Demographic Info
- Population Size: Estimates of the size of the Iranian American community range from 500,000 to one million
- Age: The majority (59%) are between the ages of 25 and 64
- Religion: Muslim (24%), Christian (16%), Agnostic (10%), Atheist (8%), Zoroastrian (7%), Jewish (6%), and Baha’i (4%)
- Education: 87% have at least a Bachelor’s degree
- Party Affiliation: 48% identify as Democrats, 15% as Republicans, and 36% as Independents
- Familial Immigration: 35% moved to the U.S. before 1978, 24% moved between 1928 and 1980, 32% moved between 1981 and 1999, and only 9% have immigrated here since 2000
- Relationship Status: 56% are Married, 31% are Single & have never been married, 11% are Divorced or Widowed, and 1% are in a Civil Union or Domestic Partnership
**Data obtained from PAAIA’s annual National Public Opinion Surveys and
the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey
Economic Info
- Income < $50k: 16%
- Income $50k-$100k: 29%
- Income > $100k: 49%
- Median Family Income: $97,046
- Employed: 66%
- Entrepreneurial: self-employment rate of 22%, ranking them in the top 25 immigrant groups with the highest self-employment rate
- Occupations: 60% work in Business, Science, Management, or the Arts
- Positions: 50% of all working Iranian Americans are in professional and managerial occupations, greater than any other group in the U.S. today
**Data obtained from PAAIA’s annual National Public Opinion Surveys, the
U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey, and Ronald H. Bayer’s
Multicultural America: An Encyclopedia of the Newest Americans
Geographic Info
East: 23% South: 23% Central: 12% West: 42%
**Data obtained from PAAIA’s annual National Public Opinion Surveys and the Iranian American Contributions Project
2020 Survey Highlights
Made withVisme
PAAIA conducts annual surveys of Iranian Americans to inform our policy stances, educate the public, and raise the voice of the community.
Scorecards
Made withVisme
PAAIA’s biennial Congressional Scorecards aim to inform Iranian Americans of the voting records of their members of Congress and to hold members accountable for their positions.