E.g., 06/09/2024
E.g., 06/09/2024
State Language Data - NY
 

New York

Language & Education
2022
2000
1990
English Proficiency

Note: The term limited English proficient (LEP) refers to any person age 5 and older who reported speaking English "not at all," "not well," or "well" on their survey questionnaire. Persons who speak only English or who report speaking English "very well" are considered proficient in English.

Note: The term "foreign born" refers to people residing in the United States at the time of the population survey who were not U.S. citizens at birth. The foreign-born population includes naturalized U.S. citizens, lawful permanent immigrants (or green-card holders), refugees and asylees, certain legal nonimmigrants (including those on student, work, or some other temporary visas), and persons residing in the country without authorization.

Foreign Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 4,439,275
Speak only English 23.9%
Speak English "very well" 31.0%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 45.1%
Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2022 15.0%
% change: 1990-2000 48.7%
English Proficiency of the Foreign Born by U.S. Citizenship Status (age 5 and older)*

Note: The term limited English proficient (LEP) refers to any person age 5 and older who reported speaking English "not at all," "not well," or "well" on their survey questionnaire. Persons who speak only English or who report speaking English "very well" are considered proficient in English. Data for Alaska, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the Census Bureau's pooled 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 ACS.

 
Naturalized citizens 2,707,308
Speak only English 28.1%
Speak English "very well" 33.5%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 38.4%
Noncitizens 1,731,967
Speak only English 17.2%
Speak English "very well" 27.2%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 55.6%

Note: The term "U.S. born" refers to people residing in the United States who were U.S. citizens in one of three categories: people born in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia; people born in U.S. Insular Areas such as Puerto Rico or Guam; or people who were born abroad to at least one U.S. citizen parent.

U.S. Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 14,182,421
Speak only English 83.5%
Speak English ""very well"" 12.9%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 3.6%
Limited English Proficient (LEP) Population: Change over Time  
% change: 2000-2011 -11.1%
% change: 1990-2000 -2.1%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 3,834,479
Speak only English 25.1%
"Speak English ""very well"" 29.5%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 45.4%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 13,914,631
Speak only English 85.0%
"Speak English ""very well"" 10.9%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4.1%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 2,802,875
Speak only English 28.3%
"Speak English ""very well"" 29.9%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 41.8%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
English Proficiency (age 5 and older) (%) 13,873,544
Speak only English 86.5%
"Speak English ""very well"" 9.4%
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4.2%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Population (age 5 and older)
 
 
Language Spoken at Home (by age and English proficiency)

Note: The term limited English proficient (LEP) refers to any person age 5 and older who reported speaking English "not at all," "not well," or "well" on their survey questionnaire. Persons who speak only English or who report speaking English "very well" are considered proficient in English.

Number
Ages 5-17 2,925,783
Speak only English 2,050,196
Speak language other than English 875,587
Speak English "very well"
619,863
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
255,724
Speak Spanish 439,718
Speak English "very well"
329,951
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
109,767
Ages 18-64 12,131,317
Speak only English 8,224,931
Speak language other than English 3,906,386
Speak English "very well"
2,253,987
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
1,652,399
Speak Spanish 1,905,732
Speak English "very well"
1,043,310
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
862,422
65 and Older 3,564,596
Speak only English 2,633,815
Speak language other than English 930,781
Speak English "very well"
330,095
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
600,686
Speak Spanish 379,252
Speak English "very well"
130,642
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP)
248,610
%
65 and Older 100%
Speak only English 70.1%
Speak language other than English 29.9%
Speak English "very well" 21.2%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 8.7%
Speak Spanish 15.0%
Speak English "very well" 11.3%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 3.8%
Ages 18-64 100%
Speak only English 67.8%
Speak language other than English 32.2%
Speak English "very well" 18.6%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 13.6%
Speak Spanish 15.7%
Speak English "very well" 8.6%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 7.1%
Ages 5-17 100%
Speak only English 73.9%
Speak language other than English 26.1%
Speak English "very well" 9.3%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 16.9%
Speak Spanish 10.6%
Speak English "very well" 3.7%
Speak English less than "very well" (LEP) 7.0%
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
Population (age 5 and older)
 
 
Language Spoken at Home (detailed, by English proficiency)

Note: 1) The term limited English proficient (LEP) refers to any person age 5 and older who reported speaking English "not at all," "not well," or "well" on their survey questionnaire. Persons who speak only English or who report speaking English "very well" are considered proficient in English. 2) Data for Alaska, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S. Census Bureau's pooled 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 ACS.

Number
Total Household Population, Age 5 and Older 18,621,696
Speak only English 12,908,942
Speak language other than English 5,712,754
Spanish 2,724,702
Speak English "very well" 1,503,903
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,220,799
French (Including Cajun) 142,480
Speak English "very well" 111,011
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 31,469
Haitian 142,042
Speak English "very well" 93,170
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 48,872
Italian 128,014
Speak English "very well" 87,939
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 40,075
Portuguese 48,148
Speak English "very well" 34,014
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 14,134
German 48,296
Speak English "very well" 41,788
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 6,508
Yiddish, Pennsylvania Dutch or Other West Germanic Languages 218,437
Speak English "very well" 106,886
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 111,551
Russian 213,614
Speak English "very well" 103,561
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 110,053
Polish 62,315
Speak English "very well" 33,850
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 28,465
Other Slavic Languages 78,482
Speak English "very well" 46,337
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 32,145
Armenian 6,471
Speak English "very well" 3,938
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,533
Persian (including Farsi, Dari) 25,088
Speak English "very well" 16,832
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 8,256
Gujarati 16,562
Speak English "very well" 12,542
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4,020
Hindi 51,114
Speak English "very well" 39,306
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 11,808
Urdu 75,261
Speak English "very well" 45,514
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 29,747
Punjabi 45,063
Speak English "very well" 23,304
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 21,759
Bengali 145,845
Speak English "very well" 71,940
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 73,905
Nepali, Marathi, or Other Indic Languages 40,959
Speak English "very well" 20,693
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 20,266
Other Indo-European Languages 146,680
Speak English "very well" 102,021
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 44,659
Telugu 7,069
Speak English "very well" 5,720
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 1,349
Tamil 9,207
Speak English "very well" 7,132
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,075
Malayalam, Kannada, or Other Dravidian Languages 29,326
Speak English "very well" 20,312
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 9,014
Chinese (including Mandarin, Cantonese) 607,713
Speak English "very well" 221,874
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 385,839
Japanese 33,462
Speak English "very well" 18,620
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 14,842
Korean 94,761
Speak English "very well" 47,916
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 46,845
Hmong 253
Speak English "very well" 193
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 60
Vietnamese 23,139
Speak English "very well" 10,486
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 12,653
Khmer 4,770
Speak English "very well" 2,522
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 2,248
Thai, Lao, or Other Tai-Kadai Languages 10,158
Speak English "very well" 4,300
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 5,858
Other Languages of Asia 69,331
Speak English "very well" 34,797
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 34,534
Tagalog (including Filipino) 82,295
Speak English "very well" 61,885
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 20,410
Ilocano, Samoan, Hawaiian, or Other Austronesian Languages 14,188
Speak English "very well" 9,316
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 4,872
Arabic 135,861
Speak English "very well" 88,397
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 47,464
Hebrew 54,825
Speak English "very well" 43,573
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 11,252
Amharic, Somali, or Other Afro-Asiatic Languages 19,813
Speak English "very well" 14,695
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 5,118
Yoruba, Twi, Igbo, or Other Languages of Western Africa 94,941
Speak English "very well" 70,930
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 24,011
Swahili or Other Languages of Central, Eastern, and Southern Africa 15,809
Speak English "very well" 10,705
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 5,104
Native Languages of North America 3,994
Speak English "very well" 3,551
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 443
Other and Unspecified Languages 42,266
Speak English "very well" 28,472
Speak English less than “very well” (LEP) 13,794
%
Field 306 100%
Field 307 69.3%
Field 308 30.7%
Field 310 100%
Field 310 55.2%
Field 310 44.8%
Field 313 100%
Field 314 77.9%
Field 315 22.1%
Field 316 100%
Field 316 65.6%
Field 316 34.4%
Field 319 100%
Field 319 68.7%
Field 319 31.3%
Field 322 100%
Field 322 70.6%
Field 322 29.4%
Field 325 100%
Field 325 86.5%
Field 325 13.5%
Field 328 100%
Field 328 48.9%
Field 328 51.1%
Field 331 100%
Field 331 48.5%
Field 331 51.5%
Field 334 100%
Field 334 54.3%
Field 334 45.7%
Field 337 100%
Field 337 59.0%
Field 337 41.0%
Field 340 100%
Field 340 60.9%
Field 340 39.1%
Field 343 100%
Field 343 67.1%
Field 343 32.9%
Field 346 100%
Field 346 75.7%
Field 346 24.3%
Field 349 100%
Field 349 76.9%
Field 349 23.1%
Field 352 100%
Field 352 60.5%
Field 352 39.5%
Field 355 100%
Field 355 51.7%
Field 355 48.3%
Field 358 100%
Field 358 49.3%
Field 358 50.7%
Field 361 100%
Field 361 50.5%
Field 361 49.5%
Field 364 100%
Field 364 69.6%
Field 364 30.4%
Field 367 100%
Field 367 80.9%
Field 367 19.1%
Field 370 100%
Field 370 77.5%
Field 370 22.5%
Field 373 100%
Field 373 69.3%
Field 373 30.7%
Field 376 100%
Field 376 36.5%
Field 376 63.5%
Field 379 100%
Field 379 55.6%
Field 379 44.4%
Field 382 100%
Field 382 50.6%
Field 382 49.4%
Field 385 100%
Field 385 76.3%
Field 385 23.7%
Field 388 100%
Field 388 45.3%
Field 388 54.7%
Field 391 100%
Field 391 52.9%
Field 391 47.1%
Field 394 100%
Field 394 42.3%
Field 394 57.7%
Field 397 100%
Field 397 50.2%
Field 397 49.8%
Field 400 100%
Field 400 75.2%
Field 400 24.8%
Field 403 100%
Field 403 65.7%
Field 403 34.3%
Field 406 100%
Field 406 65.1%
Field 406 34.9%
Field 409 100%
Field 409 79.5%
Field 409 20.5%
Field 412 100%
Field 412 74.2%
Field 412 25.8%
Field 415 100%
Field 415 74.7%
Field 415 25.3%
Field 418 100%
Field 418 67.7%
Field 418 32.3%
Field 421 100%
Field 421 88.9%
Field 421 11.1%
Field 424 100%
Field 424 67.4%
Field 424 32.6%
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Educational Attainment Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 4,008,938
Less than high school diploma 23.1%
High school diploma or GED 24.7%
Some college or associate's degree 18.2%
Bachelor's degree 18.9%
Graduate or professional degree 15.2%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 55.0%
Bachelor's degree or higher 24.6%
Educational Attainment: Change over Time  
Adults with no high school diploma  
% change: 2000-2022 -13.0%
% change: 1990-2000 18.3%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher  
% change: 2000-2022 77.7%
% change: 1990-2000 68.6%
Educational Attainment by U.S. Citizenship Status (foreign-born adults, age 25 and older)

Note: 1) Data for Alaska, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S. Census Bureau's pooled 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 ACS. 2) The letter N Indicates that a number could not be provided by the Census Bureau because the number of sample cases was too small for this state.

 
Naturalized citizens (%) 2,553,339
Less than high school diploma 18.6%
High school diploma or GED 23.6%
Some college or associate's degree 20.9%
Bachelor's degree 20.9%
Graduate or professional degree 16%
Noncitizens (%) 1,455,599
Less than high school diploma 30.9%
High school diploma or GED 26.5%
Some college or associate's degree 13.4%
Bachelor's degree 15.3%
Graduate or professional degree 13.9%
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 9,883,303
Less than high school diploma 7.7%
High school diploma or GED 24.5%
Some college or associate's degree 25.4%
Bachelor's degree 23.7%
Graduate or professional degree 18.7%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Nothing  
Nothing  
Educational Attainment: Change over Time  
Adults with no high school diploma  
% change: 2000-2011 -51.5%
% change: 1990-2000 -24.1%
Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher  
% change: 2000-2011 57.1%
% change: 1990-2000 17.1%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 3,151,322
Less than high school diploma 33.7%
High school diploma or GED 23.2%
Some college or associate's degree 18.6%
Bachelor's degree 13.8%
Graduate or professional degree 10.6%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 40.5%
Bachelor's degree or higher 22.4%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 9,404,196
Less than high school diploma 16.6%
High school diploma or GED 29.2%
Some college or associate's degree 25.8%
Bachelor's degree 16.1%
Graduate or professional degree 12.3%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
Foreign Born
Population (age 25 and older) 2,312,062
Less than high school diploma 38.8%
High school diploma or GED 23.6%
Some college or associate's degree 17.8%
Bachelor's degree 10.9%
Graduate or professional degree 8.8%
% Foreign Born among Adults with  
Less than high school diploma 30.4%
Bachelor's degree or higher 16.7%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
U.S. Born
Population (age 25 and older) 9,471,191
Less than high school diploma 21.7%
High school diploma or GED 31.0%
Some college or associate's degree 23.3%
Bachelor's degree 13.9%
Graduate or professional degree 10.2%
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Sources: Migration Policy Institute tabulations of the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) and Decennial Census. Unless stated otherwise, 2022 data are from the one-year ACS file. For information about ACS definitions, click here. For ACS methodology, sampling error, and nonsampling error, click here. Estimates from 1990 and 2000 Decennial Census data as well as ACS microdata are from Steven Ruggles, Sarah Flood, Matthew Sobek, Daniel Backman, Annie Chen, Grace Cooper, Stephanie Richards, Renae Rogers, and Megan Schouweiler. IPUMS USA: Version 14.0 [dataset]. Minneapolis, MN: IPUMS, 2023. https://doi.org/10.18128/D010.V14.0​.

Definitions

  • The term "foreign born" refers to people residing in the United States at the time of the population survey who were not U.S. citizens at birth. The foreign-born population includes naturalized U.S. citizens, lawful permanent immigrants (or green-card holders), refugees and asylees, certain legal nonimmigrants (including those on student, work, or some other temporary visas), and persons residing in the country without authorization.
  • The term "U.S. born" refers to people residing in the United States who were U.S. citizens in one of three categories: people born in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia; people born in U.S. Insular Areas such as Puerto Rico or Guam; or people who were born abroad to at least one U.S. citizen parent.
  • The term limited English proficient (LEP) refers to any person age 5 and older who reported speaking English “not at all,” “not well,” or “well” on their survey questionnaire. Persons who speak only English or who report speaking English “very well” are considered proficient in English.

Data-related notes

  • The letter N indicates that an estimate could not be provided by the Census Bureau because the number of sample cases was too small for this state.
  • For “English proficiency of the foreign born by U.S. citizenship status” and “Educational Attainment by U.S. Citizenship Status”: Data for Alaska, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the Census Bureau's pooled 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 ACS. 
  • For “Language Spoken at Home (detailed, by English proficiency)”: Data for Alaska, Arkansas, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming are from the U.S. Census Bureau's pooled 2018-2022 American Community Survey (ACS). Data for the United States overall and for the remaining states are from the 2022 ACS.