This paper examines the extent of spatial assimilation among immigrants of different racial and ethnic origins. We use restricted data from the 1990 and 2000 censuses to calculate the levels of dissimilarity by race and Hispanic origin, nativity, and year of entry, and then run multivariate models to examine these relationships. The findings provide broad support for spatial assimilation theory. Foreign-born Hispanics, Asians, and blacks are more segregated from native-born non-Hispanic whites than are the U.S.-born of these groups. The patterns for Hispanics and Asians can be explained by the average characteristics of the foreign-born that are generally associated with higher levels of segregation, such as lower levels of income, English language ability, and homeownership. We also find that immigrants who have been in the United States for longer periods are generally less segregated than new arrivals, and once again, much of this difference can be attributed to the characteristics of immigrants. However, patterns also vary across groups. Levels of segregation are much higher for black immigrants than for Asian, Hispanic, and white immigrants. In addition, because black immigrants are, on average, of higher socioeconomic status than native-born blacks, such characteristics do not help explain their very high levels of segregation.

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urban population cultural anthropology Cultural Diversity social psychology multicenter study Caucasian clinical trial demography human statistics Ethnic Groups ethnic group Time Factors African American Hispanic Americans Residence Characteristics United States Humans attitude Adolescent Hispanic Infant, Newborn Asian Americans male Acculturation preschool child Emigrants and Immigrants Infant Asian American Child, Preschool socioeconomics newborn Socioeconomic Factors female cultural factor Article adult migration European Continental Ancestry Group Prejudice Emigration and Immigration African Americans time Child