A variety of cultures have come together over the course of history to develop the United States’ into the country it is known as today. One product of its diverse background is the vast number of languages that are spoken throughout the country and its territories. Although the English language is typically associated with the US, it is only recognized as an official language in 31 states.
- As of 2021, 245.48 million people in the US speak English at home.
- In addition, 41.83 million minority language speakers in the US can also speak English “very well”.
- This amounts to at least 287.31 million people that can speak English, around 85.26% of the total population and more than any other language.
- From this, it can be estimated that this increased to over 290 million people in 2024.
- As of 2021, Spanish is the second-most popular language in the US, with 41.25 million people speaking it at home.
- Most minority language speakers in the US are able to speak 2 or more languages.
- In total, around 430 different languages are spoken by the US population.
- 177 of these (41.16%) are indigenous to the United States and its other territories.
- At a federal level, the US has never had an official language.
- However, English is still typically used at the federal level and also in states that do not have an official language.
Languages spoken in US homes
One way to accurately measure which languages are spoken most frequently is to see what people choose to speak when they are in their homes. The language we speak at home often shows our language preference, with many people opting to use their mother-tongue.
- As of 2021, 78.37% of the US population speak English at home, while just 21.63% speak another language.
- This makes English the most spoken language in the US with 245.48 million home speakers.
- The second-most common language spoken in US homes is Spanish, with 41.25 million speakers.
- 13.17% of the US population are Spanish speakers.
- There are also 3.40 million Chinese speakers in the US, making up 1.09% of the population.
| # | Home language(s) | Speakers (millions) | Percentage |
| 1 | English | 245.48 | 78.37% |
| 2 | Spanish | 41.25 | 13.17% |
| 3 | Chinese (incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) | 3.40 | 1.09% |
| 4 | Tagalog (incl. Filipino) | 1.72 | 0.55% |
| 5 | Vietnamese | 1.52 | 0.49% |
| 6 | Arabic | 1.39 | 0.44% |
| 7 | French (incl. Cajun) | 1.18 | 0.38% |
| 8 | Korean | 1.07 | 0.34% |
| 9 | Russian | 1.04 | 0.33% |
| 10 | Portuguese | 0.94 | 0.30% |
| 11 | Haitian | 0.89 | 0.29% |
| 12 | German | 0.86 | 0.27% |
| 13 | Hindi | 0.86 | 0.28% |
| 14 | Other Indo-European languages | 0.66 | 0.21% |
| 15 | Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, or other languages of Western Africa | 0.64 | 0.20% |
| 16 | Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic languages | 0.60 | 0.19% |
| 17 | Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or other West Germanic languages | 0.57 | 0.18% |
| 18 | Polish | 0.53 | 0.17% |
| 19 | Italian | 0.51 | 0.16% |
| 20 | Urdu | 0.51 | 0.16% |
| 21 | Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, or other Austronesian languages | 0.49 | 0.16% |
| 22 | Persian (incl. Farsi, Dari) | 0.47 | 0.15% |
| 23 | Other languages of Asia | 0.46 | 0.15% |
| 24 | Telugu | 0.46 | 0.15% |
| 25 | Japanese | 0.46 | 0.15% |
| 26 | Nepali, Marathi, or other Indic languages | 0.45 | 0.14% |
| 27 | Gujarati | 0.44 | 0.14% |
| 28 | Bengali | 0.40 | 0.13% |
| 29 | Ukrainian or other Slavic languages | 0.38 | 0.12% |
| 30 | Tamil | 0.34 | 0.11% |
| 31 | Other and unspecified languages | 0.33 | 0.10% |
| 32 | Punjabi | 0.32 | 0.10% |
| 33 | Swahili or other languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa | 0.29 | 0.09% |
| 34 | Thai, Lao, or other Tai-Kadai languages | 0.28 | 0.09% |
| 35 | Malayalam, Kannada, or other Dravidian languages | 0.28 | 0.09% |
| 36 | Serbo-Croatian | 0.27 | 0.08% |
| 37 | Armenian | 0.26 | 0.08% |
| 38 | Greek | 0.25 | 0.08% |
| 39 | Hmong | 0.24 | 0.08% |
| 40 | Hebrew | 0.21 | 0.07% |
| 41 | Khmer | 0.19 | 0.06% |
| 42 | Other Native languages of North America | 0.17 | 0.05% |
| 43 | Navajo | 0.16 | 0.05% |
A graph is given below to show the languages with the highest number of speakers in US homes:
Level of English spoken for minority language speakers
- In the US, 67.75 million speak minority languages at home (21.63%)
- 41.83 million people who speak a minority language at home can speak English very well (61.74%).
- However, 25.92 million people who speak a minority language at home cannot speak English very well (38.26%).
- Excluding Navajo, 87.05% of other native North American language speakers are able to speak English “very well”, higher than for any other minority language.
- 86.25% of Hebrew speakers (2nd) and 85.88% of Tamil speakers (3rd) are able to speak English to this level.
- However, 58.01% of Vietnamese speakers speak English less than “very well”, which is worse than any other minority language.
| # | Home language(s) | Speak English “very well” (millions) | Percent | Speak English less than “very well” (millions) | Percent |
| 1 | Spanish | 24.96 | 60.49% | 16.30 | 39.51% |
| 2 | Chinese (incl. Mandarin, Cantonese) | 1.64 | 48.14% | 1.77 | 51.86% |
| 3 | Tagalog (incl. Filipino) | 1.17 | 68.05% | 0.55 | 31.95% |
| 4 | Vietnamese | 0.64 | 41.99% | 0.88 | 58.01% |
| 5 | Arabic | 0.93 | 66.91% | 0.46 | 33.09% |
| 6 | French (incl. Cajun) | 0.92 | 78.65% | 0.25 | 21.35% |
| 7 | Korean | 0.53 | 49.06% | 0.55 | 50.94% |
| 8 | Russian | 0.62 | 59.16% | 0.43 | 40.84% |
| 9 | Portuguese | 0.60 | 63.49% | 0.34 | 36.51% |
| 10 | Haitian | 0.55 | 61.50% | 0.34 | 38.50% |
| 11 | German | 0.73 | 85.08% | 0.13 | 14.92% |
| 12 | Hindi | 0.71 | 82.30% | 0.15 | 17.70% |
| 13 | Other Indo-European languages | 0.47 | 71.17% | 0.19 | 28.83% |
| 14 | Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, or other languages of Western Africa | 0.51 | 79.64% | 0.13 | 20.36% |
| 15 | Amharic, Somali, or other Afro-Asiatic languages | 0.37 | 62.36% | 0.22 | 37.64% |
| 16 | Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or other West Germanic languages | 0.38 | 66.24% | 0.19 | 33.76% |
| 17 | Polish | 0.34 | 63.09% | 0.20 | 36.91% |
| 18 | Italian | 0.38 | 74.94% | 0.13 | 25.06% |
| 19 | Urdu | 0.37 | 73.46% | 0.13 | 26.54% |
| 20 | Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, or other Austronesian languages | 0.31 | 63.48% | 0.18 | 36.52% |
| 21 | Persian (incl. Farsi, Dari) | 0.30 | 63.35% | 0.17 | 36.65% |
| 22 | Other languages of Asia | 0.23 | 49.78% | 0.23 | 50.22% |
| 23 | Telugu | 0.37 | 81.45% | 0.09 | 18.55% |
| 24 | Japanese | 0.27 | 58.54% | 0.19 | 41.46% |
| 25 | Nepali, Marathi, or other Indic languages | 0.30 | 66.34% | 0.15 | 33.66% |
| 26 | Gujarati | 0.30 | 67.72% | 0.14 | 32.28% |
| 27 | Bengali | 0.23 | 58.16% | 0.17 | 41.84% |
| 28 | Ukrainian or other Slavic languages | 0.24 | 62.91% | 0.14 | 37.09% |
| 29 | Tamil | 0.29 | 85.88% | 0.05 | 14.12% |
| 30 | Other and unspecified languages | 0.23 | 70.82% | 0.10 | 29.18% |
| 31 | Punjabi | 0.19 | 59.30% | 0.13 | 40.70% |
| 32 | Swahili or other languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa | 0.19 | 67.75% | 0.09 | 32.25% |
| 33 | Thai, Lao, or other Tai-Kadai languages | 0.14 | 48.03% | 0.15 | 51.97% |
| 34 | Malayalam, Kannada, or other Dravidian languages | 0.22 | 76.99% | 0.06 | 23.01% |
| 35 | Serbo-Croatian | 0.18 | 66.40% | 0.09 | 33.60% |
| 36 | Armenian | 0.16 | 62.10% | 0.10 | 37.90% |
| 37 | Greek | 0.20 | 77.35% | 0.06 | 22.65% |
| 38 | Hmong | 0.15 | 61.34% | 0.09 | 38.66% |
| 39 | Hebrew | 0.19 | 86.25% | 0.03 | 13.75% |
| 40 | Khmer | 0.09 | 45.56% | 0.10 | 54.44% |
| 41 | Other Native languages of North America | 0.15 | 87.05% | 0.02 | 12.95% |
| 42 | Navajo | 0.11 | 72.62% | 0.04 | 27.38% |
A graph is given below to show minority languages with the highest percentage of English speakers in the US:
A graph is given below to show minority languages with the lowest percentage of English speakers in the US:
If you speak a minority language and are looking to practice your English vocabulary using word games, try the WordsRated Word Finder! Just enter the available letters in your game (usually five or six letters) and our tool will provide you with a recommended word list so you can find a word for your next turn.
Language status by location
- The state of Alaska has more official languages (21) than any other US state, territory or district.
- In addition to English, Alaska lists 20 Alaska Native languages as official languages.
- Northern Mariana Islands have 3 official languages.
- Hawaii, South Dakota, American Samoa, Guam and Puerto Rico each list 2 languages as official.
- Puerto Rico is also the only US location to have Spanish as one its official languages.
- 29 locations list English as the only official language.
- 20 locations have no official language.
| Location | Location type | Official language(s) | Total official languages |
| Alabama | State | English | 1 |
| Alaska | State | Ahtna Alutiiq Central Alaskan Yup’ik Dena’ina Deg Xinag English Eyak Gwich’in Haida Hän Holikachuk Inupiaq Koyukon Siberian Yupik Tanacross Tanana Tlingit Tsimshian Unangax Upper Kuskokwim Upper Tanana | 21 |
| Arizona | State | English | 1 |
| Arkansas | State | English | 1 |
| California | State | English | 1 |
| Colorado | State | English | 1 |
| Connecticut | State | 0 | |
| Delaware | State | 0 | |
| Florida | State | English | 1 |
| Georgia | State | English | 1 |
| Hawaii | State | English Hawaiian | 2 |
| Idaho | State | English | 1 |
| Illinois | State | English | 1 |
| Indiana | State | English | 1 |
| Iowa | State | English | 1 |
| Kansas | State | English | 1 |
| Kentucky | State | English | 1 |
| Louisiana | State | 0 | |
| Maine | State | 0 | |
| Maryland | State | 0 | |
| Massachusetts | State | English | 1 |
| Michigan | State | 0 | |
| Minnesota | State | 0 | |
| Mississippi | State | English | 1 |
| Missouri | State | English | 1 |
| Montana | State | English | 1 |
| Nebraska | State | English | 1 |
| Nevada | State | 0 | |
| New Hampshire | State | English | 1 |
| New Jersey | State | 0 | |
| New Mexico | State | 0 | |
| New York | State | 0 | |
| North Carolina | State | English | 1 |
| North Dakota | State | English | 1 |
| Ohio | State | 0 | |
| Oklahoma | State | English | 1 |
| Oregon | State | 0 | |
| Pennsylvania | State | 0 | |
| Rhode Island | State | 0 | |
| South Carolina | State | English | 1 |
| South Dakota | State | English Sioux | 2 |
| Tennessee | State | English | 1 |
| Texas | State | 0 | |
| Utah | State | English | 1 |
| Vermont | State | 0 | |
| Virginia | State | English | 1 |
| Washington | State | 0 | |
| West Virginia | State | English | 1 |
| Wisconsin | State | 0 | |
| Wyoming | State | English | 1 |
| Washington, D.C. | District | 0 | |
| American Samoa | Territory | English Samoan | 2 |
| Guam | Territory | Chamorro English | 2 |
| Northern Mariana Islands | Territory | Carolinian Chamorro English | 3 |
| Puerto Rico | Territory | English Spanish | 2 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | Territory | English | 1 |
Endangered languages in the US
- There are 169 endangered languages in the US.
- Ordered from most endangered to least endangered:
- 81 languages are critically endangered (47.93%), spoken only by a few people within the oldest generation.
- 28 languages are severely endangered (16.57%), spoken only by people within the oldest generation.
- 16 languages are definitely endangered (9.47%) and not spoken by children.
- 44 languages are vulnerable (26.04%) and not spoken by children when outside of a home environment.
| # | Language | Status |
| 1 | Achumawi language | Critically endangered |
| 2 | Acoma-Laguna language | Definitely endangered |
| 3 | Ahtna language | Critically endangered |
| 4 | Alabama language | Definitely endangered |
| 5 | Aleut language (Eastern) | Critically endangered |
| 6 | Aleut language (Western) | Severely endangered |
| 7 | Arapaho language (Wyoming) | Vulnerable |
| 8 | Arikara language | Critically endangered |
| 9 | Assiniboine language (United States) | Critically endangered |
| 10 | Blackfoot language (United States) | Vulnerable |
| 11 | Caddo language | Critically endangered |
| 12 | Cahuilla language | Critically endangered |
| 13 | Central Alaskan Yup’ik language | Vulnerable |
| 14 | Central Pomo language | Critically endangered |
| 15 | Central Siberian Yupik language (St. Lawrence Island) | Vulnerable |
| 16 | Central Sierra Miwok language | Critically endangered |
| 17 | Chemehuevi language | Critically endangered |
| 18 | Cherokee language (North Carolina) | Vulnerable |
| 19 | Cherokee language (Oklahoma) | Vulnerable |
| 20 | Cheyenne language (Montana) | Vulnerable |
| 21 | Cheyenne language (Oklahoma) | Vulnerable |
| 22 | Chickasaw language | Severely endangered |
| 23 | Chinook Jargon language | Critically endangered |
| 24 | Choctaw language (Louisiana) | Vulnerable |
| 25 | Choctaw language (Mississippi) | Vulnerable |
| 26 | Choctaw language (Oklahoma) | Vulnerable |
| 27 | Cocopa language (Arizona) | Severely endangered |
| 28 | Coeur d’Alene language | Critically endangered |
| 29 | Columbia-Moses language | Critically endangered |
| 30 | Comanche language | Severely endangered |
| 31 | Creek language | Vulnerable |
| 32 | Crow language | Vulnerable |
| 33 | Gros Ventre language | Critically endangered |
| 34 | Gwich’in language (United States) | Severely endangered |
| 35 | Halkomelem language | Severely endangered |
| 36 | Hän language (United States) | Critically endangered |
| 37 | Havasupai language | Definitely endangered |
| 38 | Hawaiian language | Vulnerable |
| 39 | Hawai’i Sign Language | Critically endangered |
| 40 | Hidatsa language | Vulnerable |
| 41 | Holikachuk language | Critically endangered |
| 42 | Hopi language | Vulnerable |
| 43 | Hualapai language | Vulnerable |
| 44 | Hupa language | Critically endangered |
| 45 | Ingalik language | Critically endangered |
| 46 | Ipai language | Critically endangered |
| 47 | Jemez language | Vulnerable |
| 48 | Jicarilla Apache language | Severely endangered |
| 49 | Kalispel-Pend d’Oreille | Critically endangered |
| 50 | Karuk language | Severely endangered |
| 51 | Kashaya language | Critically endangered |
| 52 | Kawaiisu language | Critically endangered |
| 53 | Kickapoo language (Kansas) | Vulnerable |
| 54 | Kickapoo language (Oklahoma) | Vulnerable |
| 55 | Kickapoo language (Texas) | Vulnerable |
| 56 | Kiksht language | Critically endangered |
| 57 | Kings River Yokuts | Critically endangered |
| 58 | Kiowa language | Severely endangered |
| 59 | Kiowa Apache language | Critically endangered |
| 60 | Klallam language | Critically endangered |
| 61 | Koasati language (Louisiana) | Definitely endangered |
| 62 | Koasati language (Texas) | Definitely endangered |
| 63 | Konkow language | Critically endangered |
| 64 | Koyukon language | Critically endangered |
| 65 | Kutenai language | Severely endangered |
| 66 | Kwak’wala language | Critically endangered |
| 67 | Lake Miwok language | Critically endangered |
| 68 | Luiseño language | Critically endangered |
| 69 | Lushootseed language | Critically endangered |
| 70 | Maidu language | Critically endangered |
| 71 | Makah language | Critically endangered |
| 72 | Malecite-Passamaquoddy language | Definitely endangered |
| 73 | Maliseet-Passamaquoddy language | Severely endangered |
| 74 | Mandan language | Critically endangered |
| 75 | Maricopa language | Severely endangered |
| 76 | Massachusett language | Vulnerable |
| 77 | Menominee language | Critically endangered |
| 78 | Mescalero-Chiricahua Apache language (New Mexico) | Definitely endangered |
| 79 | Mescalero-Chiricahua Apache language (Oklahoma) | Critically endangered |
| 80 | Micmac language (Massachusetts) | Vulnerable |
| 81 | Mikasuki language | Vulnerable |
| 82 | Mohave language (Arizona) | Severely endangered |
| 83 | Mohave language (California) | Severely endangered |
| 84 | Mohawk language (Akwesasne, St. Regis) | Vulnerable |
| 85 | Mohawk language (Ganienkeh) | Vulnerable |
| 86 | Mohawk language (Kanatsiohareke) | Vulnerable |
| 87 | Mono language (Eastern) | Critically endangered |
| 88 | Mono language (Western) | Critically endangered |
| 89 | Montana Salish language | Critically endangered |
| 90 | Munsee language (United States) | Critically endangered |
| 91 | Navajo language | Vulnerable |
| 92 | Nez Perce language | Critically endangered |
| 93 | Inupiat language | Severely endangered |
| 94 | Northern Haida language | Critically endangered |
| 95 | Northern Paiute language (Idaho) | Critically endangered |
| 96 | Northern Paiute language (Nevada) | Definitely endangered |
| 97 | Northern Paiute language (Oregon) | Critically endangered |
| 98 | Northern Pomo language | Critically endangered |
| 99 | Northern Sierra Miwok language | Critically endangered |
| 100 | Northern Straits Salish language | Critically endangered |
| 101 | O’odham language (Akimel) | Vulnerable |
| 102 | O’odham language (Tohono) | Vulnerable |
| 103 | Ojibwe language | Vulnerable |
| 104 | Okanagan language | Definitely endangered |
| 105 | Omaha-Ponca language | Critically endangered |
| 106 | Oneida language (New York) | Critically endangered |
| 107 | Oneida language (Wisconsin) | Critically endangered |
| 108 | Onondaga language (New York) | Critically endangered |
| 109 | Osage language | Vulnerable |
| 110 | Ottawa language (Michigan) | Critically endangered |
| 111 | Pacific Gulf Yupik language | Severely endangered |
| 112 | Panamint language | Critically endangered |
| 113 | Patwin language | Critically endangered |
| 114 | Pawnee language | Critically endangered |
| 115 | Picuris language | Vulnerable |
| 116 | Plains Sign Talk | Critically endangered |
| 117 | Potawatomi language (Kansas) | Critically endangered |
| 118 | Potawatomi language (Michigan) | Critically endangered |
| 119 | Potawatomi language (Oklahoma) | Critically endangered |
| 120 | Potawatomi language (Wisconsin) | Critically endangered |
| 121 | Quechan language | Definitely endangered |
| 122 | Rio Grande Keresan language | Definitely endangered |
| 123 | Sahaptin language | Severely endangered |
| 124 | Sauk-Fox language | Critically endangered |
| 125 | Seneca language (United States) | Severely endangered |
| 126 | Seward Peninsula Inupiaq language (King Island) | Critically endangered |
| 127 | Seward Peninsula Inupiaq language (Little Diomede Island) | Critically endangered |
| 128 | Seward Peninsula Inupiaq language (Norton Sound) | Critically endangered |
| 129 | Shawnee language | Vulnerable |
| 130 | Shoshoni language (Idaho) | Vulnerable |
| 131 | Shoshoni language (Nevada) | Vulnerable |
| 132 | Shoshoni language (Wyoming) | Vulnerable |
| 133 | Sioux language | Vulnerable |
| 134 | Southern Paiute language | Severely endangered |
| 135 | Southern Pomo language | Critically endangered |
| 136 | Southern Sierra Miwok language | Critically endangered |
| 137 | Southern Tiwa language (Isleta Pueblo) | Definitely endangered |
| 138 | Southern Tiwa language (Sandia Pueblo) | Definitely endangered |
| 139 | Spokane language | Critically endangered |
| 140 | Straits Salish language | Severely endangered |
| 141 | Tanacross language | Critically endangered |
| 142 | Tanaina language | Severely endangered |
| 143 | Tanana language | Critically endangered |
| 144 | Taos language | Definitely endangered |
| 145 | Tewa language (Arizona) | Definitely endangered |
| 146 | Tewa language (New Mexico) | Severely endangered |
| 147 | Tipai language (United States) | Severely endangered |
| 148 | Tlingit language (United States) | Critically endangered |
| 149 | Tolowa language | Critically endangered |
| 150 | Tubatulabal language | Critically endangered |
| 151 | Tule-Kaweah Yokuts | Critically endangered |
| 152 | Tuscarora language (United States) | Critically endangered |
| 153 | Upland Yuman language | Vulnerable |
| 154 | Upper Kuskokwim language | Critically endangered |
| 155 | Upper Tanana language (United States) | Critically endangered |
| 156 | Ute language (Colorado, Southern Ute) | Vulnerable |
| 157 | Ute language (Colorado, Ute Mountain) | Vulnerable |
| 158 | Ute language (Utah) | Vulnerable |
| 159 | Valley Yokuts | Severely endangered |
| 160 | Washo language | Severely endangered |
| 161 | Western Apache language | Vulnerable |
| 162 | Winnebago language (Nebraska) | Severely endangered |
| 163 | Winnebago language (Wisconsin) | Severely endangered |
| 164 | Wintu-Nomlaki language, Wintu language | Critically endangered |
| 165 | Yaqui language (United States) | Definitely endangered |
| 166 | Yavapai language | Severely endangered |
| 167 | Yuchi language | Critically endangered |
| 168 | Yurok language | Critically endangered |
| 169 | Zuni language | Vulnerable |
A graph is given below to compare the number of endangered languages in the US by their status:
Most Spoken Languages In The US FAQ
How many languages are spoken in the US?
- Estimates suggest that approximately 430 different languages are spoken in the US.
- Of these, 177 are indigenous to the US and its territories.
- However, 169 languages in the US are endangered to differing extents.
What are the most spoken languages in the US?
- The most spoken language in the US is English.
- As of 2021, English is spoken by at least 287.31 million people.
- English speakers make up around 85.26% of the total US population.
How do US military linguists learn languages fast?
- US military linguists are known for being able to pick up new languages in shorter periods of time than would normally be expected. This is typically due to:
- Necessity: US military linguists are expected to learn languages under time constraints. During a course, this pressure to learn can increase their learning output.
- Immersion: Students learn the culture and customs of the specific language they have been selected to learn, in addition to the environment it will be used in. This should enable students to focus their learning on relevant material.
- Varied learning: Classrooms, practical exercises and language labs are all combined to offer military linguists multiple ways to practice their language skills. Doing so pushes students to try different learning styles, which can prevent burnout when learning for several hours in a day.