Ana. Instead, the borders of Little Saigon have a substantial share of the population having Vietnamese heritage.
The borders of Little
Saigon delimit a
connected area where a
significant share of the
population is Vietnamese.
33VNHU1VOU9:L[O:WPLSTHU/VUN^LP?\HUK7OPSPW52SLPU 0KLU[PM`PUNHUKIV\UKPUNL[OUPJ ULPNOIVYOVVKZ <YIHU.LVNYHWO`UV!
FIGURE 1: 2021 Borders of Little Saigon
4California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
*LUZ\Z;YHJ[ ;V[HS7VW\SH[PVU =PL[UHTLZL7VW \SH[PVU
=PL[UHTLZL
3,852 78.8
889.05 3,558 72.0
998.03 5,893
65.6
889.02
63.0
5,167 60.8
992.23 5,538 3,116 56.3
890.01 6,083 3,329
889.01 6,729 3,592
889.03
52.6
2,836
887.02 6,001 3,130 52.2
992.22
52.1 992.03 5,386 2,776 51.5
888.02
2,759 51.1
997.01 6,550 3,306 50.5
3,190
997.02
998.02
2,178
881.07 6,175
887.01
2,696
5,737
999.03 5,610
880.01
1,911
880.02
1,713
881.05
1,876
992.26 3,777 37.8
886.01
37.7
888.01 7,657
883.01 5,797 2,078 35.8
881.06
35.7
882.03 5,207 1,835 35.2
886.02
1,538
996.01 7,510 2,573
992.27 5,910 2,018
6,517 2,192 33.6
890.03
33.5
997.03
1,881 33.2
992.25 1,307 32.3
992.02
32.1
998.01 6,260 1,930 30.8
883.02 6,287 1,919 30.5
TABLE 2: CENSUS TRACTS OF LITTLE SAIGON, 2021
5California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
To see how Little Saigon has expanded in Orange County, the decennial census from 1980, 1990, and 2000, and American Community Survey data from 2005 and 2021 are used. Figure 3 below shows the boundaries of Little Saigon based on 2021 American Community Survey data.
FIGURE 3: POPULATION-BASED BORDERS OF LITTLE SAIGON OVER TIME
6California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
Comparison with Other Definitions of Little Saigon
Our delineation of Little Saigon over time broadly agrees with formal and informal OPZ[VYPJHSKLÄUP[PVUZVMP[
The Little Saigon business district designated by former Governor Deukmejian in 1988 was bounded by Euclid Street to the east, Magnolia Street to the west, Westminster Boulevard to the north, and Bolsa Avenue to the south. Today, the Vietnamese JVTT\UP[`OHZL_WHUKLKIL`VUK[OVZLIV\UKHYPLZ-PN\YLPZMYV THU Orange County Register article in 2013, and it shows the original Little Saigon boundaries and their assessment of the boundaries of Little Saigon businesses at that time. ¸3P[[SL:HPNVU[\YUZ
¹I`+V\N4VYPUVHUK2LUKYH(ISHaH;OL6YHUNL*V\U[`9LNPZ[LY 1\UL
FIGURE 4: APPROXIMATE BORDERS OF LITTLE SAIGON IN 2013 ACCORDING TO THE OC REGISTER
7California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
6\Y WVW\SH[PVUIHZLKLZ[PTH[LZVM3P[[SL:HPNVULUJVTWHZZ TVZ[VM[OLLHZ[LYU end of the original Little Saigon boundaries, and the western end of the original boundaries included many Vietnamese businesses and the Asian Garden Mall.
Compared to our map based on the 2015 population, the Orange County Register ’s assessment matches well, except that the Register’s review of Little Saigon business IV\UKHYPLZYLHJOLZSLZZMHYUVY[OPU.HYKLU.YV]L[OHUV\YZ;O PZKPɈLYLUJLTHRLZ sense since many neighborhoods in the northern part of Garden Grove are primarily residential, not commercial, and the Register’s assessment was based on areas with Vietnamese businesses.
>LILSPL]L[OH[HU`SHUN\HNLIHZLKKLÄUP[PVUVM3P[[SL:HPNVU^V\SKILZPTPSHY[VV\Y YLZ\S[ZZPUJLHSSJLUZ\Z[YHJ[ZPUV\YKLÄUP[PVUVM3P[[SL:HPN VUJVU[HPUHZ\IZ[HU[PHS share of residents who speak Vietnamese at home as illustrated in Figure 5 below.
FIGURE 5: NUMBER OF PEOPLE SPEAKING VIETNAMESE AT HOME (2022 ACS)
8California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
Estimation of Economic and Demographic Statistics for Little Saigon In sections below, we examine the economic and demographic characteristics of Little Saigon residents and compare them to Orange County residents. Little Saigon is not HUVɉJPHSS`KLZPNUH[LKJP[`VYV[OLYQ\YPZKPJ[PVUZV[OL<UP[LK:[H[LZ*LUZ\Z)\YLH\ HUKV[OLYNV]LYUTLU[HNLUJPLZKVUV[OH]LHU`VɉJPHSLZ[PTH[LZVMZ[H[PZ[PJZHIV\[P[ However, the Census Bureau conducts the American Community Survey (ACS), which estimates national, state, county, and local economic and demographic information HUU\HSS`;OL*LUZ\ZJVUZ[Y\J[Z[OLMVSSV^PUNKH[HWYVÄSLYLWVY[Z[VKPZ[YPI\[L JVTTVUS`YLX\LZ[LKPUMVYTH[PVUHIV\[KPɈLYLU[Q\YPZKPJ[PVUZ! 7!:LSLJ[LK:VJPHS*OHYHJ[LYPZ[PJZ
7!:LSLJ[LK,JVUVTPJ*OHYHJ[LYPZ[PJZ
7!:LSLJ[LK/V\ZPUN*OHYHJ[LYPZ[PJZ
7
!(*:+LTVNYHWOPJHUK/V\ZPUN,Z[PTH[LZ
We collected these reports for Orange County, and we constructed estimates of these statistics for Little Saigon building up from the census tract level 5. ;OLLZ[PTH[LZPU[OLKH[HWYVÄSLZOH]L[OYLLKPɈLYLU[[`WLZVMZ[H[PZ[PJZ!JV\U[ZTLHUZ and medians. We estimate counts for Little Saigon, such as the total Vietnamese WVW\SH[PVUVM3P[[SL:HPNVUI`Z\TTPUN[OLLZ[PTH[LZVM[OLJV\U[ZHJYVZZHSS3P[[SL Saigon census tracts in Table 2 from the American Community Survey. We estimate means, such as the mean commuting time, using the weighted mean of the estimates across the Little Saigon census tracts. We estimate medians, such as median household income, using the weighted median of the estimates across Little Saigon JLUZ\Z[YHJ[Z>LKVUV[OH]LHJJLZZ[V[OLJVUÄKLU[PHSYH^YLZWVUZLZVM[OL(*: ZV[OLLZ[PTH[LZ^LWYVK\JLMVY3P[[SL:HPNVUHYLUV[VɉJPHSLZ[PTH[LZMYVT[OL<: Census Bureau. Instead, they are our best estimates based on publicly available data.
Another common statistic in the report is the percentage, such as the percentage of the population that is Vietnamese. We estimate these percentages using the appropriate counts of those variables6.
We use the latest available data from the ACS as of the writing of this report, which are the 2022 ACS estimates while using mostly the latest 2021 Little Saigon boundaries. >L\ZL[OL
`LHYLZ[PTH[LZ^OPJOJVTIPULÄ]L`LHYZVMZ\Y]L`KH[HMVYIL[[LY accuracy at the local level.
5;OLKL[HPSLK[HISLZHYLH]HPSHISL\WVUYLX\LZ[
6-VYL_HTWSL[V[HS=PL[UHTLZLWVW\SH[PVU[V[HSWVW\SH[PVU Little Saigon is not an
officially designated
city or other jurisdiction,
so the United States
Census Bureau and other
government agencies
do not have any official
estimates of statistics
about it. However, the
Census Bureau conducts
the American Community
Survey (ACS), which
estimates national, state,
county, and local economic
and demographic
information annually.
9California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
III. DEMOGRAPHICS
Little Saigon’s population has grown over time at a rate faster than that of Orange County as a whole. Table 6 below shows the growth of Little Saigon and the Vietnamese population between 1980 and 2022:
The table shows that the Vietnamese population has grown substantially. As of 2022, the WVW\SH[PVUVM3P[[SL:HPNVUZ[VVKH[ ^OPSL[OH[VM6YHUNL*V\U[`^HZ
making Little Saigon’s population 7.2% of Orange County8. However, much of the population growth is due to immigration from Vietnam over this period, as explained later in this section. ;OLHNLWYVÄSLVM3P[[SL:HPNVUPZVSKLY[OHU[OH[VM6YHUNL*V\U[`ZPUJL[OLTLKPHUHNLVM WLVWSLPU3P[[SL:HPNVUH[`LHYZPZVSKLY[OHUMVY6YHUNL*V\U[` `LHYZ9 as of 2022. For L_HTWSL
VM3P[[SL:HPNVU»ZWVW\SH[PVUPZILSV^ `LHYZVMHNLJVTWHYLK[V
for Orange County10;OLZOHYLVMHNLNYV\WPZ MVY3P[[SL:HPNVUHUK
MVY
Orange County110UV[OLY^VYKZ3P[[SL:HPNVU»ZWVW\SH[PVUZOHYLVM[OVZLILSV^HNL PZ
SV^LY[OHU[OH[MVY6YHUNL*V\U[`
]LYZ\Z
12. 3P[[SL:HPNVUOHZHSHYNLYZOHYLVM[OLWVW\SH[PVUPUTPKKSLHU KVSKLYHNLZMYVT `LHYZ
HUKVSKLY;OLNYV\W
PZ
VM3P[[SL:HPNVU»ZWVW\SH[PVU JVTWHYLK[V
PU
Orange County 13
VM3P[[SL:HPNVU»ZWVW\SH[PVUPZ
HUKVSKLYJVTWHYLK [V
for Orange County.
(NL:L_WVW\SH[PVUW`YHTPKZWYV]PKLHTVYLKL[HPSLKWYVÄSLMVYHNLHZ^LSSHZZL_HZ shown below in Figure 715.
7:V\YJLZ! *LUZ\Z *LUZ\ZHUK*LUZ\ZZ\TTHY`ÄSLZ"(*:+7 YV^Z
HUK
8;HISL+7
SPUL
9;HISL+7
SPUL
10;HISL+7
SPUL
11*VTW\[LKMYVT;HISL+7
SPULZHUK
12*VTW\[LKMYVT;HISL+7
SPULZHUK
13*VTW\[LKMYVT;HISL+7
SPULZHUK
;HISL+7
SPUL
15*VTW\[LK\ZPUN(TLYPJHU*VTT\UP[`:\Y]L`
`LHYLZ[PTH[LZMVYLHJOHNLWYVÄSL
@LHY
=PL[UHTLZL
7VWPU
3P[[SL:HPNVU
;V[HS7VWPU
3P[[SL:HPNVU
=PL[UHTLZL
7VWPU
6YHUNL*V\U[`
;V[HS7VWVM
6YHUNL*V\U[`
VM
=PL[UHTLZL
PU3P[[SL:HPNVU
=PL[UHTLZL
VM
6YHUNL*V\U[`
1980 19,333 1,932,709 1.0
1990
71,822
5.8 3.0
2000
109,562
33.0
2010 57,771 127,213 170,256 2,965,525 33.9 5.7
2015
195,351 3,116,069 6.3
2022 99,585
3,175,227
6.8
TABLE 6: LITTLE SAIGON AND ORANGE COUNTY POPULATION, 1980-2022 7 10California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
)V[OYLNPVUZOH]LOLHS[O`^LSSKPZ[YPI\[LKWYVÄSLZ^OLYLUVZPUNSLJVOVY[KVTPUH[LZ the pyramid.
FIGURE 7: LITTLE SAIGON’S AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION PYRAMID, 2022 -4.4%
-5.4%
-6.1%
-6.8%
-5.8%
-7.9%
-7.2%
-6.2%
-5.5%
-8.0%
-7.3%
-7.4%
-6.8%
-5.2%
-3.6%
-2.3%
-2.1%
-2.1%
5.0%
4.8%
6.0%
7.0%
6.5%
6.9%
6.5%
5.3%
6.0%
7.7%
6.9%
7.1%
6.7%
5.1%
4.2%
3.4%
2.4%
2.7%
-10.0% -8.0% -6.0% -4.0% -2.0% 0.0% 2.0% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% 10.0% -
Under 5 years
5 to 9 years 10
to 14 years 15
to 19 years 20
to 24 years 25
to 29 years 30
to 34 years 35
to 39 years 40
to 44 years 45
to 49 years 50
to 54 years 55
to 59 years 60
to 64 years 65
to 69 years 70
to 74 years 75
to 79 years 80
to 84 years 85
years & over
Males Females
-*55-&4"*(0/"(&4&9%*453*#65*0/
FIGURE 8: ORANGE COUNTY’S AGE AND SEX DISTRIBUTION PYRAMID, 2022 -5.7%
-5.8%
-6.6%
-6.8%
-6.7%
-7.5%
-7.2%
-6.9%
-6.4%
-6.7%
-7.0%
-6.9%
-6.1%
-4.6%
-3.7%
-2.4%
-1.5%
-1.6%
5.3%
5.5%
6.2%
6.5%
6.5%
7.0%
6.7%
6.4%
6.4%
6.7%
6.9%
6.7%
6.1%
5.0%
4.2%
2.9%
2.1%
2.7%
-10.0% -8.0% -6.0% -4.0% -2.0% 0.0% 2.0% 4.0% 6.0% 8.0% -
Under 5 years
5 to 9 years 10
to 14 years 15
to 19 years 20
to 24 years 25
to 29 years 30
to 34 years 35
to 39 years 40
to 44 years 45
to 49 years 50
to 54 years 55
to 59 years 60
to 64 years 65
to 69 years 70
to 74 years 75
to 79 years 80
to 84 years 85
years & over
Males F emales
03"/(&$06/5:"(&4&9%*453*#65*0/
11California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
In terms of racial makeup, 92.3% of Little Saigon residents reported being of a single race, while the proportion was 88% for Orange County 16. Of these, 23.3% were White alone, 1.15% Black alone, and 52.8% Asian alone for Little Saigon, while the proportions for Orange County were 50.2% White alone, 1.7% Black alone, and 21.7% Asian alone170U3P[[SL:HPNVU
VM[OLWVW\SH[PVUYLWVY[LKILPUN=PL[UHTLZL
while the proportion was 6.8% for Orange County 18.
Finally, of the total population, 28.5% in Little Saigon reported being of Hispanic origin, while the proportion was 33.9% for Orange County 19. There is a substantial proportion of people of Hispanic origin in the Little Saigon area, though as a percentage, it is smaller than that for the county.
Place of Birth and Citizenship
Little Saigon makes up 7.2% of the Orange County population, of which 50.6% are UH[P]LIVYUJVTWHYLK[V
MVY6YHUNL*V\U[`0UV[OLY^VYKZ
VM[OL3P[[SL
:HPNVUWVW\SH[PVUPZMVYLPNUIVYUJVTWHYLK[V
MVY6YHUNL *V\U[`20. Of those
MVYLPNUIVYU
VM[OL3P[[SL:HPNVUWVW\SH[PVUPZUH[\YHSP aLKJVTWHYLK[V
of the overall county population 216M[OLMVYLPNUIVYU
VM[OL3P[[SL:HPNVU
WVW\SH[PVUPZUVUJP[PaLUJVTWHYLK[V
MVY6YHUNL*V\U[` [OLZLJV\SKIL
people with immigrant or other kind of visas) 226M[OLMVYLPNUIVYUYLZPKLU[Z
PU
Little Saigon come from Asia and 22.6% from Latin America, compared to 51.2% and
38.9%, respectively, for Orange County 23.
English as the only language spoken at home occurs in 28.7% of Little Saigon OV\ZLOVSKZJVTWHYLK[V
MVY6YHUNL*V\U[` . Where English is not the only
language spoken, 39.8% speak it “less than well” in Little Saigon compared to 18% in Orange County 25:WHUPZOPZZWVRLUH[
VM[OL3P[[SL:HPNVUOVTLZJVTWHYL K[V
MVY[OLJV\U[`26;OLZOHYLVM(ZPHUHUK7HJPÄJ0ZSHUKLYSHUN\HNLZWLHRLYZPZ
PU3P[[SL:HPNVUHUK
MVY[OLJV\U[` 27.
16*VTW\[LK\ZPUN;HISL+7
SPUL
17;HISL+7
SPULZ
HUK
18;HISL+7
SPUL
19;HISL+7
SPUL
20;HISL+7SPUL
21;HISL+7SPUL
22;HISL+7SPUL
23;HISL+7SPULZ
HUK
;HISL+7SPUL
25;HISL+7SPUL
26;HISL+7SPUL
27;HISL+7SPUL
49.4% of the Little Saigon
population is foreign-
born compared to 29.5%
for Orange County.
The share of Asian and
Pacific Islander language
speakers is 46.8% in
Little Saigon and 15.3%
for the county.
12California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
IV. ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF PEOPLE IN
LITTLE SAIGON
This section describes the general economic ch aracteristics of residents of Little Saigon compared to Orange County in 2022. A discussion of Little Saigon from businesses’ perspective is in Section VIII below.
Employment and Unemployment
Little Saigon has a weaker labor market than Orange County as shown by key labor market indicators. The unemployment rate calculates the percentage of the labor force (employed and unemployed) who do not have a job but are actively looking for one. Little Saigon had HOPNOLY\ULTWSV`TLU[YH[LHUKHSV^LYLTWSV`TLU[WVW\SH[PVUYH[PV[OHU6YHUNL*V\U[` in 2022. The unemployment rate of Little Saigon was 6.7%, which was higher than the 6YHUNL*V\U[`\ULTWSV`TLU[YH[LVM
28. Figure 9 below shows the unemployment
rate in Little Saigon by census tract in 2022 with Little Saigon’s borders in purple:
28;HISL+7SPUL
Little Saigon has a
weaker labor market
than Orange County
as shown by key labor
market indicators.
FIGURE 9: UNEMPLOYMENT RATE BY CENSUS TRACT
13California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
;OL\ULTWSV`TLU[YH[LZKPɈLY^P[OPU3P[[SL:HPNVU;OLOPNOLZ[\ULTWSV`TLU[YH[LZ within Little Saigon were in the southern parts east of Mile Square Regional Park and the neighborhood around and south of the Asian Garden Mall, where unemployment rates are above 15%. The lowest unemployment rates are in the northern part of Garden Grove and along Westminster Ave. in the eastern part of Little Saigon where unemployment rates are below 5%.
;OLLTWSV`TLU[WVW\SH[PVUYH[PVPZ[OLWLYJLU[HNLVM[OLWVW\SH[PVU `LHYZVYVSKLY
[OH[PZLTWSV`LKHUKHSV^LYLTWSV`TLU[WVW\SH[PVUYH[PVTLHUZ[OH[ML^LYHK\S[ZHYL ^VYRPUN;OLLTWSV`TLU[WVW\SH[PVUYH[PVPU^HZ
PU3P[[SL:HPNVU]LYZ\Z
62% in Orange County
29. ;OLSV^LYLTWSV`TLU[WVW\SH[PVUYH[PVPU3P[[SL:HPNVUYLÅLJ[ZSV^LYWHY[PJPWH[PVUI` Little Saigon residents in the workforce. Several factors could contribute to this lower participation. First, Little Saigon residents are older and more likely to be closer to retirement age than the typical Orange County residents. As noted above, 16.5% of 3P[[SL:HPNVUYLZPKLU[ZPU^LYL
`LHYZHUKVSKLY]LYZ\Z
VM6YHUNL*V\U[`
residents30;OLTLKPHUHNLVM3P[[SL:HPNVUYLZPKLU[Z^HZ`LHYZ]LYZ\Z `LHYZ for Orange County residents 31. Second, Little Saigon residents of typical working age HYLTVYLSPRLS`[VILKPZHISLK0U3P[[SL:HPNVUHIV\[
VMYLZPKLU[Z [V
`LHYZ
old were disabled versus 6.2% in Orange County 32. Third, Little Saigon families with young children are more likely to have a parent staying at home than Orange County families. Of workers with children under 6 years old, 61.1% of them were in households with all parents in the labor force versus 65.6% in Orange County 333VUN[LYT KPɈLYLUJLZPUMLTHSLSHIVYMVYJLWHY[PJPWH[PVUJHUUV[L_WSHPUS V^LYV]LYHSSSHIVYMVYJL WHY[PJPWH[PVU>OPSL[OLLTWSV`TLU[WVW\SH[PVUYH[PVMVY^VTLUPZSV^LYPU3P[[SL:HPNVU compared to Orange County (52.1% vs. 55.8%), the gap between Little Saigon’s and 6YHUNL*V\U[`»ZLTWSV`TLU[WVW\SH[PVUYH[PVMVYTLUPZMHYSHYNLY
]Z
.
Childcare, disability, and an aging workforce are all also reasons why the national LTWSV`TLU[WVW\SH[PVUYH[PVOHZILLUMHSSPUN 35.
29*HSJ\SH[LKHZLTWSV`TLU[WVW\SH[PVU
HUKV]LY\ZPUN;HISL+7YV^ZHUK
30;HISL+7
SPUL
31;HISL+7
SPUL
32;HISL+7SPUL
33;HISL+7YV^
;HISL+7YV^ZHUK^P[OTHSL]HS\L$[V[HS]HS\L¶MLTHSL]HS\L 35(ZKPZJ\ZZLKPU(IYHOHT2H[OHYPUL.HUK4LSPZZH:2LHYUL` ,_WSHPUPUN[OL+LJSPULPU[OL <:,TWSV`TLU[[V7VW\SH[PVU9H[PV!(9L]PL^VM[OL,]PKLUJL 1V\YUHSVM,JVUVTPJ3P[LYH[\YL
!
¶
The lower employment-
population ratio in Little
Saigon reflects lower
participation by Little
Saigon residents in
the workforce.
14California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
Occupations and Industries
This subsection describes the occupations, industries, and classes of the 108,266 workers who lived in Little Saigon in 2022 36. Occupation estimates describe the kind of work that people do on the job. Industry describes the kind of business conducted I`[OLPYLTWSV`LY;OLJSHZZVM^VYRLYKLÄULZ[OL[`WLVMV^ULY ZOPWVM[OL workers’ employers.
>VYRLYZ^OVSP]LPU3P[[SL:HPNVUHYLTVYLSPRLS`[VILLTWSV`LKPUZLY]PJLHUK WYVK\J[PVUYLSH[LKVJJ\WH[PVUZHUKSLZZSPRLS`[VILLTWSV`LKPU^OP[LJVSSHY VJJ\WH[PVUZ
VM^VYRLYZPU6YHUNL*V\U[`HYLLTWSV`LKPUTHUHNLTLU[ I\ZPULZZZJPLUJLHUKHY[ZYLSH[LKVJJ\WH[PVUZVUS`HIV\[ VM^VYRLYZPU
Little Saigon are employed in these occupations 37. On the other hand, 22.5% of Little :HPNVU^VYRLYZHYLPUZLY]PJLVJJ\WH[PVUZ]LYZ\Z
PU6YHUNL*V\U[`HUK
VM3P[[SL:HPNVU^VYRLYZHYLPUWYVK\J[PVU[YHUZWVY[H[PVUHUKTH[LYPHSTV]PUN occupations versus 10.1% in Orange County38;OPZKPɈLYLUJLTH`ILJH\ZLKI`[OL fact that fewer Little Saigon workers have a college degree which is more likely to be YLX\PYLKMVY^OP[LJVSSHYQVIZ(SZVTHU`VM[OLPUP[PHS^H]LVM=PL[UHTLZLYLM\NLLZ[V [OL<UP[LK:[H[LZ^LYL^LSSLK\JH[LKWYVMLZZPVUHSZI\[SHUN\HN LIHYYPLYZHUKV[OLY YLHZVUZMVYJLKTHU`MVYTLY^OP[LJVSSHY^VYRLYZPU[VYL[HPSZH SLZHUKIS\LJVSSHY work39. As later sections in our report show, manufacturing employment within Little Saigon’s boundaries has fallen substantially since 2002, forcing many of Little Saigon’s manufacturing workers to commute out of Little Saigon for work.
The industry employment in Little Saigon is consistent with the occupation data. 7YVMLZZPVUHSÄUHUJPHSOPNO[LJOHUKHKTPUPZ[YH[P]LPUK\Z[YPLZOH]LML^LY3P[[SL:HPNVU ^VYRLYZ
^OPSL[OLYH[PVPZ
MVY6YHUNL*V\U[`/V^L]LY[OLYLPZHOPNOLY
proportion of Little Saigon workers in services, 39.1% (excluding public administration), compared to 35.7% for Orange County. 16.8% of Little Saigon workers were employed in manufacturing versus 11.7% for Orange County in 2022.
Little Saigon workers are slightly less likely to be employed by the government than Orange County workers. 81.8% of Little Saigon workers were private wage and salary workers compared to 80.8% in Orange County, and 10.7% worked for the government in Little Saigon compared to 11.5% in Orange County:LSMLTWSV`TLU[YH[LZ^LYL ZPTPSHYPU3P[[SL:HPNVUHUK6YHUNL*V\U[`"Q\Z[V]LY
VM^VYRLYZ^LYLZLSMLTWSV`LK
in Little Saigon and Orange County.
36;HISL+7YV^
37;HISL+7YV^
38;HISL+7YV^Z HUK
39+L[HPSLKZ\Y]L`KH[HPZJVSSLJ[LKPU5N\`LU3PLT;HUK(SHU)/LURPU =PL[UHTLZLYLM\NLLZPU [OL<UP[LK:[H[LZ!(KHW[H[PVUHUK[YHUZP[PVUHSZ[H[\Z ;OL1V\YUHSVM,[OUPJ:[\KPLZ ! *VTW\[LK\ZPUN;HISL+7SPULZHUK ;HISL+7SPUL
;HISL+7SPULZ
HUK
;HISL+7SPUL
Workers who live in Little
Saigon are more likely to
be employed in service-
and production-related
occupations and less
likely to be employed in
white-collar occupations.
15California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
Income Profile
Little Saigon’s median household income lags Orange County’s but has been recovering since the Great Recession. Median household income was $79,911 in Little Saigon census tracts in 2022 compared to $109,361 in Orange County. In other words, median household income was 27.8% lower in Little Saigon compared to Orange County. Little Saigon households are about half as likely to be earning over $200,000 JVTWHYLK[V6YHUNL*V\U[`V]LYHSS^P[O
VM3P[[SL:HPNVUOV\ZLOVSKZLHYUPUN
more than $200,000 compared to 22.3% in Orange County. Median household incomes are the highest in the more recent expansions of Little Saigon in Fountain Valley to the south and Garden Grove to the north and the lowest in Westminster to the west:
;HISL+7YV^
FIGURE 10: MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME BY CENSUS TRACT (2022 ACS)
16California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
-HTPS`Z[H[\ZVMOV\ZLOVSKZJHUUV[L_WSHPUT\JOVM[OLKPɈLYLUJLPUOV\ZLOVSK income between Little Saigon and Orange County. The median household income of nonfamily households (i.e., roommates) in Little Saigon was 65.5% of nonfamily OV\ZLOVSKZPU6YHUNL*V\U[`
]Z
. Family households’ incomes
in Little Saigon also lag household incomes in Orange County. Little Saigon’s median family household (excludes people living together as roommates) income was $85,156, ^OPJO^HZ
VM6YHUNL*V\U[`»ZTLKPHUH[
.
Since household incomes are lower in Little Saigon, poverty rates here are higher compared to Orange County: 6.8% of Orange County families are in poverty, while the proportion is 11.1% for Little Saigon
. Poverty rates by household and population
groups are also consistently higher in Litt le Saigon for almost all demographic groups. /PZ[VYPJHSPUJVTLKH[HPU;HISLZ\NNLZ[Z[OH[3P[[SL:HPNVUZ\ɈLYLKTVYLPU[OL aftermath of the Great Recession. It has been recovering slowly and is catching up to the rest of Orange County, especially in areas where Little Saigon has recently expanded. Table 11 below shows the median household income data for 2010, 2015, and 2022 for Little Saigon. As Little Saigon has expanded over that period, we include TLKPHUOV\ZLOVSKPUJVTLLZ[PTH[LZIHZLKVUV\Y HUKKLÄUP[PVUZVM
Little Saigon to allow a comparison of the regions over time. 4LKPHUOV\ZLOVSKPUJVTLZPU3P[[SL:HPNVU^LYL
PU
PU
HUK
T\JOOPNOLYH[
PU\ZPUNJVU[LTWVYHY`KLÄUP[PVUZVM3P[[SL:HPNVU4LKPHU household income fell between 2010 and 2015 while it rose in Orange County by this measure, and median household income grew at over a 5% rate in Little Saigon and Orange County between 2015 and 2022. This growth caused Little Saigon’s median OV\ZLOVSKPUJVTLHZHWLYJLU[HNLVM6YHUNL*V\U[`»ZPUJVTL[VMHSSMYVT
PU
2010 to 67.2% in 2015. Little Saigon’s median household income recovered to 73.1% of Orange County’s level by 2022. The industries and occupations of Little Saigon workers could explain the slow recovery from the Great Recession since the recovery was Z[YVUNLZ[PU[OL[`WPJHSS`OPNOLYWH`PUN^OP[LJVSSHYHUKOPNO [LJOPUK\Z[YPLZ
;HISL+7YV^
;HISL+7SPUL
;HISL+7SPUL
)HZLKVUKPќLYLU[]LYZPVUZVM;HISL+7^LJHSJ\SH[LKMVYKPќLYLU[KLÄUP[PVUZVM3P[[SL:HPNVUHUK KPќLYLU[`LHYZ
Little Saigon suffered
more in the aftermath
of the Great Recession.
It has been recovering
slowly and is catching
up to the rest of Orange
County, especially in
areas where Little Saigon
has recently expanded.
4,+0(5/6<:,/63+05*64, (55<(30A,+.96>;/9(;,:
@LHY 3:HYLHPU
2010
3:HYLHPU
2015
3:HYLHPU
2021 OC 3:HYLHPU
2010
3:HYLHPU
2015
3:HYLHPU
2021 OC
2010
$55,536 $58,357
2015
$76,509
0.6 2022 $70,583 $75,982 $79,911 $109,361 5.5 5.7 6.5 5.2 TABLE 11: NOMINAL MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IN LITTLE SAIGON AND ORANGE COUNTY, 2010-2022 17California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
The income data in Table 11 shows that the older core of Little Saigon (LS area in 2010) has had slower income growth compared to the newer areas of Little Saigon. While TLKPHUOV\ZLOVSKPUJVTL\ZPUN[OLSHYNLY3P[[SL:HPNVUIV\UKHY`^HZ
OPNOLY
in 2010 compared to median household income in the 2010 boundary, it was 13.2% higher by 2022. The data suggests that Little Saigon is expanding into areas that have been growing faster in recent times.
Wealth
While we cannot observe the wealth of Little Saigon residents using American Community Survey data, we can use Internal Revenue Service (IRS) data for rough estimates of income from interest, dividends, and other assets that provide income, and we can infer some aspects of wealth in Little Saigon compared to Orange County.
The IRS’s Statistics of Income data provided tallies of the number of returns and amount on each return of income, deductions, and other tax information by zip code, from which we estimated how much of each zip code was in the Little Saigon area to attribute the tax data to Little Saigon.
6\YLɈVY[ZZ\NNLZ[[OH[Q\Z[HZ3P[[SL:HPNVU»ZPUJVTLSHNZ6YH UNL*V\U[`»ZP[Z wealth also lags Orange County as of 2021. Little Saigon residents have less than half [OLZOHYLVM[OLPYPUJVTLMYVTZV\YJLZV[OLY[OHU^HNLZHUKILULÄ[ZJVTWHYLK[V Orange County residents. While 11.8% of income in Little Saigon is from sources other [OHU^HNLZHUKILULÄ[Z6YHUNL*V\U[`YLZPKLU[ZLHYU
VM[OLPYPUJVTLMYVT
these sources
. Fewer Little Saigon residents report interest and dividend income 50, and Little Saigon residents are also less likely to report cryptocurrency holdings than 6YHUNL*V\U[`YLZPKLU[Z
VMYL[\YUZPU3P[[SL:HPNVUHUK
PU6YHUNL*V\U[`51.
Fewer Little Saigon residents also report capital gains income (18.3%) compared to Orange County (27.8%)52.
Commuting
Little Saigon workers have a longer commute and are more likely to travel to work by car than the typical Orange County and American workers. On average, American workers spent 26.7 minutes per workday on their commute in 202253. Orange County workers had a longer average commute of 27.3 minutes, and Little Saigon residents had an even longer average commute of 28.3 minutes
.
*HSJ\SH[LK\ZPUN;HISL@@@SPULZ HUK
50;HISL@@@SPULZHUK
51;HISL@@@SPUL
52;HISL@@@SPUL
53O[[WZ!KH[HJLUZ\ZNV][HISL(*:+7
@+7
;HISL+7YV^
Little Saigon residents
have less than half the
share of their income
from sources other than
wages and benefits
compared to Orange
County residents.
Little Saigon workers have
a longer commute and
are more likely to travel
to work by car than the
typical Orange County
and American workers.
18California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
Commuting Destinations
Commuting destinations in 2021 can be described using data from LODES (The 3VUNP[\KPUHS,TWSV`LY/V\ZLOVSK+`UHTPJZVM[OL*LU[LYMVY,JVUVTPJ:[\KPLZH[[OL Census Bureau). LODES data shows Little Saigon residents are more likely to commute to somewhere within Orange County than the typical Orange County resident. Of [OL
^VYRLYZJVTT\[PUNMYVT3P[[SL:HPNVU
JVTT\[L[VHUV[OLY
location within Little Saigon, and 55,250 (57%) commute to somewhere in the rest of 6YHUNL*V\U[`6MV[OLY6YHUNL*V\U[`YLZPKLU[Z JVTT\[L[V3P[[SL
Saigon, and 795,985 (63.6%) commute to the rest of Orange County. About 92% of Little Saigon’s workers commute somewhere within Orange or Los Angeles counties, I\[KLZWP[L3P[[SL:HPNVU»ZHJJLZZ[V3VZ(UNLSLZ*V\U[`]PH0 HUK:93P[[SL
Saigon residents are less likely to commute to Los Angeles County than the typical 6YHUNL*V\U[`YLZPKLU[
]Z
(IV\[
VM3P[[SL:HPNVUZJVTT\[LYZ
travel to each of Riverside, San Bernardino, or San Diego counties.
Method of Commute and Working from Home
Little Saigon residents are more likely to commute by car, less likely to walk, and less likely to work from home than the typical Orange County resident. In 2022, 88% of Little :HPNVU^VYRLYZJVTT\[LKI`JHYJVTWHYLK[V
VM6YHUNL*V\U[`YLZPKLU[Z
55. While more Little Saigon workers drove to work, they were more likely to carpool (13.1%) than Orange County workers (9%)56.
Fewer Little Saigon workers work from home than Orange County workers, which L_WSHPUZT\JOVM[OLKPɈLYLUJLPUJVTT\[PUNTL[OVKZ0U VM3P[[SL:HPNVU
^VYRLYZ[LSLJVTT\[LKMYVTOVTLJVTWHYLK[V
VM6YHUNL*V\U[`^VYRLYZ57.
Little Saigon workers are less likely to work from home, partly because they are less likely to work in occupations that encourage work from home, like business and management, and more likely to work in occupations where telecommuting is less common, such as manufacturing 58.
V. SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS
This section describes some of the social characteristics of the Little Saigon population, those related to household livi ng arrangements, school enrollment, and educational attainment.
55;HISL+7YV^Z HUK
56;HISL+7YV^
57;HISL+7YV^
58;HISL+7YV^Z
HUK4VYLPUMVYTH[PVUVUVJJ\WH[PVUZTVYLSPRLS`[VIL^VYRMYVT OVTLOLYL!O[[WZ!^^^ISZNV]JHYLLYV\[SVVRHY[PJSL[LSL^VYRO[T Little Saigon residents are
more likely to commute
by car, less likely to
walk, and less likely to
work from home than the
typical Orange County
resident. Fewer Little
Saigon workers work from
home than Orange County
workers, which explains
much of the difference in
commuting methods.
19California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
Household Living Arrangements
Little Saigon has fewer unmarried women living on their own and cohabiting couples (living together in a relationship but unmarried) compared to Orange County. While the overall proportion of married couple households is similar in Little Saigon and Orange County (52.1% versus 53.7%), Little Saigon has fewer cohabitating couple OV\ZLOVSKZ[OHU6YHUNL*V\U[`
]LYZ\Z
59. There is a larger proportion of
male households with no spouse/partner (19.3%) in Little Saigon compared to Orange County (15.7%), but not for female households with no spouse/partner60. While there are fewer households of women living alone in Little Saigon, 8.9%, than male, 9.1%, [OLZOHYLVMSP]PUNHSVULMLTHSLOV\ZLOVSKZPU3P[[SL:HPNVUPZ Z\IZ[HU[PHSS`SV^LY[OHU PU6YHUNL*V\U[`
]LYZ\Z
61. There are also more households with one or
more people over 65 in Little Saigon (37.3%) than in Orange County (31.3%)62.
A somewhat larger share of Little Saigon residents over 15 have never married
THSLZHUK
MLTHSLJVTWHYLK[V[OVZLPU6YHUNL*V\U [`HZH^OVSL (38.1% males and 32.2% females) 63. However, compared to Orange County, a larger proportion of Little Saigon males are divorced (7.1% versus 6.9%) than females (9.8% versus 11.1%)
.
The birth rate also is slightly higher in Little Saigon in Orange County. Per 1,000 women
[V
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in 2022656M[OL^VTLUHNLK
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Saigon, 23.5% were widowed, divorced, or never married compared to 20.8% in Orange County 66.
Little Saigon’s grandparents are more likely to live with their grandchildren under 18 years since Little Saigon accounts for 11.1% of Orange County households living with their grandchildren compared to the share of the region’s households in Orange County (6.3%)67. However, fewer grandparents in Little Saigon are solely responsible for their NYHUKJOPSKYLUJVTWHYLK[V6YHUNL*V\U[`
]Z
68. Also, a much higher
proportion of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren under 18 are married
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69.
59;HISL+7SPULZ
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61;HISL+7SPUL
62;HISL+7SPUL
63;HISL+7SPULZ
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65;HISL+7SPUL
66;HISL+7SPUL
67;HISL+7SPULZHUK
68;HISL+7SPUL
69;HISL+7SPUL
Little Saigon has fewer
unmarried women
living on their own and
cohabiting couples (living
together in a relationship
but unmarried) compared
to Orange County.
Little Saigon’s
grandparents are more
likely to live with their
grandchildren under
18 years.
20California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
School Enrollment and Educational Attainment
Table 12 below shows the percentage of the population enrolled in school by the type of school. Fewer of those in school in Little Saigon attend preschool and kindergarten than in Orange County, though their shares are roughly equivalent to the rest of the county for higher grades. However, a much higher percentage attend college, 35.8% for Little Saigon compared to 33.9% for the county. It is possible that the parents in the Little Saigon area like to keep and teach younger children at home, though the cohort VMZ[\KLU[ZÄ]L`LHYZHUK`V\UNLYPZYLSH[P]LS`ZTHSSLYPU3P[[SL:HPNVUJVTWHYLK[V Orange County as suggested by the population pyramid in the Demographics section. +PɈLYLUJLZPUZJOVVSH[[LUKHUJLZOV^\WPU[OLSL]LSVMLK\JH[PVUHSH[[HPUTLU[HZ shown in Table 13 below.
A much higher percentage of Little Saigon residents over age 25 have less than 9th grade education (13.7% versus 7.3% for Orange County) or no high school diploma (11.2% for Little Saigon versus 5.9% for Orange County). However, compared to the county, the region also has a larger proportion of its residents over age 25 with only OPNOZJOVVSNYHK\H[PVUVYLX\P]HSLUJ`
]LYZ\Z
)\[[OL3P[[SL:HPNVUHYLH
OHZML^LYYLZPKLU[Z^P[OJVSSLNLKLNYLLZH[HSSSL]LSZ;OLLɈLJ[ZVMZ\JOLK\JH[PVUHS H[[HPUTLU[WH[[LYUZHYLYLÅLJ[LKPU[OLYLZPKLU[Z»QVIZHZKPZ J\ZZLKPU[OL,JVUVTPJ Characteristics section of this report.
70;HISL+7SPULZ
71;HISL+7SPULZ
:JOVVS,UYVSSTLU[
7VW\SH[PVU`LHYZHUKV]LYLUYVSSLKPUZJOVVS 3P[[SL:HPNVU 6YHUNL*V\U[` Nursery school, preschool 3.7% 5.9%
Kindergarten 3.5%
,SLTLU[HY`ZJOVVSNYHKLZ 35.0% 35.7%
/PNOZJOVVSNYHKLZ 21.9% 20.1%
College or graduate school 35.8% 33.9%
TABLE 12: SCHOOL ENROLLMENT IN LITTLE SAIGON AND ORANGE COUNTY, 2022 70 ,K\JH[PVUHS([[HPUTLU[
7VW\SH[PVU
`LHYZHUKV]LY 3P[[SL:HPNVU 6YHUNL*V\U[`
Less than 9th grade 13.7% 7.3%
9th to 12th grade, no diploma 11.2% 5.9%
High school graduate (includes equivalency)
17.3%
Some college, no degree 17.8% 19.2%
Associate's degree 8.0% 7.6%
Bachelor's degree
26.9%
Graduate or professional degree
15.8%
TABLE 13: EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT IN LITTLE SAIGON AND ORANGE COUNTY, 2022 71 21California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
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Housing Size and Tenure
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Housing units in Little
Saigon tend to be
smaller but have higher
occupancy than Orange
County, and the typical
housing unit is older than
in Orange County. The
average household size
is larger in Little Saigon
compared to Orange
County for both owner-
occupied and renter-
occupied homes.
22California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
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Rents and Housing Costs
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Vehicle Ownership
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Since housing units in
Little Saigon are smaller
and older compared to
Orange County, the median
housing price is lower in
Little Saigon compared to
Orange County. However,
Little Saigon residents
were relatively more likely
to have paid off their
mortgage compared to
those in Orange County.
As housing prices and the
size of housing units are
lower in Little Saigon than
in Orange County, rents
are also lower.
23California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
VM[OL3P[[SL:HPNVUV^UVUL]LOPJSLJVTWHYLK[V
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VII. INDUSTRY EMPLOYMENT
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Little Saigon’s largest
industry by establishments
is Health Care and Social
Assistance
95, with 7,163
establishments, almost
10 times more than the
next two largest sectors,
Accommodation and Food
Services, and Retail Trade.
24California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
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:LJVUK3P[[SL:HPNVUI\ZPULZZLZWH`ZPNUPÄJHU[S`SLZZPUZVTLZLJ[VYZWLYLTWSV`LL JVTWHYLK[V6YHUNL*V\U[`I\ZPULZZLZ5VPUK\Z[Y`WH`ZTVYLWLYLTWSV`LLPU3P[[SL :HPNVU[OHUPU6YHUNL*V\U[`>OPSL[OLH]LYHNLWH`YVSSWLYLTWSV`LLKPќLYLUJLZTH`IL JH\ZLKWHY[S`I`YLS`PUNVUTVYLWHY[[PTL^VYRLYZH]LYHNLWH`YVSSWLYLTWSV`LLPZVUS`
VM6YHUNL*V\U[`PU[OL0UMVYTH[PVUPUK\Z[Y`
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(]LYHNLWH`YVSS
WLYLTWSV`LLPZSLZZ[OHU
VM6YHUNL*V\U[`PU7YVMLZZPVUHSHUK;LJOUPJHS:LY]PJLZ
"
]Z
"/LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS(ZZPZ[HUJL
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-PUHUJLHUK0UZ\YHUJL
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"HUK4HU\MHJ[\YPUN
"
]Z
;OLH]LYHNLWH`YVSSWLYLTWSV`LLPU3P[[SL:HPNVUPZJSVZLZ[ [V6YHUNL*V\U[`PU[OL;YHUZWVY[H[PVUHUK>HYLOV\ZPUNPUK\Z[Y` "
]Z
:PUJL/LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS(ZZPZ[HUJLPZ[OLSHYNLZ[PUK\Z[Y`PU3P[[SL:HPNVUP[Z H]LYHNLWH`YVSSKPќLYLUJLZHYLVMWHY[PJ\SHYJVUJLYU;OPZWH`YVSSKPќLYLUJLPZWHY[S`JH\ZLK I`[OLSHJRVMSHYNLOVZWP[HSZ^P[OLTLYNLUJ`ZLY]PJLZHUKYLSH[P]LS`OPNOS`WHPKKVJ[VYZPU 3P[[SL:HPNVU5VULVM[OLOVZWP[HSZPU6YHUNL*V\U[`^P[OLTLYNLUJ`KLWHY[TLU[ZHYL ^P[OPU3P[[SL:HPNVU»ZIV\UKHY`
;OLSV^LYH]LYHNLWH`YVSSPU[OLV[OLYPUK\Z[YPLZJV\SKIL L_WSHPULKI`KPќLYLUJLZPULK\JH[PVUSL]LSZ6[OLYHYLHZSPRL0Y]PULOH]LHOPNOLYWLYJLU[HNL VM[OLWVW\SH[PVU^P[OH[SLHZ[HJVSSLNLKLNYLL^OPJO^V\SKH[[YHJ[TVYLOPNO[LJO THU\MHJ[\YPUNHUK^OP[LJVSSHYLTWSV`LYZ
97(ZVM(\N\Z[HJJVYKPUN[V[OL6YHUNL*V\U[`/LHS[O*HYL(NLUJ`!O[[WZ!VJOLHS[OPUMVJVT WYV]PKLYZWHY[ULYZLTLYNLUJ`TLKPJHSZLY]PJLZLTZZ`Z[LTWYV]PKLYZLTZOVZWP[HSZ;OL[^V JSVZLZ[OVZWP[HSZHYL<*0/LHS[O-V\U[HPU=HSSL`^OPJOPZQ\Z[ZV\[OVM[OLZV\[OLYUIV\UKHY`VM3P[[SL :HPNVUHUK.HYKLU.YV]L/VZWP[HSHUK4LKPJHS*LU[LY^OPJOPZLHZ[VM3P[[SL:HPNVU First, the average
employment of Little
Saigon establishments is
less than half (41.8%) of
Orange County businesses
and average payroll per
establishment in Little
Saigon was less than a
quarter (23%) of Orange
County businesses, which
suggests that Little
Saigon has more small
businesses compared to
Orange County.
None of the 24 hospitals
in Orange County with
emergency departments
are within Little Saigon’s
boundary.
25California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
LODES Industry Data
;OL36+,:KH[HMVJ\ZLZZVSLS`VULTWSV`TLU[I`I\ZPULZZLZ^P[OPU3P[[SL:HPNVU>L^PSS L_HTPULOPZ[VYPJHS[YLUKZPUTHQVYPUK\Z[YPLZPU3P[[SL:HPNVUHUK6YHUNL*V\U[`IL[^LLU HUK>L\ZL[OLIVYKLYZVM3P[[SL:HPNVU[OYV\NOV\[[OLHUHS`ZPZZV [OH[[OLNYV^[OVM3P[[SL:HPNVU»ZIVYKLYZKVLZUV[JYLH[LZW\YPV\Z[YLUKZPUPUK\Z[Y` LTWSV`TLU[HUK[VLUOHUJLJVTWHYHIPSP[`HJYVZZ[PTL
Little Saigon
>OPSL[OL,++KH[HZOV^Z[OH[/LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS(ZZPZ[HUJLPZ[OLSHYNLZ[PUK\Z[Y` PU3P[[SL:HPNVU[OH[OHZUV[HS^H`ZILLU[OLJHZL9L[HPS;YHKL^HZ[OLSHYNLZ[PUK\Z[Y` PU3P[[SL:HPNVU^P[O
VMLTWSV`TLU[PU*SHZZPÄJH[PVUJOHUNLZPUPUK\Z[Y` LTWSV`TLU[TLHU[[OH[HIV\[
VM3P[[SL:HPNVU»ZQVIZ^LYLYLJSHZZPÄLKMYVT6[OLY
:LY]PJLZ[V/LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS(ZZPZ[HUJLPUZVPU[OLJ\YYLU[JSHZZPÄJH[PVU /LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS(ZZPZ[HUJLHUK,K\JH[PVUHS:LY]PJLZ^LYL[OLUKHUKYK SHYNLZ[PUK\Z[YPLZ^P[OHYV\UK
VMQVIZLHJO/V^L]LYLTWSV`TLU[PU9L[HPS;YHKL
OHZZ[HNUH[LKV]LY[OLWHZ[`LHYZHUK,K\JH[PVUHS:LY]PJLZOHZZLLUHKLJSPULPU LTWSV`TLU[>OPSL[OL*6=0+ WHUKLTPJJH\ZLKQVISVZZLZPUIV[OVM[OLZLPUK\Z[YPLZ LTWSV`TLU[PUIV[OZLJ[VYZOHKIHYLS`JOHUNLKIL[^LLUHUK ;OLTHQVYPUK\Z[YPLZ[OH[OH]LNYV^U[OLMHZ[LZ[ZPUJLHYL(JJVTTVKH[PVUHUK -VVK:LY]PJLZHUK/LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS(ZZPZ[HUJL,_JS\KPUN[OLQVIZHKKLKILJH\ZL VMJSHZZPÄJH[PVUJOHUNLZPU/LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS(ZZPZ[HUJLLTWSV`TLU[NYL^ H[H
H]LYHNLHUU\HSYH[LPU3P[[SL:HPNVUHUK(JJVTTVKH[PVUHUK-VVK:LY]PJLZ LTWSV`TLU[NYL^H[H
HUU\HSYH[L3P[[SL:HPNVU»ZSVJH[PVUULHY+PZUL`SHUK2UV[[»Z )LYY`-HYTHUKV[OLY[V\YPZTKLZ[PUH[PVUZTH`OH]LOLSWLKNYV^[OPU(JJVTTVKH[PVU HUK-VVK:LY]PJLZHUKLTWSV`TLU[NYV^[OPU/LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS(ZZPZ[HUJLPZ JVUZPZ[LU[^P[OJV\U[`SL]LSNYV^[OPU[OPZPUK\Z[Y`HZKLZJYPILKILSV^ ;OLTHQVYPUK\Z[Y`[OH[OHZKLJSPULK[OLTVZ[PU[OLSHZ[[^VKLJHKLZPU3P[[SL:HPNVUPZ 4HU\MHJ[\YPUN)L[^LLUHUK4HU\MHJ[\YPUNLTWSV`TLU[MLSSI`TVYL[OHUOHSM PU3P[[SL:HPNVUHUKP[ZZOHYLVMLTWSV`TLU[PU3P[[SL:HPNVUMLSSI`MYVT
[V
VMLTWSV`TLU[;OLKH[HZ\NNLZ[ZHZLJ[VYHSZOPM[PU3P[[SL:HPNVUH^H`MYVTTHU\MHJ[\YPUN HUK[V^HYK/LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS(ZZPZ[HUJLHUK(JJVTTVKH[PVUHUK-VVK:LY]PJLZ Orange County
;OL36+,:KH[HMYVT[VPU6YHUNL*V\U[`Z\NNLZ[Z[OH[ [OLSHYNLZ[[OYLL PUK\Z[YPLZI`LTWSV`TLU[HYL/LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS(ZZPZ[HUJL VMLTWSV`TLU["
(KTPUPZ[YH[P]LHUK:\WWVY[HUK>HZ[L4HUHNLTLU[HUK9LTLKPH[PVU :LY]PJLZ
VMLTWSV`TLU["HUKTHU\MHJ[\YPUN
VMLTWSV`TLU[1\Z[WY PVY[V[OL*6=0+
WHUKLTPJPU (JJVTTVKH[PVUHUK-VVK:LY]PJLZ^HZHSZVHUV [L^VY[O`ZLJ[VY ^P[O
VMLTWSV`TLU[
The major industries
that have grown the
fastest since 2002 are
Accommodation and Food
Services and Health Care
and Social Assistance.
The major industry that has
declined the most in the
last two decades in Little
Saigon is Manufacturing.
Between 2002 and 2021,
Manufacturing employment
fell by more than half in
Little Saigon.
26California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
;OLMHZ[LZ[NYV^PUNPUK\Z[YPLZIL[^LLUHUK^LYL/LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS (ZZPZ[HUJL
H]LYHNLHUU\HSNYV^[OHM[LYHKQ\Z[PUNMVYJSHZZPÄJH[PVUJOHUNLZPU "7YVMLZZPVUHS:JPLU[PÄJHUK;LJOUPJHS:LY]PJLZ H]LYHNLHUU\HSNYV^[OHUK
*VUZ[Y\J[PVU
H]LYHNLHUU\HSNYV^[O;OL[^VTHQVYPUK\Z[YPLZ^P[O[OLMHZ[LZ[ KLJSPUL^LYL(Y[Z,U[LY[HPUTLU[HUK9LJYLH[PVU
H]LYHNLHUU\HSKLJSPUL"HUK
THU\MHJ[\YPUN
H]LYHNLHUU\HSKLJSPUL/V^L]LY(Y[Z,U[LY[HPUTLU[HUK9LJYLH[PVU ^V\SKILVULVM[OLMHZ[LZ[NYV^PUNPUK\Z[YPLZL_JS\KPUN[OLLќLJ[ZVM[OL*6=0+ WHUKLTPJZPUJLV]LYOHSMVM[OLQVIZPU[OPZPUK\Z[Y`^LYLSVZ[IL[^LLU HUKPU 6YHUNL*V\U[`4HU\MHJ[\YPUN»ZQVISVZZLZZPUJL OH]LILLUT\JOZTHSSLYZV[OL KLJSPULPUTHU\MHJ[\YPUNPZHTVYLZ[HISLSVUN[LYT[YLUK Comparison between Little Saigon and Orange County
>OPSL3P[[SL:HPNVUOHZZLLUHZLJ[VYHSZOPM[H^H`MYVT4HU\MHJ[\YPUNHUKPU[V (JJVTTVKH[PVUHUK-VVK:LY]PJLZHUK/LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS(ZZPZ[HUJL6YHUNL*V\U[` OHZZLLUYHWPKL_WHUZPVUVMZL]LYHSZLY]PJLPUK\Z[YPLZHUKSLZZVMHKLJSPULPU4HU\MHJ[\YPUN [OHUPU3P[[SL:HPNVU)V[O3P[[SL:HPNVUHUK6YHUNL*V\U[`OH]LZLLUPUJYLHZLZPU LTWSV`TLU[PU/LHS[O*HYLHUK:VJPHS(ZZPZ[HUJLHUK(JJVTTVKH[PVUHUK-VVK:LY]PJLZ /V^L]LY[OLNYV^[OPU7YVMLZZPVUHS:JPLU[PÄJHUK;LJOUPJHS:LY]PJLZPU6YHUNL*V\U[`OHZ UV[ILLUTH[JOLKPU3P[[SL:HPNVU
VIII. BUSINESS CHARACTERISTICS
;OPZZLJ[PVUZ\TTHYPaLZKH[HWYV]PKLKI`MV\YJP[PLZ[OH[JVTWYPZLTVZ[VM3P[[SL:HPNVU .HYKLU.YV]L-V\U[HPU=HSSL`>LZ[TPUZ[LYHUK:HU[H(UH;OLJP[PLZWYV]PKLKKH[HVU I\ZPULZZLZ^P[OHI\ZPULZZSPJLUZLPULHJOJP[`
IX. FUTURE TRENDS FOR LITTLE SAIGON
>OPSL3P[[SL:HPNVUOHZL_WLYPLUJLKZPNUPÄJHU[LJVUVTPJJOHUNLZHUKJOHSSLUNLZ^L L_WLJ[[OH[P[^PSSJVU[PU\L[VNYV^HUKOH]LZPNUPÄJHU[VWWVY[\UP[PLZMVYZTHSSI\ZPULZZLZ HUKLU[YLWYLUL\YZ
;OL=PL[UHTLZLJVTT\UP[`HUK3P[[SL:HPNVUPU6YHUNL*V\U[`OH]LJVUZPZ[LU[S`NYV^U ZPUJL[OL
ZHUKP[PZL_WLJ[LK[OH[P[^PSSJVU[PU\L[VL_WHUK>OPSLHIV\[OHSMVM[OL =PL[UHTLZLJVTT\UP[`PU6YHUNL*V\U[`SP]LZPU3P[[SL:HPNVUOHSMSP]LZV\[ZPKLVMP[HUK While Little Saigon has
experienced significant
economic changes and
challenges, we expect
that it will continue to
grow and have significant
opportunities for
small businesses and
entrepreneurs.
)<:05,::,:)@*0;@
;V[HS)\ZPULZZ3PJLUZLZ
Garden Grove 3,260
Fountain Valley 6,302
Westminster 3,265
Santa Ana
TABLE 14: TOTAL NUMBER OF BUSINESSES
27California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
THU`HYLPUULHYI`ULPNOIVYOVVKZPU[V^OPJO[OLWVW\SH[PVUJV\SKL_WHUKM\Y[OLY-PN\YL
ZOV^LK[OLU\TILYVM=PL[UHTLZLZWLHRLYZI`JLUZ\Z[YHJ[HUKP[ZOV^LK[OH[[OLYL^LYL TVYL[OHUWLVWSL^OVZWLHR=PL[UHTLZLH[OVTLSP]PUNPUJLUZ\Z[YHJ[ZV\[ZPKLVM 3P[[SL:HPNVUPU:[HU[VU-V\U[HPU=HSSL`LHZ[LYU.HYKLU.YV]LZV\[OLYU(UHOLPTHUK ^LZ[LYU:HU[H(UH;OLZLULPNOIVYOVVKZHYLJSVZL[VILPUNJVUZPKLYLKHWHY[VM3P[[SL :HPNVUI`V\YWVW\SH[PVUKLÄUP[PVU>OPSL3P[[SL:HPNVUPZL_WHUKPUN[V[OLUVY[OLHZ[HUK ZV\[OLHZ[P[ZIVYKLY[V[OLZV\[O^LZ[PZÄYTS`[OL0 MYLL^H`
3P[[SL:HPNVU»ZYLJLU[NLULYH[PVUVMJVSSLNLNYHK\H[LZHYLTVYLSPRLS`[VOH]L:;,4YLSH[LK KLNYLLZHUK[OPZWVVSVM[LJOUPJHS[HSLU[TH`LUJV\YHNLTVYLOPNO[LJOI\ZPULZZLZ[V TV]L[VVYILMV\UKLKPU3P[[SL:HPNVU;HISL
ILSV^ZOV^ZNYHK\H[LZȀYZ[JVSSLNL
KLNYLLI`HNL(TVUNHSSKLNYLLOVSKLYZ
VYVSKLY3P[[SL:HPNVUKLNYLLOVSKLYZHYL
TVYLSPRLS`[VILPUZJPLUJLHUKLUNPULLYPUNHUKYLSH[LKÄLSKZ
[OHU6YHUNL*V\U[`
KLNYLLOVSKLYZ
(TVUN`V\UNLYKLNYLLOVSKLYZHNLK
[V 3P[[SL:HPNVU
NYHK\H[LZHYLL]LUTVYLSPRLS`[VOH]LHKLNYLLPUZJPLUJLHUKLUNPULLYPUNHUKYLSH[LK ÄLSKZ
JVTWHYLK[V6YHUNL*V\U[`KLNYLLOVSKLYZ
3P[[SL:HPNVU»ZZTHSSI\ZPULZZLZOH]LZLLUYHWPKNYV^[OPUYLJLU[[PTLZ)L[^LLU HUKLTWSV`TLU[I`ZTHSSI\ZPULZZLZOHZILLUPUJYLHZPUNMHZ[LYPU3P[[SL:HPNVU JVTWHYLK[V6YHUNL*V\U[`HUK[OLQVISVZZLZZLLTJVUJLU[YH[LKPUSHYNLYÄYTZ (JJVYKPUN[V36+,:KH[HLTWSV`TLU[I`ZTHSSI\ZPULZZLZ\UKLYLTWSV`LLZNYL^ H[HUH]LYHNL
WLY`LHYPU3P[[SL:HPNVUJVTWHYLK[V
PU6YHUNL*V\U[`^OPSL
LTWSV`TLU[I`ÄYTZ^P[O
VYTVYLLTWSV`LLZMLSS
WLY`LHYPU3P[[SL:HPNVU
JVTWHYLK[VNYV^[OVM
WLY`LHYPU6YHUNL*V\U[`
>OPSL3P[[SL:HPNVUSHNZ6YHUNL*V\U[`I`ZL]LYHSLJVUVTPJPUKPJH[VYZ[OLYLHYL[H_ PUJLU[P]LZNYHU[ZHUKV[OLYWYVNYHTZ[OH[JV\SKH[[YHJ[TVYLPU]LZ[TLU[PU[V3P[[SL :HPNVU;OL*VTT\UP[`+L]LSVWTLU[-PUHUJPHS0UZ[P[\[PVUZ-\UK*+-0HIYHUJOVM[OL <:+LWHY[TLU[VM[OL;YLHZ\Y`HKTPUPZ[LYZZL]LYHSWYVNYHTZ[OH[[HPSVYYLZV\YJLZ[VOLSW Little Saigon’s recent
generation of college
graduates are more likely
to have STEM-related
degrees, and this pool
of technical talent may
encourage more high-
tech businesses to move
to or be founded in
Little Saigon.
Little Saigon’s small
businesses have seen
rapid growth in recent
times. Between 2012
and 2021, employment
by small businesses has
been increasing faster in
Little Saigon compared to
Orange County, and the job
losses seem concentrated
in larger firms.
3P[[SL:HPNVU 6YHUNL*V\U[` 3P[[SL:HPNVU
HZH
VM
6YHUNL*V\U[`=HYPHISL 5\TILY 7LYJLU[ 5\TILY 7LYJLU[
;V[HS7VW
HUKVSKLY^P[OH)HJOLSVYZKLNYLLVYOPNOLY
100.0 939,818 100.0
Science and Engineering 16,617 382,179
Science and Engineering Related Fields 10.7 77,823 8.3 5.6 Business 9,359 23.1
Education 2,572
5.8
Arts, Humanities and Others 7,581 18.7 223,595 23.8 ;V[HS7VW
[V `LHYZ^P[OH)HJOLSVYZKLNYLLVYOPNOLY
100.0 312,279 100.0 5.3
Science and Engineering 7,022
5.5
Science and Engineering Related Fields 1,806 11.0 26,015 8.3 6.9 Business 3,631 22.1 66,077 21.2 5.5
Education 2.9 8,690 2.8 5.5
Arts, Humanities and Others 21.2 83,081 26.6
TABLE 15: FIRST COLLEGE DEGREE OF COLLEGE GRADUATES BY AGE 28California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
KL]LSVWSVJHSJVTT\UP[PLZ-VYL_HTWSL[OL)HUR,U[LYWYPZL(^HYK7YVNYHTWYV]PKLZ H^HYKZ[VIHURZHUK[OYPM[Z[OH[PUJYLHZLSLUKPUNVYZLY]PJLHJ[P]P[`PULJVUVTPJHSS` KPZ[YLZZLKJVTT\UP[PLZ;OL5L^4HYRL[Z;H_*YLKP[WYVTV[LZPU]LZ[TLU[I`VќLYPUN H
[H_JYLKP[ZWYLHKV]LYZL]LU`LHYZVUHUPU]LZ[TLU[PUKPZ[YLZZLKJVTT\UP[PLZ ,SPNPIPSP[`MVY*+-0WYVNYHTZKLWLUKZVUZL]LYHSMHJ[VYZPUJS\KPUNSV^PUJVTLOPNOWV]LY[` YH[LZHUKOPNO\ULTWSV`TLU[YH[LZJVTWHYLK[V[OLHYLH;OLNYHWOILSV^ZOV^Z^OPJO VM[OL3P[[SL:HPNVU[YHJRZTLL[[OLZLJYP[LYPHIHZLKVU[OLPYTVZ[YLJLU[YL]PZPVUZ >OPSLUV[L]LY`WYVNYHT\ZLZHSS[OLZLJYP[LYPHWYVNYHTJYP[LYPHHUKLSPNPIPSP[`HYL\WKH[LKHZ LJVUVTPJKH[HPZ\WKH[LKHUK[OLYLTH`ULLK[VILHKKP[PVUHSJYP[LYPH[OH[OH]L[VILTL[ [VX\HSPM`MVYWYVNYHTZ
FIGURE 16: ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR CDFI PROGRAMS BY CENSUS TRACT IN LITTLE SAIGON
29California State University, Fullerton COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND ECONOMICS
WOODS CENTER FOR ECONOMIC
ANALYSIS AND FORECASTING
LITTLE SAIGON, ORANGE COUNTY:
A DEMOGRAPHIC AND ECONOMIC PROFILE
WOODS CENTER FOR
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
AND FORECASTING
California State University, Fullerton
College of Business and Economics
800 N. State College Blvd.
Fullerton, CA 92831
business.fullerton.edu
/woodscenter