 | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 245,045 (2023)[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Sacramento, California area •San Francisco Bay Area (esp.Oakland) •Twin Cities, Minnesota •Dallas-Fort Worth area •Fresno andCentral California •San Diego •Nashville, Tennessee •Seattle area •Portland, Oregon •Los Angeles area •Piedmont Triad, North Carolina[2] | |
| Languages | |
| Lao,American English,French,Isan,Thai | |
| Religion | |
| Theravada Buddhism,Christianity,Shamanism,Animism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Lao people,overseas Laotian,Laotians in France,Laotian Canadians,Asian Americans, |
Laotian Americans (Lao:ຄົນລາວອາເມລິກາ,romanized: Khonlav Amelika) areAmericans who trace their ancestry toLaos. Laotian Americans are included in the larger category ofAsian Americans. The major immigrant generation were generally refugees who escaped Laos during thewarfare and disruption of the 1970s, and entered refugee camps in Thailand across theMekong River. They emigrated to the United States during the late 1970s and throughout the 1980s.
The category ‘Laotian American' includes allethnic groups who lived within the borders of Laos, except theHmong community.[3]
Laotian immigration to the United States started shortly after theVietnam War.[4] Refugees began arriving in the U.S. after a Communist government came to power in Laos in 1975 and by 1980, the Laotian population of the U.S. reached 47,683, according to census estimates. The numbers increased dramatically during the 1980s so the census estimated that there were 147,375 people by 1990. The group continued to grow, somewhat more slowly, to 167,792 by 2000.[5] By 2008, the population nearly reached 240,532. Included are theHmong, a mountainous tribe from that country.
The states with the largest Laotian American populations (including theHmong from Laos) areCalifornia (58,424, 0.2%),Texas (13,298, 0.1%),Minnesota (10,065, 0.2%),Washington (9,333, 0.2%),Colorado (7,434, 0.1%),Tennessee (6,336, 0.1%),Illinois (5,822, 0.1%),North Carolina (5,566, 0.1%),Georgia (5,560, 0.1%),Florida (4,896, 0.05%), andOregon (4,692, 0.1%). There are about over 200,000 ethnic Lao in America. Approximately 8,000 to 11,000 Americans are of mixed Lao and other descent. Ethnic Lao people may identify as both Lao American and Laotian American (see alsoHmong American).[6]
Most were estimated to live in the West (95,574), followed by the South (44,471), Midwest (37,820), and Northeast (15,382).
Cities or regions with significant Laotian-American populations include theSeattle metropolitan area (enumerating 12,190; 0.4% of its population);San Francisco Bay Area (11,545; 0.2%);Dallas–Fort Worth metropolitan area (10,500; 0.2%);[7]Sacramento metropolitan area (9,814; 0.4%);Minneapolis – Saint Paul area (8,676; 0.3%);San Diego metropolitan area (8,079; 0.3%);Fresno metropolitan area (7,967; 0.9%);Greater Los Angeles Area (7,120; 0.04%);Nashville metropolitan area (6,210; 0.4%);Portland metropolitan area (5,806; 0.3%);Chicago metropolitan area (4,762; 0.05%);San Joaquin County, California (4,266; 0.6%);Providence, Rhode Island (3,456; 0.2%);Denver metropolitan area (2,673),Des Moines, Iowa (2,270),Anchorage metropolitan area (1,997; 0.5%), andFort Smith, Arkansas-Arkoma, Oklahoma (1,730).[6][8][9]
Smaller Laotian communities can be found in other cities and metropolitan areas across the United States. In theSouthern United States, there is a significant Laotian community inSt. Petersburg,Florida, where at least 1,000 Laotian-Americans reside.[6][10] There are communities inHabersham County, Georgia (740), andHouston, Texas.
In theSouthwestern andMidwestern United States, there are Laotian communities inDenver, Colorado;Storm Lake, Iowa (400; 4%), andWichita, Kansas (1,594; 0.4%). TheOaklawn-Sunview community near Wichita is 11.5% Laotian American. In the Chicago area, there are sizable Laotian communities in the suburban cities ofAurora,Elgin,Joliet, andRockford.[6][11][12]
In theSan Francisco Bay Area, the Laotian population is concentrated in the cities ofOakland,Richmond/San Pablo,San Jose, andSanta Rosa/Roseland.[13] Elsewhere in Northern California, there are Laotian communities inChico,Eureka,Redding,Stockton, andYuba City. In central and southern California, there are communities in Fresno - also one of the largestHmong communities outside Laos,Merced, and inTulare County, California, especially in the city ofPorterville. In the 1980s after the communist takeover of Laos, over 10,000 Laotians settled in central California. Many of the Laotians settled in central California to work in the farmland there.[14] Additional Laotian communities exist in theLos Angeles Metropolitan area and in theInland Empire region (i.e.Banning).
In theNortheast, there are Laotian communities spread across theNew England states. With the large concentration inProvidence, Rhode Island,Woonsocket, Rhode Island,Lowell, Massachusetts, andNewmarket, New Hampshire.
According to data collected by the American government in 2013, 18.5% of all Laotian Americans live under the poverty line.[15] A Pew Research Center study published in 2019 found that the poverty rate had dropped to 13% which is equal to the national average.[16] In 2021, 5-year estimates showed it had dropped to 12.1%.[17] In 2022 the poverty rate had dropped to 11.1%. In 2023 the poverty rate had dropped to 8.5%.[18]
Gangs have been an issue in the Laotian community ever since the 1980s and 1990s, although like most Asian communities, gangs have decreased in number and/or have received less media coverage for their activity. Gangs like the Original Laotian Gangsters inWest Valley City, Utah,Asian Boyz chapters in California which include a large number of Cambodian Americans, but also have Laotian Americans, and other AsianBloods andCrips gangs have committed serious crimes starting in the 1980s.[19]
Despite having a high median annual household income of $85,863, Laotian Americans have a low Per Capita Income of $36,938.[20]
In 2014, identified by factfinder census, when Americans' per capita income wasdivided by ethnic groups Laotian Americans were revealed to have a per capita income of only $21,479 below the American average of $25,825.[21]
According to data collected in 2013, 38% of all Laotian Americans drop out of high school.[15]
66% of the population in Laos adhere to Buddhism and Buddhism is the basis and mainstream religion practiced in Laos. Lao Buddhists belong toTheravada Buddhism and are tolerant towards thepre-Buddhist animist or folk beliefs, which is the belief of spiritual essence possessed in objects and creatures. Buddhists residing in rural parts of Lao also maintained the belief in ancestral spirits, which are the souls and spirits from afterlife. Although Buddhism is the major religion practiced in Laos, there are also Christian minority. There are three Christian churches in Laos: Lao Evangelical Church, theSeventh-day Adventist Church and theRoman Catholic Church.
Laotian-American populations have constructed numerous Buddhist temples, calledvat orwat. Over time, the congregation donates money to customize and add on to the facility, as well as to add fine artwork and craftsmanship, resulting in a Laotian Buddhist temple that has some traditional features.[4] Examples include Wat Lao Buddhavong located outsideWashington, D.C.; Wat Lao Buddharam ofSan Diego, California;[22] Wat Lao of S. Farmington, Minnesota; Wat Lao Buddhamamakaram of Columbus, Ohio; Wat Lao Mixayaram and Wat Lao Dhammacetiyaram of Seattle, Washington; Wat Lao Buddha Ariyamett Aram Temple inMorris, Connecticut; Wat Lao Lane Xang, founded in 1993 in Willington, Connecticut; Wat Lao Rattanaram in Richmond, California and the Wat Lao Mixayaram inLowell, Massachusetts. With the growth of Laotian communities in more diverse areas, they have moved to and constructed temples in rural areas, such as Lane Xang Village, located betweenLafayette andNew Iberia inLouisiana.[23]
One of the first national Laotian-American publication,Lao Roots Magazine, was published in 2007. The English-language magazine is geared toward the younger generation of the Laotian-American community. Published in San Diego by a small volunteer staff, the magazine has reached widespread national circulation within the Laotian-American community. After the publication ceased, former staff member and Yale University graduate Siamphone Louankang created the popular online magazine LaoAmericans.com,[24] which continues to share stories by and about Americans of Laotian descent.[25]
The documentary filmThe Betrayal (Nerakhoon) was directed by Ellen Kuras and Thavisouk Phrasavath. It portrays the epic of a family forced to emigrate from Laos after the chaos of the secret air war waged by the U.S. during the Vietnam War. Kuras spent 23 years chronicling the family's journey in this film. The film won a Spectrum Award for the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival; it was nominated for an Oscar for best documentary.[26]
King of the Hill, an American animated sitcom, featured ten Laotian-American animated characters in various roles, to include series regulars, recurring, guest roles, or single appearances:
The subject ofJamie Wyeth's paintingKalounna in Frogtown is Laotian American.
Krysada Binly Phounsiri (Lancer) & Kennedy Phounsiri (EraNetik), brothers fromSan Diego, California who share the same passion for breakdancing, were featured on season 6 ofAmerica's Got Talent with a dance team called the Body Poets and are now current performers in theJabbawockeez - "MÜS.I.C" Show inLas Vegas, Nevada. They are also part of the breakdance crew "The Calamities", which they created in 2002.
In theCSI: Crime Scene Investigationseason 6 episode “Room Service” both the murder victim and perpetrator are Laotian-American.[27][28]
Laotian Americans have excelled in a variety of sports achieving success at the collegiate, national and international level. While many of the individuals discussed in this section may not be notable among the general U.S. population, they are considered pioneers in sport within the Laotian American community and many are believed to be the first to compete at a national level or higher. Many of the second and later generation Laotian American athletes are of mixed heritage.
Khan Malaythong is thought to have become the first Laotian American to represent the U.S. at the Olympic games when he qualified for the U.S. badminton team as a doubles competitor at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
Phoothaphone “Ko” Chandetka is a nationally recognized competitivebody builder of Laotian descent[29] who has competed on and off for over twenty years. He is believed to be the first Laotian American to achieve notoriety in the sport. Ko won his firstNPC title in 1991 at the age of nineteen and competed at the national level as recently as 2016 when he placed 7th in theMr. Olympia contest.[30][31][32][33]
Examples of Laotian Americanfootball players competing at theNCAA Division I level includeScott Phaydavong (Drake University),[34][35] Ramaud Chiaokiao-Bowman (Northwestern),[36] Taisun Phommachanh (Clemson),[37][38]Malachi Moore,[39] Tyler Phommachanh (University of Connecticut),[40][41] and Nous Keobounnam (Oregon State).[42][43] Scott Phaydavong may have been the first Laotian America to play football professionally when in 2009 he joined theGerman Football League'sSchwabisch Hall Unicorns.[44][45][46] Ramaud Chiaokiao-Bowman[47] signed with theIndianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent in 2021 although he did not obtain a roster spot.[48] In 2025Malachi Moore was drafted by theNew York Jets in the 4th round whileNate Valcarcel signed with theLos Angeles Rams as an undrafted free agent.[49][50][51]
Angelina Messina, a competitive swimmer from Illinois who is of mixed Laotian and Italian heritage, competed in the2020 United States Olympic Trials at the age of sixteen.[52][53][54][55] She is the first known Laotian American swimmer to qualify for theU.S. Olympic Swimming Trials and swims at theUniversity of Pittsburgh.[56][57]
Laos began inviting foreign athletes of exceptional ability with documented Lao heritage to represent Laos in international competition in 2020 with boxerWalter Sarnoi Oupathana being the first American to do so.[58] Several Lao-America athletes represented Laos at the2023 SEA Games inCambodia including swimmers Angelina Messina,Ariana Dirkzwager, Astrid Dirkzwager, andSteven Insixiengmay along with wrestler Dawson Sihavong.[59][60] Sihavong won a bronze medal inGreco-Roman wrestling and silver medal infreestyle wrestling.[59]
This is a list ofnotable Laotian Americans, including both original immigrants who obtained American citizenship and their American descendants.
This list does not includeHmong Americans, who can be found in theList of Hmong Americans.
To be included in this list, the person must have a Wikipedia article showing they are Laotian American or must have references showing they are Laotian American and are notable.
| Central Asian |  | |
|---|---|---|
| East Asian | ||
| South Asian | ||
| Southeast Asian | ||
| Other | ||
| History | ||
| Topics | ||
| Regions | ||
