May 22, 2025 - News
Charted: Iowa's Asian American growth
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Iowa's Asian population continues growing — making up 3.1% of the state's total population, according to 2023 data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Zoom in: In Des Moines, the most common Asian populations represented were from Vietnam, Myanmar and Thailand.
State of play: Many of the people who migrated to Iowa from Asia were refugees, especially more recently from Myanmar and Thailand.
- Existing families in the state and support networks have also encouraged more relatives to come here.