Housing Satisfaction of Asian and Pacific Islander Households in the United States

Abstract

According to the U.S. Census Bureau there were 12.5 million Asian and Pacific Islanders living in the U.S. in March 2002, accounting for 4.4% of the total population. This research examined the housing satisfaction of Asian and Pacific Islander households compared to non-Hispanic White households. Since many Asian and Pacific Islanders in the U.S. are foreign-born, it was expected that their housing perceptions would be influenced by their experience with housing in their home countries. Using Morris and Winter’s housing adjustment theory, the study investigated the effect of several demographic variables, housing deficits, and neighborhood satisfaction on housing satisfaction. The study also considered two variables with cultural relevance (length of residence in the U.S. and extended family living arrangement) to test their effect on housing satisfaction. Data used for the research came from the 2002 American Housing Survey Metropolitan Sample (AHS-MS) collected from a sample of 13 metropolitan areas. Results revealed that, generally, demographic variables were not significant indicators of housing satisfaction. Two housing deficits (renter status and housing inadequacy) and neighborhood satisfaction were important mediating variables between housing satisfaction and household variables. Length of residence in the U.S. and extended family living arrangement were not significant predictors of housing satisfaction for Asian and Pacific Islanders. There was little difference in the explanation of housing satisfaction for Asian and Pacific Islander households compared to non-Hispanic White households.