Bangladeshi American - Demographics

Demographics

The 2000 census undertaken by the Census Bureau listed 57,412 people identifying themselves as having Bangladeshi origin. Almost 50% of Bangladeshis over the age of 25 had at least a Bachelor's degree as compared to less than 25% of the United States population.

The New York City Metropolitan Area, including New York City and Paterson, New Jersey, is home to the largest Bangladeshi community in the United States, receiving by far the highest legal permanent resident Bangladeshi immigrant population. The Bangladeshi community in New York City was spread out in the Jackson Heights neighborhood within the New York City borough of Queens. 74th Street has most of the Bangladeshi groceries and clothing store. The Bangladesh Plaza hosts several number of Bangladeshi Businesses and cultural event. Recently, one part of Jackson Heights has become the open platform of all sorts of protests and activism. Interestingly most of the cab drivers belong to Bangladesh National Party (BNP) and Awami League branch of New York City. The neighboring communities of Jackson Heights, Woodside, and Elmhurst in Queens also similarly became attractive areas to live for Bangladeshi Americans.

Since the 1970s, thousands of Bangladeshis were able to legally migrate to the USA through the Diversity Visa Program/ lottery. Many started a migration to Jamaica, Queens. Continuous movement of Bangladeshis to Jamaica has made some parts extensively Bangladeshi majority zone. Centering around 169 street and Hillside Avenue, the neighborhood has become a popular zone due to the large number of Restaurants and Groceries. Sagar Restaurant, Gharoa, Deshi Shaad, Kabir's Bakery are attractions for the Bangladeshi communities all over the city. The largest numbers of Bangladeshi Americans now live in Jamaica, Hollis, and Briarwood in Queens. Another reason for popular settlement is the pharmaceutical companies existing on Long Island, New York; there are quite a large number of Bangladeshi-owned pharmaceutical companies in Nassau County and Suffolk County on Long Island employing many people of Bangladeshi origin.

Paterson, New Jersey is home to the second largest Bangladeshi American population, after New York City. Many Bangladeshi grocery stores and clothing stores are locating in the emerging Little Bangladesh on Union Avenue and the surrounding streets in Paterson, as well as a branch of the Sonali Exchange Company Inc., a subsidiary of Sonali Bank, the largest state-owned commercial bank in Bangladesh. Masjid Al-Ferdous is also located on Union Avenue, which accommodates Paterson's rapidly growing Bangladeshi pedestrian population.

New York statistics:

• 1970 census:
  • Total population: 4,955 (5,406 in New York and 11,838 in total in the United States).
  • High concentration: Queens—2,567 people, and Brooklyn—1,313.
  • In Manhattan Bangladeshis formed a small enclave in 6th Street. High numbers of people lived in the Astoria area in Queens.

• 2000 census:
  • Total population: 28,269
  • High concentration: Queens—18,310 people (65%), Brooklyn—6,243 (22%), Bronx—2,442 (9%), Manhattan—1,204 (4%), Staten Island—70 (0.2%)
  • Population growth rate from 1970-2000: 471%
  • Foreign-born population: 23,157 (85%)
  • Limited English Proficiency: 14,840 (60%)
  • Median Household Income: $31,537
  • People Living in Poverty: 8,312
  • Percentage of people in poverty: 31%

The majority of Bangladeshi immigrants are between 10–39 years of age; 62% are men. Mainly men immigrated due to employment opportunity differences. Approximately 50% of men and 60% of women are married upon arrival to the United States. Statistics show that Bangladeshis tend to vote for the Democratic Party.