The Most Common Foreign Language Spoken in Every State (After Spanish)

Virtually every major language is spoken in the United States, a nation suffused with immigrant experiences. Each wave of immigrants has added unique cultural elements to the American mosaic, including new words to the lexicon.

According to U.S. Census Bureau data, the number of people speaking a non-English language at home in the United States nearly tripled from 23.1 million in 1980 to 67.8 million in 2019.

For various reasons, just as the admixture of ethnic groups varies from state to state, so do the most commonly spoken non-English languages. To determine what these are for every state, 24/7 Tempo reviewed five-year data on language from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2021 American Community Survey. Languages other than English were ranked within each state based on the total number of speakers aged 5 years and older. Supplemental data on the total size of the foreign-language-speaking community also came from the 2021 ACS.

Spanish is not included in the ranking, because it is by far the most common non-English language spoken in U.S. homes, with almost 42 million speakers in 2019, five times greater than the next four most common languages — Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Arabic — combined. (Here are 30 common English words you didn’t know were really Spanish.)

Here is a list of the most common non-English language in every state.

Alabama

• Most common non-English language: Korean (10,578 speakers)
• Korean as pct. of total non-English-language community: 4.2%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 5.3%
• Other common languages: Chinese, German, Vietnamese

Alaska

• Most common non-English language: Other Native languages of North America (27,126 speakers)
• Other Native languages of North America as pct. of total non-English-language community: 25.4%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 15.6%
• Other common languages: Tagalog, Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, or other Austronesian languages; Hmong

Arizona

• Most common non-English language: Navajo (80,932 speakers)
• Navajo as pct. of total non-English-language community: 4.6%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 26.6%
• Other common languages: Chinese, “Other Native languages of North America,” Tagalog

Arkansas

• Most common non-English language: Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, or other Austronesian languages (8,009 speakers)
• Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, or other Austronesian languages as pct. of total non-English-language community: 3.7%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 7.7%
• Other common languages: Thai, Lao, or other Tai-Kadai languages; Chinese, Vietnamese

California

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (1,259,668 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 7.7%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 43.9%
• Other common languages: Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean

Colorado

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (23,735 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 2.7%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 16.3%
• Other common languages: German, Vietnamese, French

Connecticut

• Most common non-English language: Portuguese (38,158 speakers)
• Portuguese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 5.0%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 22.3%
• Other common languages: Chinese, Polish, Italian

Delaware

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (8,408 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 6.6%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 13.7%
• Other common languages: Haitian, French, Hindi

Florida

• Most common non-English language: Haitian (426,024 speakers)
• Haitian as pct. of total non-English-language community: 7.1%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 29.8%
• Other common languages: Portuguese, French, Chinese

Georgia

• Most common non-English language: Vietnamese (54,826 speakers)
• Vietnamese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 3.8%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 14.3%
• Other common languages: Chinese, Korean; Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, or other languages of Western Africa

Hawaii

• Most common non-English language: Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, Tagalog, or other Austronesian languages (125,233 speakers)
• Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, Tagalog, or other Austronesian languages as pct. of total non-English-language community: 35.4%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 25.9%
• Other common languages: Japanese, Chinese

Idaho

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (4,485 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 2.5%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 10.8%
• Other common languages: German, French, Arabic

Illinois

• Most common non-English language: Polish (174,381 speakers)
• Polish as pct. of total non-English-language community: 6.2%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 23.2%
• Other common languages: Chinese, Tagalog, Arabic

Indiana

• Most common non-English language: Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or other West Germanic languages (32,465 speakers)
• Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or other West Germanic languages as pct. of total non-English-language community: 5.7%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 8.9%
• Other common languages: German, Chinese and other languages of Asia

Iowa

• Most common non-English language: Arabic (10,909 speakers)
• Arabic as pct. of total non-English-language community: 4.3%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 8.6%
• Other common languages: Chinese, German, Vietnamese

Kansas

• Most common non-English language: Vietnamese (12,767 speakers)
• Vietnamese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 3.9%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 11.8%
• Other common languages: Chinese, German, Arabic

Kentucky

• Most common non-English language: German (12,806 speakers)
• German as pct. of total non-English-language community: 5.2%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 5.9%
• Other common languages: French, Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or other West Germanic languages, Chinese

Louisiana

• Most common non-English language: French (71,661 speakers)
• French as pct. of total non-English-language community: 21.4%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 7.7%
• Other common languages: Vietnamese, Arabic, Chinese

Maine

• Most common non-English language: French (33,580 speakers)
• French as pct. of total non-English-language community: 44.0%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 5.9%
• Other common languages: Chinese; Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic languages; German

Maryland

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (72,246 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 6.4%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 19.5%
• Other common languages: French; Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, or other languages of Western Africa; Korean

Massachusetts

• Most common non-English language: Portuguese (205,246 speakers)
• Portuguese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 12.7%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 24.4%
• Other common languages: Chinese, Haitian, French

Michigan

• Most common non-English language: Arabic (161,272 speakers)
• Arabic as pct. of total non-English-language community: 17.2%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 9.9%
• Other common languages: Chinese; “Other Indo-European languages;” Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic languages

Minnesota

• Most common non-English language: Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic languages (89,605 speakers)
• Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic languages as pct. of total non-English-language community: 14.0%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 12.0%
• Other common languages: Hmong, Chinese, Vietnamese

Mississippi

• Most common non-English language: Vietnamese (6,118 speakers)
• Vietnamese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 5.6%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 3.9%
• Other common languages: Chinese, “Other Native languages of North America,” French

Missouri

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (22,344 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 6.2%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 6.2%
• Other common languages: German, Serbo-Croatian, Vietnamese

Montana

• Most common non-English language: Other Native languages of North America (6,403 speakers)
• Other Native languages of North America as pct. of total non-English-language community: 15.7%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 4.0%
• Other common languages: German, French, Tagalog

Nebraska

• Most common non-English language: Vietnamese (6,533 speakers)
• Vietnamese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 3.0%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 11.8%
• Other common languages: Other languages of Asia; Arabic, Chinese

Nevada

• Most common non-English language: Tagalog (84,525 speakers)
• Tagalog as pct. of total non-English-language community: 9.8%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 29.9%
• Other common languages: Chinese; Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic languages; Vietnamese

New Hampshire

• Most common non-English language: French (16,958 speakers)
• French as pct. of total non-English-language community: 16.1%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 8.0%
• Other common languages: Chinese, Portuguese; Nepali, Marathi, or other Indic languages

New Jersey

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (124,963 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 4.5%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 31.9%
• Other common languages: Portuguese, Hindi, Gujarati

New Mexico

• Most common non-English language: Navajo (64,628 speakers)
• Navajo as pct. of total non-English-language community: 9.9%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 33.0%
• Other common languages: “Other Native languages of North America,” German, Tagalog

New York

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (600,113 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 10.4%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 30.5%
• Other common languages: Russian, Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or other West Germanic languages, Haitian

North Carolina

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (38,388 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 3.3%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 12.1%
• Other common languages: French, Arabic, Vietnamese

North Dakota

• Most common non-English language: German (4,925 speakers)
• German as pct. of total non-English-language community: 10.9%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 6.3%
• Other common languages: Other Native languages of North America, Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic languages, French

Ohio

• Most common non-English language: Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or other West Germanic languages (58,988 speakers)
• Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or other West Germanic languages as pct. of total non-English-language community: 7.3%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 7.3%
• Other common languages: Chinese, Arabic, German

Oklahoma

• Most common non-English language: Vietnamese (16,752 speakers)
• Vietnamese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 4.2%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 10.7%
• Other common languages: Other Native languages of North America, Chinese, German

Oregon

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (30,809 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 5.1%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 15.3%
• Other common languages: Vietnamese, Russian, German

Pennsylvania

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (92,810 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 6.5%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 11.7%
• Other common languages: Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or other West Germanic languages, Russian, Arabic

Rhode Island

• Most common non-English language: Portuguese (28,440 speakers)
• Portuguese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 12.2%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 22.4%
• Other common languages: French, Haitian, Chinese

South Carolina

• Most common non-English language: German (13,279 speakers)
• German as pct. of total non-English-language community: 3.7%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 7.5%
• Other common languages: Chinese, French, Vietnamese

South Dakota

• Most common non-English language: Other Native languages of North America (8,674 speakers)
• Other Native languages of North America as pct. of total non-English-language community: 16.5%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 6.4%
• Other common languages: German; Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic languages; Swahili or other languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa

Tennessee

• Most common non-English language: Arabic (29,622 speakers)
• Arabic as pct. of total non-English-language community: 6.2%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 7.4%
• Other common languages: Chinese, German, French

Texas

• Most common non-English language: Vietnamese (229,759 speakers)
• Vietnamese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 2.4%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 35.1%
• Other common languages: Chinese, Arabic, Hindi

Utah

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (15,312 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 3.3%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 15.4%
• Other common languages: Portuguese; Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, or other Austronesian languages; German

Vermont

• Most common non-English language: French (8,356 speakers)
• French as pct. of total non-English-language community: 24.8%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 5.5%
• Other common languages: Nepali, Marathi, or other Indic languages; German, Chinese

Virginia

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (59,039 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 4.4%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 16.5%
• Other common languages: Korean, Arabic, Vietnamese

Washington

• Most common non-English language: Chinese (123,749 speakers)
• Chinese as pct. of total non-English-language community: 8.5%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 20.3%
• Other common languages: Vietnamese, Tagalog, Russian

West Virginia

• Most common non-English language: Arabic (3,255 speakers)
• Arabic as pct. of total non-English-language community: 7.7%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 2.5%
• Other common languages: French, German, Chinese

Wisconsin

• Most common non-English language: Hmong (39,223 speakers)
• Hmong as pct. of total non-English-language community: 8.2%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 8.6%
• Other common languages: German, Chinese, Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or other West Germanic languages

Wyoming

• Most common non-English language: German (1,921 speakers)
• German as pct. of total non-English-language community: 5.2%
• Non-English-language community (all languages) as pct. of total population: 6.8%
• Other common languages: Other Native languages of North America, French, Chinese