Nativity, Acculturation, and Economic Status: Explanations of Asian American Living Arrangements in Later Life

Using 1980 Census data, we examined the household and nonhousehold living arrangements for older, unmarried women of Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, and Korean descent, finding substantial variation across ethnic groups. We tested three hypotheses regarding the effects of acculturation, economic status, and nativity/immigration status. The results from our multivariate analyses show that Chinese-origin and Filipino-origin women who are less acculturated are more likely to live with others than those who are more acculturated. Members from each Asian American group who can afford independent living are more likely to purchase their privacy. The most consistent finding shows that older, unmarried Asian American women who have migrated to the United States since 1965 are more likely than similar native-born women to live in a complex household as compared to living alone.