Virtually every major language in the world is spoken in the United States, a country whose national identity is suffused with the immigrant experience. Each wave of immigrants has added elements of its own unique culture to the American mosaic — including words added to the American lexicon. (These are the states where the most people are immigrants.)
The number of people in the United States who spoke a language other than English at home nearly tripled to 67.8 million in 2019 from 23.1 million in 1980, according to data from the U.S. Census Bureau.
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.)
Click here for a list of the most common non-English language in every state.
Chinese is considered the most commonly spoken foreign language, though it is actually a collection of languages and dialects. It is the most common foreign language spoken in 14 states, most of them on the East and West coasts. Of the nearly 3.5 million Chinese speakers in the U.S., California and New York combined have almost 2 million.
Vietnamese, spoken by about 1.6 million people in the U.S., is the most frequently spoken foreign language in six states — four in the South and in two Plains states. German, French, and Arabic are the most common in four states each.
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