Home to the largest population of Afghan in the United States. The San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA Metro Area, also known as the San Francisco Bay area, encompasses a 5 county area. The Metro Area is best described as "cities" within "cities." That is, with its ethnic diversity, one can easily go to one neighborhood and see numerous people groups living near one another. While at the same time, one can easily go to another neighborhood and only see people of the same people group or similar cultural affinity.

Total Population: 4,656,132

(An increase of 7.4 % in the past 5 years.)

Census Data

• Foreign Born - 1,340,835
• Language Spoken at Home - 1,710,695

[ Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Foreign Born and Language Spoken at Home]

29.7% of Total Population are Foreign Born and 40.2% of Total Population Speak another language other than English at Home.

Quick Facts

• The largest racial/ethnic groups are White (41.4%) followed by Asian (33.3%) and Hispanic (15.3%).


• Present growth trends indicate Asians will become the metro's largest ethnic group in a couple of decades.


• The Ethnic Dance Festival is one of the largest cultural dance festivals in the United States.


• Different ethnic and national groups often cluster in specific counties. For example, the metro area has the largest populations with Chinese and Russian ancestry; Santa Clara has, by far, the greatest number of residents from India, Vietnam or Mexico; Alameda leads in those of Portuguese or Pacific Island heritage.


• One of the largest population of Filipinos outside the Philippines.


• Filipino (Tagalog), the most commonly spoken Filipino language in the Bay Area and the official language of the Philippines, is now a third required language requiring city departments that interact with the public to provide translated materials, interpreters at public meetings and other services, in addition to Chinese and Spanish.


• North Beach and Chinatown, are home to the largest single concentration of Chinese outside of China.


• North Beach, an Italian enclave where the Chinese once were not allowed to cross into, is packed with cafes, and excellent restaurants.


• The Mission District is San Francisco's oldest neighborhood, and home to a large number of Mexican immigrants as well as Central and South American immigrants. There are also taquerias, pupuserias, produce markets, Salvadoran bakeries, and Latino music stores located throughout the area.