Indian American population up over 80% in 4 southern states

Washington: The Indian American population increased in the last decade by more than 80 percent in four southern states – Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky, according to the first set of newly released U.S. 2010 Census data. The Census Bureau is having a phased rollout all during May of detailed demographic data from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Data for 12 states and D.C. were released last week.
The population of Indian Americans in Florida rose from 70,740 counted in 2000 to 128,735 in 2010, an increase of 82%. Indians are the largest Asian group in Florida, while Filipinos are second at 90,223.
In South Carolina, where Nikki Haley, the daughter of Indian immigrants, is governor, the Indian American population went from 8,856 to 15,941 in the decade, an increase of 80%. Indian Americans are the largest Asian group in the state. Filipinos are second at 10,053 and Chinese third at 9,686.
Tennessee had 12,835 Asian Indians (as the category is called by the U.S. Census Bureau) counted in 2000 and 23,900 in 2010, a jump of 86.2%. Indians are the largest Asian group in the state. There were many respondents in Tennessee – 18,867 – who listed themselves as "Other Asians" in count. Chinese were third among Asian groups with 15,415 and Vietnamese fourth at 10,033.
The Asian groups listed separately in newly released census data are: Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese, Korean and Japanese. All other Asians were grouped together in the "Other Asian" category, unless listed in mixed race cohorts.
In Kentucky, the Asian Indian population shot up 84.6% from 2000 to 2010, going from 6,771 to 12,501. Chinese were second with 9,051 residents and "Other Asians" totaled 8,103.
Two states in New England, Massachusetts and Maine, had large percentage increases in Asian Indians over the decade.
Massachusetts went from 43,801 to 77,177, a rise of 76.2%. Indian Americans, who constitute 1.2% of the total population, are the second largest Asian group in the state after Chinese (122,957).
Maine's Asian Indian population went from 1,021 to 1,959, an increase of 91.9%. Asians are the third largest Asian population group behind Chinese (3,514) and Other Asian (3,018).
The other states with data released last week were: Michigan, New Mexico, Mississippi, Rhode Island, West Virginia and North Dakota.
Indian Americans in Michigan grew from 54,656 to 77,132 in the decade, making them the largest Asian group in the state, with Chinese a distant second at 44,496. In New Mexico, Chinese are the most numerous Asian group with 5,729 residents, followed by Filipinos (4,963), Vietnamese (4,723) and Asian Indians (4,550). There were just 3,104 Asian Indians counted in the state in 2010.
Vietnamese are the largest Asian group in Mississippi with 7,025 enumerated in 2010, followed by Indians at 5,494, up from 3,827 counted in 2000. Asian Indians in Rhode Island went from 2,952 to 4,653 over the decade. Rhode Island is the only state among those who reported data last week where the Other Asian category led all Asian groups with 12,220 residents who identified themselves that way. Chinese were second with 6,860 counted.
The Asian Indian population in West Virginia went from 2,856 to 3,304 in the decade. They are the largest Asian group in the state ahead of 2,719 Chinese.
North Dakota had a large percentage increase in its Asian Indian population from 2000 to 2010, an 87.7% jump. The 1,543 Indian Americans increased from 822 in 2000. Asian Indians make up just 0.2% of the population of North Dakota. Chinese are the next largest Asian group with 1,515 residents.
The Asian Indian population in the District of Columbia was 5,212 in 2010, closely trailing the Chinese population of 5,231.