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42,4 % - Mexico |
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28,1 % - Russia |
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10,4 % - China |
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04,9 % - Phileppines |
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04,3 % - India |
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03,5 % - Cuba |
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03,1 % - Vietnam |
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03,1 % - Other |
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RUSSIAN DEMOGRAPHICS
More than 55% of the Russian-speaking families
living in the U.S. have an annual income
of about $55,000. About 70% of Russian-speaking
individuals are occupied in management, sales,
medicine, and education. Many have a career
in high tech and computer industries. Some
have devoted themselves to video production,
creating feature and animated movies and
documentaries.
General Characteristics
Population
Lifestyle
Education
Work
Income
Family
Details »
General Characteristics
We all must make choices at certain moments
in our lives. These choices can be crucial,
and the correctness of our choices is often
only proven later in time rather than by
other people’s opinions.
Summing up these choices can sometimes be
difficult, especially for those who decided
to emigrate. Leaving one’s native land –
and everything that has been accomplished
there – is a challenge to one’s destiny.
But at the same time, once in a new land,
immigrants often set a goal to achieve not
less, but even more than they had in their
old country.
The history of the Russian-speaking immigration
dates back to the beginning of the 19th century.
Objective reasons are well known. Subjective
reasons lie within people themselves.
After the U.S.S.R. collapsed, the influx
of immigrants to the U.S. increased tremendously.
Between 1990 and 1998, the number of Russian
speakers in America increased by 254%. These
people made their choice in favor of change.
Isn’t it amazing that over 4 million Russian
speakers live in the U.S. now?
The mentality of these people has undergone
significant changes. They developed an ability
to make comparisons, to analyze situations,
and to move on without stopping, which makes
them different from all other individuals.
On the one hand, there is a Russian culture
in a different social environment; on the
other hand, there is an American culture
and the rules of advanced capitalism. These
two factors have equally influenced the lifestyle
of the Russian-speaking community of the
United States.
 Top
Lifestyle
About 90% of the Russian-speaking population
used to live in such major cities of the
former Soviet Union as Kiev, Leningrad, Moscow,
Tashkent, and Minsk. Thus, their desire to
live in an American mega polis is understandable.
The Russian speakers of the southeastern
United States prefer a concentration of social,
cultural, and business life which resembles
that of their native country. This is why
the majority of Russian-speaking residents
live in such cities as New York, Boston,
Philadelphia, Baltimore, Miami, Atlanta,
Cleveland, Chicago, Detroit, Denver, Los
Angeles, Houston, San Francisco, San Diego,
Seattle, Washington, and Milwaukee.
Ambitiousness is one of the main features
distinguishing our immigrants from others.
They build their life in a special way.
They also realize that, first, they have
to meet more requirements herein their new
country; and second, the rules and regulations
of existence here are very different from
those they had before.
The Russian-speaking population of the southeastern
U.S. forms a community of people with an
active lifestyle. All are professionals in
their own fields.
An important goal for Russian speakers is
finding and maintaining, first of all, their
own social position, and then their own community.
This community features more than just a
common past and the same language. This community
features a common future.
Russian speakers can be distinguished by
their constant desire for active participation
in the life of their community. This participation
is mutually beneficial: The individual members
gain much, and in return, the community grows
from the individuals’ material, intellectual,
and emotional investments on a regular basis.
The Russian-speaking population of Atlanta
and Florida consists of extremely energetic
citizens who have become an inseparable part
of their new homeland. They read books and
the press, they use the Internet, and they
travel. In other words, they try to get as
much information as possible.
Russian businessmen live at a really fast
pace, taking an active part in political,
cultural, charitable, and sports events.
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Total foreign-born
28.4 mln
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Total Russian-born
2.9 mln
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Up to 24 |
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25 - 54 |
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55 - 64 |
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65+ |
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Population
There are 2.9 million Russian-speaking immigrants
who have come to the United States at different
times. Obviously, the amount of goods consumed
by this population is very large. The Russian-speaking
population also enjoys a lot of services
available for the satisfaction of their every-day
needs.
The fact that Russian-speaking Americans
continue to work even after they turn 65
indicates that their ability to buy goods
and services doesn’t diminish with age.
The Russian-speaking community is characterized
by willingness to socialize; communication
between families and different groups of
people is one of the main priorities in their
life. Thus, there is a constant exchange
of information within the community, which
makes it easier to introduce new brands and
available products.
Driven by a desire to achieve more, Russian-speaking
citizens constantly try to increase their
income. Consequently, their ability to consume
also grows on a regular basis.
Top
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Total foreign-born
28.4 mln
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Total Russian-born
2.9 mln
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Middle School |
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Associate |
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High School |
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BS+ |
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Education
Statistics about the educational standards
of the U.S. Russian-speaking community characterize
the general level of the community’s development.
Among immigrants as a whole, the amount of
high school graduates is only 67%, while
80.3% of the Russian speakers have successfully
finished high school.
In general, 61% of Russian speakers have
a Bachelor Degree or above, 19% have an equivalent
of the U.S. Associate Degree, and 17% graduated
from college. This proves that Russian speakers
consider education a very necessary asset
in their life, and they pass this belief
on to their children.
Choosing an educational institution depends
not only on the individual’s plans for the
future, but also on the cost of tuition,
which is a serious consideration for the
family budget. Many parents open a special
bank account to save money for their kids’
education in advance.
Teenagers themselves realize the importance
and seriousness of completing their education
and receiving an advanced degree. Therefore,
they do their best in high school to achieve
a high GPA.
Only after becoming a highly educated and
well-rounded person can a young Russian-speaking
American count on getting a good job in a
prestigious company where he or she has a
chance to build a career.
Top
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Total foreign-born
28.4 mln
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Total Russian-born
2.9 mln
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Manager/Professional |
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Service/Craft |
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Farming |
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Technical/Sales |
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Labor/Fabricator |
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Work
A career is not only a goal for one’s life,
but a way to live this life decently. That’s
why Russian speakers spend so much time and
effort on getting a profession that is in
great demand.
About 70% of them are occupied in management,
sales, medicine, and education. A lot of
people have a career in high tech and computer
industries. We also know some famous people
who have devoted themselves to video production,
creating feature and animated movies and
documentaries.
Russian businesses in America make up a list
that is long enough for a big reference book.
On the one hand, it means that the Russian-speaking
community represents a large group of consumers.
On the other hand, it means Russian businesses
in America are involved in supply and demand.
Even though other businesses outnumber the
Russian goods and services on the American
market, their quality is still on a very
high level.
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Total foreign-born
28.4 mln
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Total Russian-born
2.9 mln
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10-29.9 K |
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25-49.9 K |
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45-74.9 K |
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75 K |
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Income
More than 55% of the Russian-speaking families
living in the U.S. have an income of about
55,000 dollars a year. Thus, our community
can be described as one of the most highly
paid communities in the country.
One of the factors characterizing Russian
speakers is within one to three years after
arriving in the country, 57% of families
buy their own house. This is the result of
very hard work.
People want not only to survive; they want
to live, which is not quite the same thing.
As consumers, we usually trust the brand
that we know well after using it for many
years. This brand loyalty is not only a principle,
but also a position of citizens who know
that they can choose the best of the best.
Having earned the ability to buy, we try
to satisfy our taste and needs with the best,
and not just to get “what’s available”.
Top
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Total foreign-born
28.4 mln
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Total Russian-born
2.9 mln
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No Children Family |
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Two Children Family |
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One Child Family |
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Three Children Family |
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Family
The priority of a family for Russian-speaking
Americans can be determined by the following
characteristics-the place of living, leisure
time, children’s school, sports, nutrition,
traveling in and outside the country. Needless
to say, they are all based on a family’s
income.
Here in America, as nowhere else, people
try to preserve their original culture. This
takes effort. That which was natural and
taken for granted in one’s old country –
for example, the Russian language and its
literature – has quite a different value
here. In our new country, for our original
culture to be preserved it must be diligently
worked at, often in the form of elective
classes. Russian-speaking parents will insist
on their children’s using every opportunity
to keep their native language and culture.
As a result, kids in Russian-speaking families
in America have a heavier workload than kids
of the same age living on other continents,
or even in the United States. Yet, they don’t
look at it as a complication. On the contrary,
this is an incentive to move on.
Russian-speaking Americans base their life
on the three “NOTs”:
NOT to forget their roots;
NOT to quit self-education;
NOT to stop moving
on.
Top
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© Russian Town - 2006» russiantown.net
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