Asian Americans are one of the fastest growing population groups in America, including in Greater Cleveland. They also represent an increasing segment of the business community.  

In honor of Asian-American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, here are some facts about Greater Cleveland’s community: 

• Cleveland’s Asian population is growing. According to the 2022 census, 2.5 % of Clevelanders identify as Asian (alone) and 3.5 % of Cuyahoga County. The census counted an estimated 43,000 people identifying as Asian in Cuyahoga County.  
• Among that group, the largest population was Asian-Indian, 34%; followed by Chinese, 26.1%; other Asian, 15.3%; and Filipino, 9%. Overall, the state of Ohio is 2.9% Asian according to the census. In the United States overall, approximately 19.9 million people (6% of all respondents) identified as Asian alone in 2020, up from 14.7 million people (4.8%) in 2010. 
• Ohio topped national trends, with a 55.3 % increase in the Asian alone category, including a population growth of 34 % in Cuyahoga County. Asian-Americans live throughout the county, with the highest populations in Pepper Pike (15.6%), Solon (15.2%), Beachwood (13.2%) and Middleburg Heights (10.3%). The Asian alone population grew by 35.5% between 2010 and 2020. 
• Nationwide, Asian-Americans make up 7 % of the population, but 10% of of all business owners according to the census. 
• In 2022, there were an estimated 577,835 Asian-owned businesses with about 24.5% (141,746) in the Accommodation and Food Services sector. Asian-owned businesses had the largest estimated receipts ($863.3 billion) among minority groups. 
• Cleveland’s AsiaTown neighborhood - east of Downtown Cleveland, between I-90 and E. 55th, Perkins to St. Clair, as well as Old Chinatown on Rockwell Avenue - is home to around 2,000 residents, up from 1,200 in 2011. 

Cleveland Asian History 

Today, Asian-Americans live throughout Greater Cleveland – a change from the 1960s and ’70s, when the community was centered around old Chinatown on Rockwell Avenue between East 21st and East 24th streets. Home to Asian immigrants since the 1930s, after the original 1860s Chinatown at West Third and Ontario was demolished, the Rockwell area was largely abandoned by 2006, with the community migrating to the suburbs, and east towards the Asia Plaza downtown. As the Asian population diversified, the name changed from China Town to the more inclusive AsiaTown, now home to a thriving community, including two malls, five groceries, a health center, shops, cafes and restaurants: Chinese, Taiwanese, Thai, Korean, Vietnamese, Japanese and more. 

Asian Festival 

The 16h annual Cleveland Asian Festival will be held May 17 - 18 in AsiaTown. 

Attendees can expect to see everything from the Kwan Family Lion Dance to Korean singing, South Indian classical dance and much more.  Food options range from traditional dim sum at Li Wah to boba, Ball Ball Waffles, Hibachi, Himalayan food, Korean BBQ, Szechuan hot pot and other options from vendors.  For a full schedule, see: https://clevelandasianfestival.org/ 

Learn More 

Lincoln Yee and International Food Solutions are Innovating school lunches – and the food industry - Greater Cleveland Partnership 

AAPI Month: Shaker Heights woman spicing up American cooking with Chutni Punch   - Greater Cleveland Partnership 

AAPI Month Spotlight: Attorney Margaret Wong - Greater Cleveland Partnership 

Home - Cleveland Asian Festival 

OCA Greater Cleveland Chapter – Embracing the hopes and aspirations of Asian Pacific Americans in Northeast Ohio (ocagc.org) 

Welcome to Asiatown | Destination Cleveland | Cleveland, OH | This Is Cleveland 

USPAACC | Largest, Most Established Asian American Business… 

U.S. Census Bureau Releases Key Stats in Honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month | U.S. Department of Commerce