NY Pakistanis poorer, less literate

New York City's Pakistani Americans tended to experience greater poverty, earn less, speak less English and live in larger households than city residents as a whole, according to a 2000 census analysis by the Asian American Federation of New York.

The Federation, a nonprofit organization, released results of its evaluation December 1 in the latest in a series of ethnic and geographic profiles to deepen understanding of Asian American populations in the New York metropolitan area.

"Our profile of New York City's Pakistani American population provides an important snapshot of an immigrant group facing severe poverty and language challenges," said Cao K. O, executive director of the Asian American Federation.

"The very high child-poverty rate and the limited English skills of senior citizens require particular attention from community service planners and policy-makers. This information is especially significant in a post-September 11th context, as this community has suffered hardship stemming from hate crimes, employment discrimination and government policies."

According to the findings, based on 2000 census data:

• From 1990 to 2000, New York City's Pakistani American population grew from 13,501 to 34,310, or 154 percent -- surpassing increases of 9 percent for the city overall and 71 percent for all Asian New Yorkers.
• More than one-third (34 percent) of Pakistani American children and more than one-fourth (28 percent) of all Pakistanis in New York City lived in poverty -- exceeding 30 percent of all children and 21 percent of all residents in the city.
• Pakistani New Yorkers' per capita income was $11,992 -- about half of the city-wide figure ($22,402).
• Two out of 3 elderly Pakistani Americans (67 percent) and nearly half (48 percent) of all Pakistani adults in New York City had "Limited English Proficiency" -- markedly surpassing 27 percent of all elderly New Yorkers and 24 percent of all city adults.
• New York City's Pakistani American households averaged 4.1 occupants --far more than 2.6 city-wide.
• Almost one-third (32 percent) of Pakistani American adults in New York City had not finished high school -- compared with 28 percent of all adult New Yorkers.
• With a 79 percent foreign-born population, New York City's Pakistani Americans were more than twice as likely to be immigrants as city residents overall, of whom 36 percent were born outside the United States.
• Most Pakistani Americans in the city lived in Queens, with 45 percent of Pakistani New Yorkers (15,604 people), or Brooklyn, with 41 percent (14,221). The rest of the city's Pakistani population was distributed about evenly among the Bronx, Manhattan and Staten Island.