New Jersey is home to a Filipino population numbering at more than 100,000 statewide, according to the 2000 U.S. Census. This number may have been closing in to the 200,000 level, in 2006, due to a high birth rate among Filipino Americans and 8,000 Filipino immigrants annually. While Filipinos can be found across the state, the commercial districts catering to the Filipino community are found mostly in the state's urban areas. State and local governments in the Garden State have significant number of employees of Filipino background and they play a vital role in the state's affairs, issues, and commerce.