A research analyzing over 33 million registered voters in New York and California found significant differences in the degree to which Asian ethnic groups live next to those of the same ethnicity, income level, or political party.
The study, conducted by Ting-Syuan Lin, a sociology Ph.D. candidate at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (UIUC), and Yongjun Zhang, a sociology professor at Stony Brook University, was published in the academic journal “Population, Space and Place.”
Using voter registration data from 2021 in New York and California, including addresses, party registration, and demographic information, the researchers covered 33 million registered voters, with 2.55 million being Asian voters.
Lin noted that while income and race are often associated with political leanings, living in communities with the same ethnicity and income level does not necessarily mean that neighbors have consistent political affiliations. The study results suggest that understanding the communities where people live requires consideration of multiple aspects beyond just race and income before exploring how living environments influence voting behavior.
The researchers converted each voter’s address into geographic coordinates and considered the 1,000 nearest registered voters as their “neighbors,” calculating the proportions of neighbors sharing the same ethnicity, income level, or political party affiliation, termed as “spatial segregation.” This method was considered to be closer to the actual residential environments of voters than defining communities based on administrative boundaries.
When it comes to race, White voters are most likely to live near those of the same race, followed by Black, Hispanic, and Asian voters in succession.
Regarding political party affiliation (Democratic, Republican, or other), Black voters are most likely to live near those of the same party, followed by Hispanic voters. The proportion of Asian voters living near White voters with the same party affiliation is nearly the same, indicating that their communities have a more mixed political leaning.
Comparing six of the largest Asian ethnic groups, including Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Korean, Japanese, and Filipino, Chinese and Vietnamese individuals are most likely to live near those of the same ethnicity, while Korean and Indian individuals follow. Japanese individuals have a lower tendency to live near those of the same ethnicity, and Filipinos have a notably lower propensity compared to other ethnicities, often living near voters of other races. Even among the most densely populated Asian ethnic groups, the proportion of living near those of the same ethnicity is lower compared to White, Black, and Hispanic voters.
Income-wise, the study used Chinese as the reference group. Japanese individuals are notably lower in income compared to Chinese individuals. Indians are most likely to live near those with similar income levels, and the proportions for Indians, Vietnamese, and Korean individuals consistently exceed those of Chinese individuals. Additionally, the proportion of high and middle-income voters living near those with similar incomes is significantly higher compared to low-income voters.
In terms of political party affiliation, discrepancies among ethnic groups are smaller than in race. The proportions of Japanese and Filipino individuals living near those with the same party affiliation are slightly higher than Chinese, while Indians and Vietnamese are lower. However, the proportions for all Asian ethnic groups are much lower compared to Black and Hispanic voters.
Overall, the study found that New York voters are more likely to live near individuals of the same community, especially in terms of political party affiliation, compared to California. However, in California, Indians are more likely to live near those of the same ethnicity and income level, while Vietnamese individuals are only more likely to live near those of the same ethnicity.
Lin stated that previous studies often assumed that the similarity in neighbors’ political leanings was mainly a result of race and income. Still, this research revealed a more complex situation. For example, Japanese individuals, despite having higher incomes and neighbors with diverse income levels, tend to live in communities with relatively consistent political leanings. Vietnamese individuals are more likely to live near those of the same ethnicity, with moderate income diversity among neighbors, resulting in a more politically diverse living environment.
The researchers highlighted that Asian Americans are often perceived as a single ethnic group, but the differences in political leanings, socioeconomic resources, and immigration history among different ethnicities are significant. Previous studies often focused on ethnic enclaves and ethnoburbs, making it difficult to fully understand how race, income, and politics collectively impact the life experiences of these communities.
With increasing attention to political polarization and whether voters may move to areas with similar political views, this study serves as the first step in understanding how living environments might influence the voting behavior of Asian Americans.