California: Lao community profile
Live data from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, with community indicators across population, income, education, language, health, and housing.
Community at a glance
ACS 5-year estimates (2022). Where Lao-specific data is unavailable, Asian-alone is used as a proxy and labeled accordingly.
Top counties by Lao population
Live from Census ACS B04006. Counties with at least one Lao-ancestry respondent.
| County | Lao population |
|---|---|
| Los Angeles County | 1,330 |
| Orange County | 719 |
| Santa Clara County | 703 |
| San Diego County | 555 |
| San Bernardino County | 320 |
Who, where, and how — in California.
Community-partnered narrative. Updates as partnerships evolve.
California received tens of thousands of Lao refugees beginning in 1975 through the Indochina Migration and Refugee Assistance Act. Fresno, Sacramento, San Diego, and the East Bay became primary resettlement hubs, anchored by Buddhist temples and mutual-assistance associations that persist today.
- Lao Family Community Development (Bay Area + Stockton)
- Fresno Center (multi-ethnic Southeast Asian)
- Asian Pacific Islander community organizations statewide
- Agricultural labor & rural health access
- Intergenerational economic mobility
- Language access in healthcare
Explore the data
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