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Around the dining table, which language does your family converse in?
Although 78% of Americans exclusively communicate in English at home, you might not be aware that it lacks the official language status in the United States comparable to French in France or Portuguese in Brazil. English might serve as the de facto language of America (being the most widely spoken), yet millions of households across the U.S. actually employ an entirely different language.
In every state across the U.S., as well as within the prominent cities and districts of New York City, Word Finder X employed data from the U.S. Census Bureau to uncover the predominant language spoken in local households, distinct from English and Spanish.
German is the most spoken language (outside of English and Spanish) in 13 U.S. states — more than any other language
Tagalog is the most spoken language in 9 cities in the Western U.S.
Chinese, Vietnamese, and Arabic are the most spoken in major Southwest cities
Chinese and Russian are spoken commonly across New York neighborhoods
The Most Spoken Language (Besides Englis & Spanish) in every U.S. State
While English could hold the title of the most prevalent language in the U.S., the official language could have easily been German. This notion stems from the tale of Frederick Muhlenberg, the inaugural Speaker of the House of Representatives, whose single vote prevented German from obtaining official language status in the U.S. during the 1700s. In contemporary times, aside from English and Spanish, German stands as the foremost spoken language in 13 states, surpassing all other languages, including French and Chinese.
Among these states, North Dakota and Wisconsin stand as markers within the nation’s “German belt,” regions in the U.S. where German immigrants historically established their communities. Notably, Wisconsin boasts the highest percentage of residents who claim German ancestry.
The Most Spoken Language by City in the Western U.S.
The western part of the United States accommodates almost half (45%) of the entire U.S. Asian population. As a result, it’s unsurprising that specific Asian languages dominate as the most commonly spoken tongues in significant regional cities, following English and Spanish. Tagalog, one of the primary languages of the Philippines, takes the lead as the most spoken language in nine cities. These cities stretch from Anchorage in Alaska, where half of the local Asian population is of Filipino origin, down to Las Vegas, Nevada, which houses one of the most substantial Filipino-American communities in the nation.
In the meantime, Vietnamese and Chinese dominate as the prevailing languages (aside from English and Spanish) in four cities each. Notably, two cities where Chinese is prominently spoken, namely San Francisco and Seattle, harbor substantial Chinese-American communities stemming from immigration.
The Most Spoken Language by City in the Southwestern U.S.
The U.S. Census data shows that Vietnamese is frequently spoken in major cities like Houston and Oklahoma City. Many refugees from the Vietnam War settled in Texas during the 1970s, growing from 231,000 nationally in 1980 to 1.38 million in 2019.
The Most Spoken Language by City in the Southwestern U.S.
In Chicago, the Midwest’s largest city, Polish is the third-most commonly spoken language in households (aside from English and Spanish). The Windy City is renowned for its Polish heritage, settling after the country’s November Uprising of 1831.
The Most Spoken Language by City in the Southeastern U.S.
Within the Southeastern region, Arabic takes precedence as the primary language in six major cities. Notably, Kentucky stands out with one of the nation’s most rapidly expanding Arab populations.
With the largest Haitian population in the U.S., its native Creole language is the third-most common language in Orlando and Miami. Meanwhile, North Carolina’s French connection runs deep, with Charlotte, Greensboro and Raleigh all home to native speakers.
The Most Spoken Language by City in the Northeastern U.S.
More than 400 years after the Mayflower dropped anchor on the shores of Cape Cod, the Northeastern U.S. continues to attract immigrants and settlers from across the world.
Chinese native speakers are most common in New York and Philadelphia, with U.S. Census data showing the largest quantities in the city’s respective Chinatown neighborhoods. Meanwhile, Boston’s academic hub has harbored arrivals from Haiti since the 1950s, making its language third-most common in the city.
The Most Spoken Languages (besides English & Spanish) in New York City
More than 100 years ago. New York’s Ellis Island was the gateway for those seeking a new life in the United States. Today, the city stands tall as one of the world’s great megacities, home to new arrivals from all over the world and generations of settled immigrant communities.
The U.S. Census data shows that Chinese is the third-most spoken language in 15 of the city’s 55 districts. According to the Asian American Foundation, the city’s Chinese cohort grew by 7.6% between 2015 and 2020, despite an overall population.
Russian language claims the dominant position in eight additional neighborhoods, with one of these being Brighton Beach. In the late 1960s, this area witnessed an influx of Soviet and Ukrainian immigrants who found it reminiscent of the City of Odessa by the Black Sea. Italian takes precedence as the primary language in three different neighborhoods, including Howard Beach, where half of the population has Italian ancestry.
Which States are Hotspots for Different Languages?
The chart below unveils the leading states for particular languages, ordered by the proportion of households utilizing that language for in-home communication.
As an illustration, Chinese is used in the household conversations of 1.89% of homes in California. While this percentage might appear modest, it surpasses that of any other state in the U.S. Meanwhile, Italian holds its position as the most commonly spoken language in Connecticut households (1.01%), where one-third of residents declare part or exclusive Italian ancestry.
Thanks to the historic connection and shared border between Texas and Mexico, 26.6% of households in the Lone Star state contain Spanish speakers, the most in America. Meanwhile, Hawaii’s status as the ‘crossroads of the Pacific’ makes it home to the nation’s most Tagalog-, Korean- and Japanese-speaking households.
The Methodology Behind This Study
The team of Word Finder X examined the “detailed household languages” data by state, city and New York City districts from the U.S. Census Bureau, especially the “ACS 1-Year Estimates Public Use Microdata Sample” and the U.S. state equivalent. Within each U.S. state, major city and district of New York City, they particularly chose the most prevailing household language apart from English and Spanish.
The U.S. Census Bureau specifies “detailed household language” as the language assigned to the household based on the non-English language reported by those residing in the household. If it is a single-person household, the household language is the language noted for that person. If there is more than one language spoken in the household, the household language is assigned in the following order (based on the relationship to the reference person) — (1) reference person, (2) husband/wife, (3) son/daughter, (4) brother/sister, (5) father/mother, (6) grandchild, (7) in-law, (8) other relative and (9) other non-related household members.
The data compilation was conducted in May 2023. This analysis remains accurate as of July 2023.
I noticed that Haitian is being used as a language when it actually refers to the people of Haitian descent. The language is actually called creole or Haitian creole.
I noticed that Haitian is being used as a language when it actually refers to the people of Haitian descent. The language is actually called creole or Haitian creole.