India might literally adopt the phrase ‘Vasudeva kutumbakam’ in the coming years. Our country’s population is growing rapidly, and many citizens are also migrating to other countries. So, at this point, the world is literally our family because Indians are EVERYWHERE (yay us!)!!
But you know as well as we do that when someone talks about shifting to another country, the first thing that comes to our minds is America (it’s okay, dude. Even we think of America as the first option). Everyone knows someone who lives in the US. It doesn’t matter if it’s your third cousin’s friend’s uncle; you still know someone. So, if sooooo many Indians are living in the US, where are they living? Which state has the most Indian immigrants?
You see, the US has a big community of immigrants. This is because everyone sees it as a beacon of hope for a good life. It doesn’t help that it was and will always be seen as a ‘First World’ country. Okay, enough of this heavy talk. But you get the gist. Indians are moving to the US, but where are most of them living? Guess you’ll have to read the blog to know.
Why Are Indians Moving To The US?
As a rule, if someone says foreign, we think of America. It is obviously the dream destination of many and for a good number of reasons. People usually prefer to do their higher education in America. If they are lucky enough, they can get a job there and a Green Card.
But why are Indians moving to the US? Why is it that your neighbour Sharma uncle’s kid is also planning to do his masters in the US next year? And doesn’t your own cousin, in foreign, live in America? The answer is yes. They are all planning to shift to the US in the near future. But why? Fine, we’ll answer it (but you should know that these are too many questions, Rahul.).
America is not only the land of the free but also a land of opportunities. It has something for almost everyone. If you are a student, the American education system helps you become an expert right from the moment you select the subjects you want to study. If you are a working professional, America is the place to be, as it offers good jobs and high salaries. Now, this is not to say that you get a job the moment you step into America. No. Just like you trying to get over your ex, even this will take time. However, opportunities are still more abundant in America than in Bharatvarsha.
Now that we know why Indians are moving to the US, the next question is where they are staying. Is there a particular state or city they prefer? And if there is, which state has the most Indian immigrants?
Is There A Particular State Or City Where All The Desis Are Living The Dream Life?
It is time to come to the point finally. You clicked on this blog because you wanted to know which state you should choose to live in to have a bit of Indian familiarity around you. Or you were just curious about the most popular haunts of the NRIs. Whatever your reason was, we are here with the answer.
- While Indians are spread throughout America, some states have more of them while others have less. If you have asked any of your NRI friends/contacts/relatives, chances are that they have said they live in a metropolitan area.
- Immigrants prefer to stay in a metropolitan region because that is where the major events occur. This means that these regions are the centre of any hub-hub and social and economic activities that take place. They are close enough to the country’s leading areas with more employment, educational facilities, and opportunities.
Now that you have some clues about the question ‘Which state has the most Indian immigrants, ‘ would you care to wager a guess? Come on, yaar, let’s get those brain cells moving!
Drum roll for the answer, please….. The state with the most Indian immigrants is actually a close tie between California and New Jersey. If we go by some rough facts, then you’d be surprised to know that roughly 10% of New Jersey’s population is Indian! (talk about mera Bharat mahan!) But California is taking this competition to a new level as it has almost 20% of its population as Indian immigrants!! It’s okay. Take your time to absorb that information because we too, needed a few minutes to soak it in.
Why Do Indian Immigrants Prefer California and New Jersey To Make Their NRI Address In?
We hope you are over the shock that the statistics in the previous paragraph gave you. Now that you know the answer to ‘which state has the most Indian immigrants’, do you want to know why they do so? It seems that the population of Indian immigrants in California and New Jersey is growing by the minute. But why are they the top choices when the capital of America is Washington D.C. (you can pretend that you didn’t forget that, Aditi!)?
America has many cities and states that are more famous than California and New Jersey. But then why are our desi folks choosing to live in these states over Florida, Nevada (which has Las Vegas), or even Washington?
1. Close To New York But Also Far Enough – We know that when we used the word ‘New’, you thought we’d say New York, not New Jersey. But the truth is that Indians are choosing to stay in New Jersey. The reason for this is very simple. New Jersey is at a reasonable distance from the very cool, but also sometimes too fast New York, so if someone wants to live the city life for a little while, the Indians can visit New York, and when they want peace and quiet, they can come to suburban New Jersey!
New Jersey is part of the New York City metropolitan area. This means it is close to almost all the developed schools, colleges, and major offices and workplaces. At the same time, suburban New Jersey is far enough from the metropolitan hustle and bustle to offer some peace and quiet. It also has all the major cities at a reasonable distance.
2. Availability Of Good Public Transport – A great quality of New Jersey and California is their good transportation system. This is handy for an immigrant because, unlike Karan Johar’s films, you don’t get a truckload of money as soon as you land in the US. On the contrary, you are hit with the urge to save as much money as possible because you feel things are a bit expensive. So if you want to travel from your place to your college or office, you might use the public transportation system as it is less costly.
But if you are in New Jersey and California, you are even more fortunate as these states have some of the best public transportation facilities. In fact, most of New Jersey is connected to bus and train stations, which is a boon for any immigrant travelling/living there for the first time. But having a train or a bus station doesn’t mean you can fulfil your DDJL fantasy, Aditi! The US has some pretty strict rules for conduct in public places, and running to get on a train with your Raj might be against them.
3. Reasonable Property Prices (we know you are not buying a house there yet, but who has seen the future?)—The US might have high salaries and great jobs. But just like every other country, even the Land of Opportunities has different cities and states with varying standards of living. Some cities, like New York, LA, San Fransisco, etc., are very expensive, whereas Oklahoma City, Montgomery, Cleveland, etc., are some of the cheapest cities. Now, New Jersey falls in the category of a reasonably priced city on this list. But why are we putting this reason on this list? Well, Aditi, we are very optimistic and believe that you will want to settle in the US in the future, meaning you might also want to buy or rent a house. And this is where property prices come in. You already know how to make roti (we think), you brought your ‘kapda’ from India only, but you need a makan.
So, a reasonable property rate works in your favour as an immigrant. You can buy a cheaper but good quality house now, or you can rent one as well. Once you make more shiny pennies, you can buy an expensive home in a costly city. But for now, New Jersey has some excellent rates, and our desi folks can always smell and love a good deal (read: discounted prices.).
California, however, ranks higher in property prices. It is a bit expensive. But that hasn’t stopped the desi community from settling there. So, while Californian housing might not be affordable for you right now (unless you are a Raichand from Kabhie Khushi Kabhi Gham), you can always earn more, save money and buy a house here in the future.
4. Community support – We know which state (or states) has the most Indian immigrants. So when the time comes to leave your own home and settle somewhere abroad, you’d definitely want to live in a place with people similar to you or those with the same experiences as you. Since all the Indians/NRIs living in California and New Jersey now had been immigrants at one point or another, they also had the same thinking pattern.
A lot of Gujaratis and Punjabis like to choose California as many people from their community already live there (Pajis and Patels make some noise!!). Meanwhile, South Indians generally prefer central New Jersey. But why are more and more Indians choosing these areas? A simple answer is that these areas already have a large existing Indian community. So if an Indian immigrant comes to live here, they might feel more at ease with their fellow desis. This feeling of community support is the primary motivator here.
Conclusion – California & New Jersey Are The Desi Tadka In A Macaroni & Cheese World
Now that you are going to a new land, you won’t be having your mumma and papa to look after you. So won’t it make more sense to have some other Sharma uncles or Gupta aunties to look after you and even give you some masala chai when you have a cold? And, of course, they might also have some gujjiyas and samosas during festivals. Most of these uncles, aunties, and even their kids live in California and New Jersey. So you know the answer to ‘which state has the most Indian immigrants’, and it makes sense to settle here or at least have your initial US-based home base here.
With all their urban amenities and sub-urban mellowness, New Jersey and California are the most popular and preferred choices for desi immigrants. It doesn’t hurt that these areas fall in the New York City Metropolitan. So, if you choose to live here, you can brag about how you are ‘basically a part of New York’! Now, ja Simran ja, complete your packing to live your (amazing) Zindagi in the US.
