In the Houston area, roughly 4 in 10 Asian residents reported experiencing some form of discrimination in the past year.
Discrimination is linked to harmful mental health effects, including depression, anxiety and substance use, highlighting the need to better understand its causes and contexts. This brief and snapshot examine discrimination experienced by Asian residents in the Houston area and provide insights to support efforts that raise awareness and help reduce it.
Findings are based on a survey of more than 2,100 Asian residents across Brazoria, Fort Bend, Harris and Montgomery counties conducted between November 2024 and February 2025. They are a part of a series highlighting findings from the Asian American Community Study, a multiyear initiative exploring the diverse experiences, attitudes and beliefs of this dynamic and fast-growing population group in the Houston region.
Key findings
- Forty-one percent of Asian residents said they, their family or their friends had experienced anti-Asian discrimination in the past year.
- Rates were similar across most Asian ethnicities.
- Young adults were more likely to report experiences than older adults.
- Most commonly, anti-Asian discrimination took the form of insults, exclusion and questioning one’s identity as an American.
- Other forms included stereotypes/generalizations and distrust/suspicion.
- These experiences occurred across many settings, from public spaces such as stores, streets and transit to more personal spaces, including homes and neighborhoods, workplaces and schools.
- Many pointed to the COVID-19 pandemic, the political climate and xenophobia as factors contributing to anti-Asian behavior.
Support for this community project is made possible by a generous donation from Anne and Albert Chao through the Ting Tsung and Wei Fong Chao Foundation.
Suggested citations:
Niznik, A. (2026). Asian American Community Study: Forms and spaces of anti-Asian discrimination in the Houston area. Houston, TX: Houston Population Research Center, Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University. DOI: doi.org/10.25611/q069-sd58
Potter, D., Bao, K., Liu, T., Niznik, A., & Simburger, D. (2026). Asian American Community Study: Prevalence of discrimination and anti-Asian sentiment in the Houston area. Houston, TX: Houston Population Research Center, Kinder Institute for Urban Research, Rice University. DOI: doi.org/10.25611/3XGV-RP19
