West Hollywood’s mix of immigrant origins is unique compared to nearby cities, the state overall and the U.S. as a whole. That is according to a follow-up report by WeHo by the Numbers based on the estimates from the US Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.
To simplify comparisons, the report squeezed the countries of the world into nine regions. Given the size and population of Asia, it was split into four regions: East Asia (e.g., China, Korea); Southeast Asia (e.g., the Philippines, Indonesia); South and Central Asia (e.g., India, Pakistan), and the Middle East and the Caucasus (e.g., Iran, Armenia). The other regions were Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean, Canada, Australia/New Zealand and Africa.
Over half of West Hollywood’s immigrants came from Europe. Within that group, the majority were from Eastern Europe (about 40% of all immigrants). Residents from Latin America and the Caribbean made up 15% of the total. The Middle East and the Caucasus came next with 8%. South and Central Asia, Canada, East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia/New Zealand and Africa all had less than 5% of immigrant residents here.
West Hollywood’s immigration differed substantially from California overall and the U.S. as a whole. People from Latin America or the Caribbean made up over half of immigrant residents in California and also in the US, but only 15% in West Hollywood.
People from Europe were less than 12% of immigrants in the U.S. as whole and about half that in California, compared to 56% in West Hollywood.
Immigrants from East Asia and Southeast Asia were more heavily represented in California (28%) than the country as a whole (19%), but West Hollywood had relatively few of them among its immigrant residents (7%).
West Hollywood’s immigrant origins also differed from nearby cities. For example, residents from the Middle East or the Caucasus were the biggest group in Beverly Hills and Burbank, making up about half of the immigrants in Beverly Hills and a third in Burbank.
Immigrants from Latin America or the Caribbean were the biggest group in Culver City (35%). Culver City also had a far higher percentage of immigrants from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South and Central Asia (37% combined) than West Hollywood and other nearby cities.
Residents from Latin America or the Caribbean made up an even bigger share of immigrants in Los Angeles (62%) than Culver City (35%) and much more than West Hollywood (15%).
Santa Monica had more immigrants from Europe than from other regions, but there were proportionately much fewer of them in Santa Monica than in West Hollywood (27% versus 56% in West Hollywood).
To find out more, see the full analysis, How do West Hollywood’s immigrant origins compare?
