List of U.S. cities with large Japanese-American populations

The list includes Issei (一世, "first generation") Japanese-born immigrants from Japan, and those who are multigenerational Japanese Americans. Cities considered to have significant Japanese American populations are large U.S. cities or municipalities with a critical mass of at least 1.0% of the total urban population; medium-sized cities with a critical mass of at least 2.0% of the total population; smaller communities in the continental United States with a critical mass of at least 2.5% of the total population; and smaller communities in Hawaii with a critical mass of at least 10.0% of the total population.

There are about 773,714 Japanese Americans, as of 2018, with that number rising to 1.6 million when including individuals of partial Japanese descent.^[1]

The two metropolitan areas with the highest Japanese populations according to the 2010 Census, were Greater Honolulu Combined Statistical Area (149,700), and the Greater Los Angeles Combined Statistical Area (134,600).^[2]

Large cities

The list of large cities (population greater than 250,000) with a Japanese American population in excess of 1.0% of the total population.

Rank	City	State	Japanese-Americans	Percentage
1	Honolulu	Hawaii	86,612[3]	23.3%
2	Sacramento	California	6,642[4]	1.6%
3	Seattle	Washington	8,979[5]	1.6%
4	San Francisco	California	11,410[6]	1.5%
5	San Jose	California	11,484[7]	1.5%
6	Los Angeles	California	36,992[8]	1.0%

Medium-size cities

List of medium-sized cities (population between 100,000 and 250,000) with a Japanese American population of at least 2.0% of the total population.

Rank	City	State	Japanese-Americans	Percentage
1	Torrance	California	13,991[9]	10.1%
2	Irvine	California	5,088[10]	3.6%
3	Sunnyvale	California	3,606[11]	2.7%
4	Bellevue	Washington	2,838[12]	2.6%
5	Berkeley	California	2,312[13]	2.3%

Smaller communities in the continental United States

List of places in the continental United States with a population fewer than 100,000 and a Japanese American population of at least 2.5% of the total population.

Rank	City	State	Japanese-Americans	Percentage
1	Gardena	California	6,712[14]	11.6%
2	Rancho Palos Verdes	California	3,268[15]	7.9%
3	Rolling Hills Estates	California	598[16]	7.8%
4	Monterey Park	California	4,433[17]	7.4%
5	Cupertino	California	2,331[18]	4.6%
6	Novi	Michigan	2,666[19]	4.5%
7	Palos Verdes Estates	California	588[20]	4.4%
8	Rye	New York	578	3.9%
9	Cerritos	California	1,671[21]	3.2%
10	Newcastle	Washington	300	2.9%
11	Lomita	California	542[22]	2.7%
12	Mercer Island	Washington	582	2.6%
13	Los Altos	California	717[23]	2.6%
14	Redondo Beach	California	1,618[24]	2.6%
15	Dublin	Ohio	1,071	2.6%

Smaller communities in Hawaii

List of places in Hawaii with a population fewer than 100,000 and a Japanese American population of at least 10.0% of the total population.

Rank	City	State	Japanese-Americans	Percentage
1	Aiea	Hawaii	2,877[25]	31.9%
2	Pearl City	Hawaii	9,621[26]	31.1%
3	Waimalu	Hawaii	8,473[27]	28.8%
4	Hilo	Hawaii	10,863[28]	26.7%
5	Mililani Town	Hawaii	7,126[29]	24.9%
6	Kaneohe	Hawaii	8,259[30]	23.6%
7	Waipio	Hawaii	2,734[31]	23.4%
8	Wailuku	Hawaii	2,799[32]	22.8%
9	Wahiawa	Hawaii	3,342[33]	20.7%
10	Halawa	Hawaii	2,802[34]	20.2%
11	Waipahu	Hawaii	3,481[35]	10.5%
12	Kapaa	Hawaii	965[36]	10.2%