Micronesian Community in the USA: Where & Why

If you have been to a church fellowship in Honolulu, a graduation in northwest Arkansas or a family party in Salem, Oregon, you may have heard Chuukese, Pohnpeian, Kosraean, Yapese, Marshallese or Palauan spoken around the food table. The Micronesian community in the USA is growing, spread out and deeply connected to home.

This guide looks at where Micronesian families live in the United States, why they came, and the agreement that makes it possible. We stick to published figures from the U.S. Census Bureau, the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the Migration Policy Institute, so you can share it with confidence.

How big is the Micronesian community in the USA?

According to the GAO, citing Census Bureau data, more than 94,000 Compact migrants lived in the United States and its territories as of 2018. That figure covers citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Marshall Islands and Palau, plus their U.S.-born children under 18. It grew by an estimated 68% from about 56,000 a decade earlier.

It helps to know that “Micronesian” can mean different things. Sometimes it means people from the FSM (Chuuk, Pohnpei, Kosrae and Yap). Sometimes it is used more broadly for the whole region, including the Marshall Islands, Palau, Guam and the Northern Marianas. Each island group has its own language, customs and identity, so many people prefer to be described by their home island first.

What is the Compact of Free Association (COFA)?

The Compacts of Free Association are agreements between the United States and three Pacific nations: the FSM, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau. The Migration Policy Institute notes that the original Compact was signed in 1985. Under the Compacts, citizens of these “freely associated states” can live and work in the United States indefinitely without a visa or labour certification, as the GAO explains.

The economic assistance parts of the Compacts were renewed recently. Congress approved the 2023 agreements to amend the FSM and Marshall Islands Compacts, and a 2023 review agreement with Palau, in a law enacted on 9 March 2024 (Public Law 118-42). The right to live and work in the U.S. continues.

COFA basics at a glance

Who: citizens of the FSM, the Marshall Islands and Palau.
What: the right to live, work and study in the U.S. without a visa.
Status: Compact migrants are in the U.S. lawfully, with no visa needed.
Latest update: 2023 agreements approved by Congress in March 2024.

Where do Micronesians live in the United States?

Historically, the largest communities have been in Hawaii, Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), the U.S. areas closest to the islands. But the picture has shifted. The GAO found that between 2013 and 2018, about half of all Compact migrants lived on the U.S. mainland, and 20 states and territories each had at least 1,000 Compact migrants.

Guam and Hawaii

The Census Bureau’s 2018 enumeration counted 18,874 Compact migrants on Guam, the largest of the areas reported, and roughly 16,680 in Hawaii, according to local news coverage of the release. In Hawaii the count was up more than 2,000 from 2013 and more than 4,400 from 2008.

Northwest Arkansas

The Migration Policy Institute reports that northwest Arkansas is home to more than 6,000 Marshallese, with Springdale often named as a centre of community life. Many families first arrived for work, and an established community then drew relatives and friends to follow.

The West Coast and beyond

The same MPI report names Sacramento in California and Salem in Oregon as places where Marshallese families have settled, and mentions smaller communities in Enid, Oklahoma and Pittsburg, Kansas, where students attend local colleges. Chuukese, Pohnpeian and other FSM families have also built communities across many mainland states, often following church and family networks.

Sea Turtle Pohnpeian Skirt with embroidered sea turtle design — A Pohnpeian-style skirt like the Sea Turtle Pohnpeian Skirt is a common sight at Micronesian church and family events across the USA.

Why do Micronesians move to the USA?

People move for the same reasons families everywhere do. The Migration Policy Institute highlights a few that come up again and again:

Work: limited paid employment at home, compared with jobs available in the U.S.
Education: a wider choice of schools, colleges and universities for children and young adults.
Family: once relatives are settled, it is natural to join them. Established communities make arriving easier.
Opportunity with ties to home: COFA lets people move freely, so many keep close links with their islands and travel back for funerals, weddings and celebrations.

There is also a long shared history between the islands and the United States. For Marshallese families, that history includes U.S. nuclear testing in the 1940s and 1950s, which MPI describes as still shaping life in the islands.

How do Micronesian communities keep their culture alive?

Far from home, culture becomes something families do on purpose. Community life often gathers around church, extended family and island associations, and around the food, songs and clothing that make an event feel like home.

Clothing is one of the most visible threads. Women from Pohnpei and Chuuk are known for colourful embroidered skirts (read our guides to the Pohnpeian urohs and the Chuukese skirt), while Marshallese weaving traditions live on in items such as the jaki-ed woven mat. You can explore how these styles spread across America in the history and popularity of Micronesian skirts in the USA.

Language matters too. Many children grow up speaking English at school and their island language at home, and grandparents play a big part in keeping that alive.

How can you support Micronesian neighbours and friends?

Learn the island, not just the region. Ask whether someone is Chuukese, Pohnpeian, Marshallese or Palauan.
Know the basics of COFA. Compact migrants are in the U.S. lawfully and can work without a visa.
Show up. Community fundraisers, cultural nights and church events are usually welcoming.
Support cultural expression. Celebrate island dress, language and food at school and work events.

Key takeaways

More than 94,000 Compact migrants lived in U.S. areas as of 2018 (GAO, Census Bureau data).
Guam and Hawaii have the largest island-based communities; about half now live on the mainland.
Northwest Arkansas has one of the best-known mainland communities, with more than 6,000 Marshallese.
COFA lets citizens of the FSM, the Marshall Islands and Palau live and work in the U.S. without a visa.
Family, faith, language and island dress keep the culture strong far from home.

If you are dressing for a community event, take a look at our Micronesian-style skirts and island muumuu dresses, available in sizes Small to 5XL.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the largest Micronesian community in the USA?

Guam had the largest count in the Census Bureau’s 2018 enumeration, with 18,874 Compact migrants, followed by Hawaii with roughly 16,680. On the mainland, northwest Arkansas is home to more than 6,000 Marshallese.

Do Micronesians need a visa to live in the US?

No. Under the Compacts of Free Association, citizens of the FSM, the Marshall Islands and Palau can live and work in the United States indefinitely without a visa.

Why is there a large Marshallese community in Arkansas?

The Migration Policy Institute links it to work opportunities in the region and to family networks: once a community is established, relatives and friends often follow.

Are Micronesians US citizens?

Compact migrants are citizens of their own nations, not U.S. citizens, but they can live and work in the U.S. lawfully. Children born in the U.S. are U.S. citizens.

When was the Compact of Free Association renewed?

Congress approved the 2023 agreements amending the FSM and Marshall Islands Compacts, and a 2023 review agreement with Palau, in a law enacted on 9 March 2024.

Micronesian Community in the USA: Where They Live and Why