Chinese immigrants now NYC’s largest foreign-born group: report

For the first time in more than three decades, Chinese immigrants have surpassed Dominicans as New York City’s largest foreign-born group, according to a new city report released last Thursday.

At 397,000, New York City’s Chinese population grew 5% between 2013 and 2023, according to The Newest New Yorkers, a demographic report published by the Department of City Planning (DCP). Meanwhile, the Dominican population, which held the top spot since 1990, shrank 6% to 390,000 over the same period. The two groups represent 12.8% and 12.6%, respectively, of the city’s 3.1 million immigrant residents.

The Chinese population count encompasses New Yorkers with roots in mainland China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Compiled primarily from American Community Survey data collected through 2023, the 235-page report also found that immigrants comprise more than one-third of the city’s population and 43% of its workforce.

The shift reflects decades of gradual growth in the Chinese community alongside mounting economic pressures on Dominican New Yorkers. Chinese New Yorkers have a household median income of $60,000, compared with $36,000 for Dominican New Yorkers, according to the report.

State Sen. John Liu, the first Asian New Yorker elected to public office in the city, told Gothamist that the community’s rise has been measured. “Today, there are still many immigrants arriving to New York City from China, but we are now into large numbers of third- and fourth-generation Chinese Americans,” he said.

The milestone arrives as Chinese immigrants are also facing heightened federal immigration enforcement. Chinese nationals accounted for 37% of ICE arrests of Asian individuals in New York state since January 2025, according to a separate Stop AAPI Hate report.

In a statement, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, NYC’s first Asian American chief executive, recognized the contribution of immigrants. “This report shines a light on how our city is changing and growing and reminds us that our greatest strength has always been the people who come here,” he said. “As we work to make New York more affordable and more welcoming, we remain committed to ensuring that every New Yorker — no matter where they were born — can build a future here.”

The Newest New Yorkers report, the first update since 2013, is also the first to include an interactive web version.