Monterey Park

Greater Monterey Park/Alhambra area and Chinese-origins sample

This large study area (30.1 square miles) is 7.6 miles from the Civic Center. By 1990, Chinese-origin people constituted 27 percent of the population. In contrast to Koreatown, the Chinatown area close to the Civic Center does not serve as a major service or cultural center for many Chinese-origin groups. Our study area contains Monterey Park, Alhambra, and portions of Rosemead, San Marino, and San Gabriel. In the 1970s, this area, and Monterey Park in particular, was developed as the “Chinese Beverly Hills”.  Fifty seven percent were married at the time of the sample, and 41 percent have at least one college degree.  It is an ethnically diverse, young, and middle class area, with a substantial proportion of first generation immigrants.  Fifty percent of our sample reported living in the area for five years or less.