Akron’s Thriving Bhutanese Refugee Community

AKRON, Ohio – Born in Bhutan, Manorath Khanal left his country at age 16 when the government expelled many of its ethnic Nepalis.

Khanal is one of many Bhutanese refugees who settled in the North Hill neighborhood of Akron. The city now boasts the second-largest Bhutanese population in the United States.

Housing there was inexpensive and enabled the Bhutanese refugees to live close to each other.